In celebration of Tripaweds

iguana

As some people know my dog Toby had to have his leg amputated last week after smashing his elbow* irreparably. I had been updating the thread with news about how he's getting on but the thing is last week when we heard he was losing his leg I was so depressed and upset it was as if he had died. The thread has a big sad face and a sad, sad tone at the start. But Toby isn't sad, he isn't going to die from this and he deserves a happier thread. So I thought I'd start a new one for news on Toby and for other people with 3 or even 2 legged pets to share stories and tips.

So first off 2 days ago he had his first decent walk. I did take him up and down the street on Xmas day to stop him going too stir crazy but on Monday I took him to the park. He is still on lead walks only for a while so I brought him to the historical gardens near our house where dogs must be kept on a lead. I took him there for 3 reasons, it's our nearest park, he only ever goes there on a lead so he wouldn't expect to be allowed run around there and lastly all the other dogs would be on a lead so he wouldn't get overwhelmed by other dogs running up to him.

He was rearing to go the minute he saw the lead. I've mentioned that he isn't sad, but that's not true when Dougal is taken for a walk and he gets left behind. So when he saw me hold the lead up for him he started vibrating with delight. He was so excited he was quite hard to control. He can't wear a harness as he has a wound for a shoulder so he just had the lead strapped to his collar and he pulled and pulled. If I stopped walking to give him the message to slow down he would just take off to the right or the left instead. He is convinced that each and every car has a cat under it.:rolleyes:

Once we got to the park he was so excited. After a couple of attempts he has worked out how to do his 'patented cocked leg to poo.' He just angles his one front leg into the middle and then he can balance on one back leg while he relieves himself. He nearly fell over the first two times, but he is absolutely determined to do everything exactly how he always did. So he stubbornly kept trying until he got it. The most exciting part of the walk was when he saw a squirrel and tried to give chase. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't let him off to go after it. He kept looking from me to squirrel anxiously, while hopping up and down. He was so tired when he got home that he slept for the rest of the evening only waking for his dinner and to be carried up to bed.

Secondly he had a check up with the vet yesterday and his wound is doing well. He has no signs of infection and will be getting his stitches out on Saturday. Our biggest worry is that he has the same weakness in his left elbow that he had in the right. So we will be changing his routine quite a bit to prevent him from taking too much strain. We are actually planning on moving house as our nearest parks have too much rough ground. With ditches and low walls to jump over. The vet has also said that there is no reason for him not to be able to swim in the future but as our nearest river has a steep bank we will need to swim him somewhere with a gentle slope into the water. Toby really, really loves swimming so it's god that he will still be able to. Luckily we rent this house so moving won't be impossible, we've also decided that when we do go to buy again we will look for a bungalow. According to the vet there is no reason a 3-legger can't manage stairs but in case Toby's other elbow is weak we shouldn't take risks with him falling or putting too much pressure on it.




*I'm not anthropomorphising him, it's what my vet calls it.;)

Paul91

fantastic news - he's a lucky pup indeed!

ISDW

I'm delighted that you're feeling so positive about it. He seems to have adapted brilliantly, and so quickly, they really are amazing, these animals of ours.

Whispered

So glad to hear about Toby. He sounds like he's doing great. You sound like you're doing great too.

I think someone in your original thread suggested that within a week you'd be telling us how well he's doing, they were right!

Blueprint

Really pleased he's doing so well!

votejohn

your dog is so lucky to have you, your so caring!!!!

Swimming in calm, easy access water, will probably be really good for him to strengthen the other legs!!

He sounds like a real trooper!

ghost_ie

Great to hear he's doing so well

Stheno

Great to hear Toby is doing so well

He sounds like a great little dog.

I've had two three legged dogs, both lost their legs as three month old pups, one a GSD who has since passed away, and one a whippet cross. Both were missing a front leg, and had the shoulder blade removed as well.

Both could manage stairs, the GSD with more difficulty, and both were quite mobile, my whippet x never really realised she had three and not four legs, and is extremely mobile, plays chase and fetch with the other dogs. Her one main handicap is when she's trying to eat a bone as she doesn't have a second "hand" to hold it while she chomps if that makes sense?

I hope Toby continues to do so well

As for swimming, you may want to check if there are any animal hydrotherapy pools near you, you could then look into booking Toby in for some swimming time in one of those

Best of luck

Stheno

For some reason I can't edit my post, but just wanted to add:

My GSD loved swimming and used get into our local pond/lake, swim over to the little island in the middle have a rest, get out and then swim back Did him he world of good tbh.

Also if at some point in the future you become concerned about the remaining leg, you could potentially look into getting him a cart, there is one company that makes carts for dogs front legs to help with arthritis/chronic weakness.


I read your original thread and I see you've already learned about the missing paw , he'll adapt in no time, my whippet x learned to eat her bones using the bit where her shoulder used be to balance it

If you've any questions feel free to ask.

iguana

Hi everyone, thanks for the support. I've managed to solve the stairs issue. I have seat belt harnesses for both dogs so I can put Toby's on him as long as I am very careful it doesn't touch his stitches. When that's on him I hold on to the belt strap and walk him up or down next to me. He's happier, he doesn't catch his rear legs around mine as I'm walking and risk knocking us both down the stairs so I'm happier . And maybe best of all he no longer does tiny fright pees when he's being lifted. I must have cleaned the carpet and the top and bottom of the stairs about 20 times since he's been home.:rolleyes:

ghost_ie

You'll find that with time the stairs won't bother him and he'll figure out a way to get up and down them on his own.

I bet it won't be long before Toby discovers the effect of the "don't scold me I'm a poor disabled dog" look when he's done something naughty? Georgie has this down to a fine art. It consists of hanging the head and then very slowly and with a pronounced effort stumping to the door, pausing before exiting to cast a reproachful gaze at the person who has given out to her. This from a dog who normally doesn't seem to realise she's missing a limb and runs like the wind, but it never fails to make me feel bad for scolding her when she does it - and it doesn't help that the other two rush after her to comfort her, bless them

Diogenes

ghost_ie wrote: »

You'll find that with time the stairs won't bother him and he'll figure out a way to get up and down them on his own.

I bet it won't be long before Toby discovers the effect of the "don't scold me I'm a poor disabled dog" look when he's done something naughty? Georgie has this down to a fine art. It consists of hanging the head and then very slowly and with a pronounced effort stumping to the door, pausing before exiting to cast a reproachful gaze at the person who has given out to her. This from a dog who normally doesn't seem to realise she's missing a limb and runs like the wind, but it never fails to make me feel bad for scolding her when she does it - and it doesn't help that the other two rush after her to comfort her, bless them

He's already started, making a poor pitiful me sound, if he feels he's not getting enough attention.

We thought he was getting down and depressed, because he's a bit dopey, turns out he's just exhausted, and a fifteen minute lead walk to the park just wipes him out. An exhausted Springer is a strange thing to see!

iguana

Toby got his stitches out today so is allowed a little more freedom and play time. This is a short video of Toby and Dougal playing this evening. It's not great as the camera in my phone isn't great but it gives a small idea of how he's doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbXixz1ldiY

YOURFACE!

Iguana they are beautiful! Toby seems so happy in that clip! I'm delighted for you all he's doing well now!

iguana

I hope people aren't bored of Toby just yet but here is a video of him today in the snow. We decided to give him a few minutes off his lead to let him have a bit of an explore and sniff. I'll let you work out how he felt about it.;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFhv71dBW4c

star-pants

Haha, that's fantastic!
I'm so happy to see toby doing well!

Blueprint

Yes, he looks really happy and full of beans - Toby is a tough little guy!

The Sweeper

You know, I'd say that at first glance most people won't notice he's only got three legs. It certainly isn't interfering with his speed, and he looks like he's already shifted the postion of the remaining front leg to the centre for balance when sitting and galloping about!!

ghost_ie

It's great to see him enjoying himself so much. He looks really happy

Whispered

He looks great. You'd never know he recently had a big op and only for the fact you said he had lost a leg I doubt I would have really noticed.

seamus

The Sweeper wrote: »

You know, I'd say that at first glance most people won't notice he's only got three legs.

Definitely. With our mutt, the first thing we usually hear from families is, "Aww, look at that dog..oh look! She's only got three legs!". I'm not entirely sure why it's such a novelty - it's a common injury in dogs, but maybe people are surprised that the dogs otherwise look perfectly healthy.

It certainly isn't interfering with his speed

Bloody sure. We only managed to get our girl off the lead in a field last week and up till then I wasn't sure what kind of mobility she had. Especially when she's been sitting for a while the remaining leg (lost a back one) can be very stiff. But she got up to some speed when she was off the lead last week, I couldn't believe it.

Long story short, our dog has been missing a paw for 2.5 years, but we only got her a month ago just after the rest of the leg was removed. Took forever to heal - she insisted on rubbing on the ground and eating her stitches whenever we took the cone off the her head. Nice and healed now though and her posture and confidence has improved immensely (although she might be more confident cos she's not locked in a cage or on her own all day).

Silas45

Toby looks great! It does'nt seem to cast him a jot!

I had a springer missing the same leg as Toby. They get quite used to shifting their weight and as soon as the wound is fully healed he'll figure it out on the water aswell no problems.

I think the best advice we got at the time was just not to wrap him in cotton wool. It was hard to see him at the start belting up and down the stairs and hopping over ditches thinking he was going to topple over but you soon get used to it.

The only change we made was we tended to stay away form a rocky coast area we used to walk on occasionally and after a while he figured out himself to wait for someone to support his weight when jumping out of the car or off walls etc. Other than that he had a long and happy life on 3 legs.

Tobys a lucky dog!! All the best with him!:)

mymo

Toby looks like he's taking it all in his stride, they adapt well and I know you'll worry about the other leg but try not to let it get to you.
Growing up, my friend had a huge gsd called Raymond(made me laugh as it was my brothers name too), who lost his front left leg including shoulder at 5 months, he lived a happy healthy life until he was 13 when his heart gave out. The vet warned the family to keep him slim and to take care with him coming down steps and jumping down from things as he was a large heavy dog and they often have hip and joint problems, but other than a little arthritis in old age he coped well.
Wishing him all the best.x

lubie76

He reminds me of a 3 legged dog I saw in Lisadell beach at the end of the Summer. He was with a young family from Dublin and he was so happy to see the water that he was going crazy trying to get off the lead. When they let him off he went flying down and straight out swimming for ages playing with the kids.

Just like your dog you wouldn't even notice he had 3 legs by the way he manouvered. He certainly didn't notice himself. I wish I took a video of it now.

iguana

I haven't updated this in a while as my husband spent quite a bit of January seriously ill in hospital. When he was discharged he brought a virus home with him which he kindly gave to me and I ended up spending a night in hospital myself. So poor Toby and Dougal spent quite a bit of the last month cooped up as neither of us could walk them very much. But all is back to normal-ish now so Toby's starting to have many "new" experiences as a tripawd.

We haven't been able to do anything about moving house just yet so we can only walk him in the park where he broke his leg both times. This means that he spends most of his walk on a long-lead. Initially he was just pleased to be back on his old stomping ground and trotted about contentedly within the confines of his lead and you could see he was tired on the way home. But then he started pulling to follow Dougal and run around like crazy, and he's so very strong, it's actually pretty hard to walk him. He doesn't pull constantly, just every so often something catches his attention and he tries to shoot off to investigate forgetting he is on a lead and nearly pulling me over.

So I've started letting him off for a little run in the rec-ground part of the park. Unfortunately Dougal has to be kept on a lead in this part as he has a tendency to duck under the fence and go over near the railway tracks. It's a pity because they clearly miss running around together, but Toby does enjoy running about and playing some fetch. Yesterday as we were walking about and Dougal was running in and out of the river I could tell that Toby was looking longingly at the river. We were by the bank that was where I used to take Toby to swim when he was recovering from the initial break and I could tell he remembered that and wanted to go down. On our next pass I decided to walk him down there and let him do what he was comfortable with while leaving his harness and lead on.

We walked down the bank and when I gave him slack on the lead he just leapt straight in the water. He was SO happy. His whole body language was just screaming pleasure and delight. After a minute he looked up at me to throw a ball for him, so we threw a ball about two feet from him, along the bank and HE JUST SWAM! There was no stumbling, no false starts, he just took off after the ball, got it and brought it back to me. We played water fetch for a few minutes and then I took him out as I didn't want him to get tired. Then in the rec-ground we played some more fetch with him.

I thought he would be exhausted, but he just charged home and all afternoon and evening he was a massive bundle of excited energy. I wish I'd had my phone with me to take some pictures/video but I'll bring it along today as I suspect he'll want to go in again. I'm so happy for him, we're going to try and get a move on about finding a new place so he can have more freedom on walks, I think he needs it asap.

iguana

Here he is today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqK_X7ExQp4

theghost

Well done Toby! That video has made my day . Sorry to hear you and your other half have been unwell. Hope the rest of the year goes better for both of you and Toby and Dougal.