Front leg amputee

Please post questions about pets who are expected to undergo amputation or who have already undergone amputation here, as well as pets born with missing or incomplete limbs.
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Mihark
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Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:21 pm

Front leg amputee

Post by Mihark »

I spoke w Jim at petsventura.com who suggested I contact you for info on building a wheelchair for my 80-lb, front left leg amputee catahoula who is 2 years old and recently sprained her rt front leg. Our vet says she is not eligible for a prosthesis based upon where her leg was amputated. Any suggestions?
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CarolC
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Re: Front leg amputee

Post by CarolC »

:gang:

I don't know if you tried posting on tripawds.com yet, but they have a discussion forum for people with 3-legged dogs, and probably someone there has been through this exact situation. You might want to check in there.

Here is a link to some instructions on making one.

http://www.handicappedpets.com/pet-health-articles/60-homemade-dog-carts/145-quad-dog-cart.html

And here are links for other ideas.

http://www.jorvet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Evans-Mobility-Cart.pdf‎

http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/vth&c/care/exercise.htm

http://www.accg.com/s-neuro/link21.html

If you are going to buy one (instead of make one), I was happy with the Doggon' Wheels cart we got for my dog. Nice big wheels that turned easily, and light and flexible, not rigid, felt as natural as possible.
Merlin_17Mar09.JPG
I'm afraid my answer may sound frustrating. It seems like if she sprained her good leg, I would want to ask a vet or (if possible) an animal physical therapist how to treat it. Because if you put her in a 4-wheel quad cart, she is still going to be using that front leg quite a bit, she will just be using it in a different way. I am not a vet or physical therapist, but it seems like instead of a wheelchair, it might be better to get her a front harness to help her outdoors to potty a few times a day, but let her rest in between so it has a chance to heal. If you have a front harness, you can truly support her and control her weight bearing. You can get her in and out the door, up and down stairs, etc., which you cannot do with a 4-wheel wheelchair.

Canine physical therapy (also called canine sports medicine) has different kinds of treatments, such as strengthening muscle groups, helping the dog improve balance (she is learning to center her leg and balance with it more centered), as well as things like ultrasound or other modalities that I know little about, that might help the injury heal faster or better. They know when to use heat, when to use ice, how to stretch, whether and how to wrap things, medications, and so on. They may also be able to teach you tricks to help her keep her traction better, such as keeping the nails trimmed, using mats or carpet runners so she does not slip, keeping her on leash until she has physically adjusted to her new way of walking (the muscles have to adjust), and so on.

They make 2-wheel front wheelchairs but they are a steeper learning curve for the dog, and I don't think that is what you are asking about, I think you are asking about a 4-wheeler. 4-wheel carts are not difficult for the dog to learn to use, but they do not give the dog much freedom. (Someone had to explain all of this to me when my dog, who was not an amputee, needed a 4-wheel cart.) I had one for my dog and I had to help him move around in it, he could not move much on his own. I was told by a manufacturer that the 4-wheel cart also alters the dog's sense of space somehow because of the way it surrounds the dog. What I'm saying is, if you are picturing making or getting a 4-wheel cart and letting your dog stroll around the backyard in it, it may not be quite as satisfactory as you think. Also you will have the task of getting an 80-lb dog into and out of the cart without injuring yourself. I'm sure you've thought of that, so you must be really dedicated to your dog's well-being. :) My dog was 63 lbs and I used an engine hoist to put him into and out of his cart. So anyway, I am not an expert, but I am not sure the suggestion of a cart is really going to prove to be as helpful in actual practice as it sounds like it would be in theory. I think a front harness, rest, an appointment with the vet, and ideally a referral to physical therapy, would hopefully help it get healed and get her back on track. But if you want to make an wheelchair, hopefully one of the ideas above will help. :)

http://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Engine_hoist_for_a_heavy_dog
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