On May 8th our sweet 5 month old Sheltie, Luna, suffered a devastating injury that ultimately led to a left front leg amputation. It has been an emotionally hard few days and also inspiring as we watch Luna learn to navigate her new normal.We have created this blog to document our journey and to learn as much as we can about how to help Luna live her very best life. Her brother Lenny, a 4 month old shih-tzu mix is learning how to socially distance from his best friend. We are open to information and helpful tips any other tripawd parents have to offer!
Hello and welcome. You have quite a cute little pack!
My current Tripawd is a little Pug mix named Elly who was hit by a car at 7 months old, she lost a rear leg as a result. I adopted her at 10 months old. She is now 5.5 years old and can do pretty much anything a dog her size and age can do. I am careful that she doesn’t over do and put too much stress on her remaining legs- but she gets to be a dog too! She was a bit more wild when she was younger but has settled down a bit now. I’ve had small dogs for more than 20 years so I have a collection of steps and stools for them to get up and down from furniture (I also have an almost 14 year old Pug boy). We play lots of games and food puzzles to help with her balance and core strength and they really help tire her out with minimum stress on her joints. We also do the sport of Nose Work which is really fun.
How is Luna doing with her recovery?
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Luna you are so so beautiful! I love Shelties, I’m a total sucker for pointy ears (but Lenny has won my heart too!).
I’m so glad you decided to start a blog. It’s important for people to know what to expect as a Tripawd ages. Our Wyatt Ray lost a leg at 8 months old and he is now 11 years young. With careful monitoring of a dog’s activity and weight, a young Tripawd can enjoy a fantastic quality of life!
I encourage you to please hop over to our Adoptions and Accidents Discussion Forums for fast help from the community, and check out our e-book Loving Life on Three Legs for tons of tips about growing up on 3 legs. Also here are some links that will help:
https://tripawds.com/2018/12/19/aging-tripawds/
https://tripawds.com/2018/12/12/how-to-prevent-common-injuries-in-tripawds/
And finally do check out a canine rehabilitation therapist. These experts can evaluate Luna for her strengths and weaknesses and show you how to help her stay strong and injury free. As a front leg amputee this is sooo important. And we feel that rehab is so helpful, the Tripawds Foundation may even pay for your first visit!
We can’t wait to follow along with your adventures!
As a dog mom to a three legged love, I know it is hard. The bright side of this is that she is young. Puppies are so resilient and ultimately surprise us at how they can gain new normals quickly. Recovery from surgery is the more worrisome part. You will move forward and you will learn so much together. Honestly, this will make you love her even more. I pray you find peace during this time.
One thing I’m getting Joey used to is massages. I’m really trying to make sure that he doesn’t overwork his remaining shoulder so I’m researching pet massage and Joey seems to LOVE it.