sweet_ceana Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 We picked up our new foster Trip this afternoon. Poor little guy has been through a lot. He has 3 legs, a chunk of his ear missing, some bad teeth, & some missing teeth. He is really thin so we are going to have to put some weight on him and build up his muscle mass. Does anyone know if having three legs means we should be limmeting his exercise? The leg that is missing is in the front of him. He seems to get around just fine, and I want to take him on a 1 mile walk (small potatoes) tomorrow. Chris seems to think that he cannot do it because he has 3 legs. What do you guys think? Would the missing leg limmet his distance that much? He is a sassy little bugger and keeps telling the goofy Poke to F-off. They tried to get into it once, but they both called off when I told them to knock it off. He is a smart guy, and even though he is REALLY unsure of his surroundings he worked on sit and lay down like a Champ this evening. He is still sooo sad. I will post some pictures of him once i can get him a little more out of his shell. In one brief moment of bliss he showed me he has one prick ear, and one that folds over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoresDog Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Good for you. Trip needed some kindness, sounds like. Looking forward to pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 I'd get his muscle mass/weight up before I attempted a mile. Dogs carry a greater percentage of their entire weight on their front legs, so he needs lots of strength and balance practice in that remaining leg. Is the amputation recent or a while ago? If it's recent, you need to take your time - Buzz was at least 4 weeks in before he seemed comfortable with just 3 legs. When you do walk him, be prepared to go at a good clip. Buzz found it easier to trot than to walk. Good for you for taking him in! We do want to see pics soon. Ruth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 We have no idea when the amputation was. In fact, there is not even a stump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 I would get him healthy first. After some time with him, you will be able to figure out his comfort level with the missing limb. By and large, dogs with 3 legs do just fine, but remember that even though he builds up strength, he is still carrying on one leg what should have two. So keep an eye out for swelling of joints, etc. in his front leg. Good on you for taking him in. He sounds like fun once he gets his bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnappy Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 There shouldn't be a stump, if he had the leg removed. One of our members has a three legged border collie that competes in FLYBALL. She is also missing a front leg, so they are careful not to overdo it, since it's her only shoulder and they don't want to ruin it. However, she is redonkulously fast, and most people don't know she is missing a leg until it's pointed out to them. RDM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrayburn Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Everyone has given good advice. I would be more concerned about dealing with his low weight and lack of muscle conditioning than his missing leg. As he gains weight and muscle tone, slowly build up his fitness. Also, walking on a leash will likely be more difficult for him than being off-leash where he can regulate his gate better. So you may want to start exercise first in an off-leash setting (if possible). Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 There shouldn't be a stump, if he had the leg removed.- ... that is what I thought, but the people at the shelter made a big deal out of "no stump," so I wasn't sure. We will definetly get him going off leash. He tried to chase Poke yesterday and fell, poor little buddy. He really is a very sad boy. He just likes to lay in the corner with his back to everyone. (Although he was very excited to see me when I woke up this morning.) He seems to be food motivated and has pretty much mastered lay down and sit by this morning. I will just have to try and wear him out mentally to rebulid his confidence and burn off energy until he gets stronger. Hopefully I can get some non-depressing photos of him tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchersMomma Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Poor wee mite! He's lucky to have found you by the sounds of it! My FIL has a three legged terrier cross. The missing leg is one of her front and she is STILL a terror! I can't even begin to IMAGINE how brutal she would have been if she'd had all four legs! She runs and plays and behaves exactly like a normal dog with the exception of her little bounce as she walks. So far, the only concern for her has been that my FIL feeds her too many table scraps so she has a tendancy to put on weight, which is actually far more detrimental to her than a regular four legged dog. He is also careful to make sure she doesn't over-do it because she is so energetic. She was also a rescue...brought into my SIL's vet clinic with her leg badly mangled and fairly beat up overall...someone found her in a ditch. She was very depressed trying to use this leg until after about a week, they finally decided to remove it. Within a couple of days she was a totally changed dog and my in-laws adopted her. We have no idea how old she is but she's starting to get grey on her muzzle so we figure at least 7 or 8. Once your wee guy develops the necessary muscle mass he'll need to get around on three legs, he'll be perfectly fine! I'd maybe hold off on a 1 km walk tho until then if it were me. Bless you for taking him and helping him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnappy Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Here's Dima's first flyball tournament. Note her missing front leg: http://flyballdogs.com/rabidracers/gallery.html (the video is at the bottom of the page) RDM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanillalove Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Holy crap Sheena! I've never seen anything like that. She's not only just able on 3 legs, that dog is hella fast as well. I definitely agree, if I didn't know that she didn't have one of her legs, you'd probably have to point it out to me. She's a fireball and such a beautiful girl too! Her owners must be so proud of her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasha's Mom Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 I had a 3 legged foster about 8 months ago. He was a lab mix, and had a goofy hop from a missing front leg, but the boy was FAST. Never slowed him down. Not only did he run, but he swam too. (And his amputation was at his entry into rescue - was hit by a car, and laid at the shelter so long that it wasn't repairable. A volunteer pulled him, and then he got the medical care he needed.) Crazy dog, for sure, and he didn't let the lack of leg slow him down. When we'd go for walks, he did prefer to trot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 He has 3 legs, a chunk of his ear missing, some bad teeth, & some missing teeth. ...and his name is Lucky. (I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist the obvious...) My cousin has a Mini Pin with a missing front leg. This does not seem to bother Wally in the least bit; I don't think he knows that he is supposed to have 4 legs. He is very active; the key is to pace the activities to what the dog can handle, and not overdo it. I would concur that the best course is to first get the dog healthy and robust, then begin testing his limits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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