This E-How Article has some excellent tips for caring for your tripawd. I have included some tips from a TCM perspective.

How to Care for a Three Legged (Tripod) Dog
By Melissa Maroff
eHow Contributing Writer

* Stay close to your dog for a few days after the surgery while he adjusts. After that it’s a good idea to always monitor or assist your dog on stairs and be ready to give a boost in and out of cars (depending on the ease of access).

* Exercise your tripod dog regularly; walking is good, but remember not to push since she’ll be moving a little slower. Swimming (canine hydrotherapy) is the best exercise for a tripod dog.

* Keep your dog’s skin and pads clean and free of infection. If your dog has cracked pads (which tripods are more prone to), apply bag balm, Vaseline or other products that speed up healing.

* Feed your tripod dog a healthy diet and maintain a proper weight. An overweight dog will have to work harder to support himself.

* Keep your tripod dog’s nails trimmed. Long nails can inhibit movement. ”

Four Paws Acupuncture:

* Acupuncture can help your tripawd recovery from surgery. It relieves pain, increases circulation and reduces stress. It is also beneficial for dogs who also suffer from arthritis, hip or elbow dysplasia or knee aliments.

* Make sure your dog is not eating any dog foods that contain by-products, fillers, wheat, corn or soy. Organic free range meats are best, especially for those diagnosed with cancer.

* Give your dog a relaxing massage. Take special care to massage the opposite limbs and any area he may be experiencing pain.

* Play calming music while you are away to help your dog relax.

Four Paws Acupuncture makes veterinary acupuncture house-calls on the North Shore of MA. fourpawsacupuncture.com

My Shih Tzu, Abby, was born November 28, 2002, and from a young age her health problems seemed to be continuous. First, at the tender age of 8 months, she ran into a fence chasing a squirrel in my back yard and sustained a major spinal cord injury, which paralyzed her back half for several days. The MRI showed multiple disc inflammation and was inoperable which blessedly healed themselves over a 2 month period.

A few months later, she started getting infections in her anal glands, and after several months of continuing problems, we had to operate and removed them. It was very painful for her, but saved her a lifetime of problems.

In March, 2007, Abby and I were walking across a narrow street between Derby and Essex when an extended cab pickup truck came around the corner. She ran under the rear wheel trying to get back to me. I thought she was dead! I rushed her to All Creatures Vet, who quickly had me take her to Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn.

The right rear leg was completely crushed with no chance of saving it, but amazingly enough, the spinal cord was not touched and amputation was a possibility. She was in MVRH for several days, continuously under major meds, but her tail never failed to wag every time I visited. Finally I was able to take her home. She was still a very sick puppy and luckily I was retired so was able to be with her almost 24/7. A week later she got a major infection in the amputated leg area and had to be returned to MVRH, the wound completely opened, cleaned out and re-stapled. This was probably as life threatening as the original accident.

Her rehab took several months, and the time spent with her in my arms and care can only be understood by lover of dogs. With physical therapy, several great sessions of acupuncture, and a great deal of love, she learned how to re-position her left hind foot to keep her balanced while walking and running. Within another 2 months most people could not even tell she was missing a leg.

She was always an unusually loving dog, and I was afraid that this trauma might cause her to become much more reserved around people, dogs, and especially vehicles. It seems that the opposite was true. She is especially attracted to children and older people and we have successfully passed the tests for her to become a pet therapy dog with Pet Therapy Inc. We have weekly visits to the NSMC Pediatric Psychiatric Unit up in Hunt Hospital as well as frequent visits to various Alzheimer’s and old age homes in the area.

I pray that her pain is now over for the rest of her life!
She is not a dog that only an owner can love!

David H.