Canine Amputee Hints and Suggestions Watch their weight! Three-legged dogs can get along well, but they must bear a greater amount of weight on each leg than if they had all four. Not only do the muscles have to do more work, but there is considerably more stress on the tendons, ligaments, and bones. Any extra weight only makes the problem far, far worse. (*do you think they've emphasised this enough?)   Put food higher  Eating and drinking out of a bowl at floor level will be more difficult. Bowls should be placed up on a stool or step to bring them up to a comfortable level for the dog to eat & drink out of. Ideally, food and water bowls should be just below head height.   Avoid over-exercising  Especially in the beginning, avoid over stressing the legs with too much exercise; jumping or rough play. As the dog's muscles strengthen, exercise can be increased. Allow the dog to decide how much is enough. When tired, a dog can easily be injured.  Extra help at first  For the first week or two, a dog may be reluctant to urinate and defecate. (*not damn surprised. He probably thinks the other limbs are going to drop off under any more pressure) He has to learn the best way to balance. Help with balance. Steady the body or hold your hand against a hip for support. Make a sling out of a towel to put around the dog's waist for balance. (*damn... you have to really love these pets, dont'cha?) Keep nails trim  With only 3 legs, traction is important. Overgrown nails will interfere with the dog's ability to walk and turn.

Okay, okay, I know what you're going to be saying... making fun of handicapped pets is not only wildly politically incorrect, but also mocks loved family members and causes inordinate amounts of grief. Well, I say 'doggie diapers' to the lotta ya. You can't have something like this fall in your lap, like a beloved family dog, dragging its sorry, wheel-assisted frame... ah... you get where I'm going with this one. It's funny. I'm not encouraging people to go out and PURPOSEFULLY maim dogs, because, let's face it, they can do that pretty damn well without our help. And, hey! If you really want to read about something sick, check out www.canine-epilepsy.net. Dude, that's screwed up.

Back to index, o squeaky-wheeled one! mydogneversawitcoming@thenoshow.co.uk No Show Productions (c) 2001