Caring For Your Three-Legged Dog

Choosing to care for a three-legged dog can be a difficult decision. How do you know you will be able to give them the care they deserve? Whether you’re considering adopting a dog with three legs or you are facing the difficult decision of amputating your dog’s leg, you may be worried about how different this will be and what it requires from you. The good news is that for many dogs, adjusting to a new three-legged life is much easier than it is for humans who lose a limb. As long as a dog is no longer in pain, they will be just as happy as they were with four legs.

But what does this mean for you? Here’s our advice.

Making decisions

Dogs can lose their legs for a variety of reasons. Whether they were simply born with the abnormality or have suffered an injury, it can range massively. Some reasons for amputation include traumatic injury, joint disease or cancer. Your vet will guide you on the best decision to make and ensure the dog’s well-being is always a top priority.

Recovering from surgery

The recovery from surgery is perhaps the most challenging part. However, the vital surgery will have removed the long-term pain and suffering from your dog’s life. The surgery may be lengthy and cause significant blood loss. Occasionally you may need to call your emergency vet or 24-hour vet if your dog is not responding well to recovery.

The main focus after surgery is pain control. Your dog will be given strong opioid medications to ensure they don’t feel the pain and help them speed up recovery. A sling is recommended to assist them with walking and prevent any falls while their incision is still new. If you have a smaller dog you can carry them for the first few days but encourage them to move on their own to build up new muscles.

How to keep your three-legged dog healthy

●     Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight can cause inflammation and faster tissue breakdown in their remaining joints.

●     Encourage exercise. Make sure to give your dog plenty of exercise and opt for several shorter walks to build up their stamina again.

●     Physical therapy. Not just for humans, physical therapists can help your dog return to their active self.

●     Give joint supplements. Glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acids have proven effective in reducing joint disease inflammation and pain and protecting joints from further damage.

If you’re welcoming home a three-legged dog, we hope it is easy and stress-free for both you and your dog. If not, give Market Cross Veterinary Clinic a call. We are a great veterinary hospital offering 24-hour vet assistance.