Any experience with caring for a dog with amputated leg?

My dog was recently in a bad accident last week and the leg could not be saved. It needed to be amputated. She is back home after a week in a vetrinary hospital. Any advice for caring for her and ensuring her comfort as she recovers?

Wow!! I am really sorry about that. I don't have a bit of advice, but wish you both the best of luck.

look for her a doggies wheel chair they work great they have a disabled dog site check it out

i'm happy to hear that she survived. give her lots of love and treats as she gets better. i have seem many 3 leggit dogs get around great so as she heals i'm sure she will manage to get around.when she starts to walk if you see her falling or struggling to walk, get a towel and help her by wrapping it around her waist and pulling up on it so you can move along with her as she walks. just make sure she is well fed and gets her strenght back and that she has no infection. time will heal and i hope she will too. take care.

Dogs are really amazing. I've seen them up and walking within a couple of hours after having a leg removed and I've never seen one have any problems getting around on three legs.Make sure the incision stays clean and dry, and doesn't develop any swelling or drainage. You can clean it with hydrogen peroxide once daily if you want. I wouldn't bother with any ointments...usually dogs just lick them off. Get her up and walking several times a day especially if she's a little reluctant at first. Keep her food and water close by so she doesn't have to go too far. Walk outside with her to use the bathroom. And provide a nice soft place for her to lay down.I bet you'll be amazed at how well she gets around. Most dogs don't show any signs of pain just a few days after the surgery. You should be taking her back about 10 days after the surgery to have her stitches removed.If she develops any redness, pain, swelling or drainage at the incision site, call your vet. Otherwise, just make sure she's eating and drinking like normal. Good luck!

The poor thing. Usually animals can live with 3 legs just fine. You want to make sure that she doesnt play to much until she is fully healed. Make her a comfy bed on the floor and let her rest. One thing you do want to be carefully of at first is, dont let her get on the couch. She will try to jump down as she normally would and may rip out her stitches if she still has them. I would wait till she is fully healed to lay on the couch. Another thing you want to do is go outside with her when she goes to the bathroom for the first week or so of being home. We bring my dog out and put him on a rope and let him be outside for a little bit, but you dont want to do this.If she is left out and is alone she may bite at the stitches or get into something she isnt suppose to and hurt herself again. Give her plenty of hugs and kisses and let her know that you love her!!! Good Luck

I don't really have advice for how to help your dog, but have some insight as my sister's dog had to lose his leg to prevent cancer from spreading. This dog was a 120 pound dog, so everyone was worried how he'd be able to get around with that much weight on three legs. It was surprising how well he did! Over time, he kept the one leg almost more in the center compared to the one side, kindof like a tripod. For a while he had a cast, and after that was taken off, it wasn't long before he was running again. He adapted to the situation so well, it was unbelievable. Anyway, just wanted to pass along that your dog will do just fine with the three legs. She may take a tumble here and there getting used to her new situation, but she'll be back to normal in no time and you'd never know there was a change (other than by looks of course). I wish you and her well!

The main thing is to keep it clean while it heals.When our dog came home from the hospital after losing a front leg, he was getting around pretty well right from the start. The only difficulty he had was when he tried to pee, he lifted his back leg and then fell over because he was on two legs. But he quickly learned how to pee without raising his leg.You'll be amazed at how well your dog adapts. DON'T treat her like an invalid. She is not.

I had a foster dog that had to have a leg amputated. He had no problems at all. Follow your vet's instructions. Keep other dogs away from her for a while; until she can balance without being knocked over by an exuberant dog.Watch her on slick surfaces - linoleum/laminate/hard wood floors, etc. Sometimes they can slip; especially if they're running.I'm betting in another week you, and she, don't even notice the missing leg. That's the way it was with my guy.

I had a Chihuahua that had to have her back right leg amputated. She did just fine after she was completely recover she even went up and down the stairs. For now keep her on a close area were she can rest and but at the same time she can walk if she wants to and get her balance straight, make sure she get her medicine when she needs to (very important) and you will see in no time she'l be up and running.

I have even hunted over a three legged dog. You are going to be amazed by how fast the learning curve will be for your dog.

well if you just got her back from the vet then you care enough to know your judgement will be right because you and the dog are bonded and if you pay attention you will be able to look in her eyes and read her mind, good luck, you'll know, and just one other thing its a good thing its not a male because if he had to lift his leg he'd might be in trouble lol

Wow! You are really doing a lot for her. I know it is scary, but some of what you can do will come to you day by day. Right now, I am sure the vet told you the most dangerous thing is infection and swelling. Take a good look at the area and put a couple of fingers on it gently to see how much swelling there is. Notice the edges of the stitches or staples for any seepage and any bad smell. Is she not semi-confined from getting up? Put a nice weight collar on her that won't slip so you can control her in situations. I would keep her quiet for at least a week. Put her in a small room, don't let people knock or ring the door bell if she's the kind to get up and run. Sit beside her, if people Don't forget to give her anti-biotics. Also, to help put back in good bacteria, give her big bites of cottage cheese or 1/2 cup of buttermilk for a while.The incision may be quite large, so don't be surprised if it looks like it covers half the leg and shoulder or hip! It will heal, really it will.Does your dog have a drain inserted from the surgery? This allows fluids which could be infected to keep from building up under the skin..... it simply drains out. It's temporary - I am sure your vet told you..Bringing home any dog after major surgery can be scary and amputation is no exception. You may be thinking you won't be able to care for her. That's normal. You will be able to care for her, and your vet will be there for any questions you have.You might want to ask your vet about pain management. Some dogs will have pills or a pain patch. You may want to keep your dog quiet for a few days after the surgery to keep him from jumping and pulling stitches or staples. She won't walk well at first. A small room or a large dog crate can be useful for this. Just set up food, water and a large bed on top of carpet or a room rug..... so she does not slip on smooth carpet or flooring. If you have other pets, it's best to keep them separated or at least supervised when they are together at first. Your recovering dog smells like the hospital , may flop and look injured, and other dogs may be wary of her or even get aggressive. Recovery: It will take only a few days for your dog to figure out how to get around on three legs. Some dogs have trouble at first, but they will figure it out.There isn't a whole lot you can do to help them adjust at this point. For front leg amputees, you can try cradling their hind end in your hands, to force them to balance on the remaining front leg. This can help him get the idea of centering himself on the one leg.I tired puttin a towel sling under a dog but that did not help teach him to balance, because I was holding him up.It's normal for some dogs not eat for a few days after major surgery - talk to your vet about how long to wait before intervening. Now's the time to pull out some real people food, both vegetables, chicken, sardines, maybe a broth over their normal food. She's had blood loss so rebuild with the best food possible. Don't worry about spoiling them while recovering. Life will get back to normal soon enough! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Stay close to your dog for a few days after the surgery while she adjusts. Have a family member help, too. Don't rush your tripod dog when walking him. Remember she'll be moving a little slower. If your front leg tripod is bothering/licking/scratching at their stitches or staples you may want to try putting a t-shirt on them. The t-shirt will cover the incision and prevent them from making direct contact with area. This works well for some dogs. The t-shirt most likely will not cover the incision for rear leg amputees so this probably will not be an option for them.Keep your tripod dog from overdoing it with exercise. Too much activity can cause soreness because she is not used to using the extra muscles.. The whole body, especially the shoulder and hip joints are compensating for the missing limb.Maintain your dog’s proper weight. An overweight dog will have to work harder to support himself.Keep your tripod dog’s nails trimmed. Long nails can inhibit movement. You might want to buy a cordless, rechargeable Drexel grinder. You can buff the nails down so they are smooth and shorter after the trim. Be ready to give your tripod dog a boost on the steps, ditches, in and out of the car. However, depending on the ease of access, she might not even need a boost.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::If your dog has cracked pads (which tripods are more prone to), apply a coating of bag balm (Corona ointment, A&D Ointment) or other products made specifically for speeding up healing. Once she is going and walking, check her paws frequently for blistering or cracking. It’s important to keep the pads clean and free of infection. As a tripod dog ages, he may be more prone to arthritis. Be aware of the warning signs of pain such as decreased activity and appetite. Tripod dogs may develop toe curvature in the senior years.If you and your vet see this coming up, you may want to consider the 'wheels' harness - I've bet you've seen them around.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Make sure she has carpet or throw rugs where she is living so she can grip and not slide. Help her up at first. A good bed is very important. Your dog will not be able to turn over and switch sides as well. She'll end up getting sores on hip or elbow places. I have 2 suggestions: buy a Karunda bed that is raised up off the floor. The dog will have less effort to lie down and get up because she's part-way there. I have Kuranda beds that are 14 years old - so this is a GREAT investment. The other bed I would recommend is a baby bed mattress or a toddler mattres. They are plastic coated, up high, first and you can wrap or add fleece bedding as you like. I took a full sheet, cut it down the middle, sized it to the bed, and made huge pillow cases for the toddler bed. These are great for tall, large dogs like Great Danes, Greyhounds, etc. If you are thrifty, go to a Good Will, Salvation Army, or other such store and search for a sleeping bag with the nylon on the outside. This on the floor gives a long pad, and doubled over a soft bed. If you can sew, you can buy a twin bed comforter, double over the comforter and stitch together but leave the gap inbetween for easier washing and you can turn it 'inside out.'.........Buy a dog bowl set with an elevated rack. This way she can eat her food right in front of her. Elevate the water, too. You can buy a bucket and clip it up high or put it on something as long as you can wedge it in between furniture, crate, cabinet, etc or some other ways to keep it from being turned over. "my" local hero dog - Now our mascot in the fight against dog fighting and animal cruelty.http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/060223/dog.shtmlhttp://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/7414/AL/US/http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/060409/lucky.shtmlYou and her will be fine ! Keep in touch with your vet.You are a good human and your dog is lucky to have you!