5 Weeks Post Op

Well, Tyson is doing great. I took a hiatus from the blog posts for a while because one of my kids also had to have surgery (tonsils and adenoids) and we had to deal with another hospitalization and recovery….what a month?!

Right now, my biggest challenges with Tyson have to do with helping with stairs and reminding him to use the traction mats. We’ve had a couple of slips and he tried to come upstairs to the bedrooms one evening when I was putting the kids to bed….that didn’t end well. I heard a clamour and rounded the corner to see him splayed out, halfway up the stairs with his trusty stuffed raccoon in his mouth. 🙄. No real damage, but I could tell he was sore. He hasn’t tried it since. Are there any methods for helping him learn to use the stairs safely? Down seems to be fine because he’s a rear amputee, but up is a real challenge.

On the whole, he has adapted really well. He desperately wanted to figure out how to “fetch” outside (where he is SO HAPPY). So, I determined that throwing the ball a bit of a distance is better than short stints, which is harder on that rear leg. I have also come to find that throwing in the direction that he is facing is better than throwing behind him. Any unnecessary twisting on that back leg is hard, so no abrupt direction changes are best. But there was no way that this dog was going to sit by and watch his buddy play fetch….he’s truly an inspiration. I smile every day when I think of him. Such a tough character…and so HAPPY despite all he has been through. So much love for this handsome, stubborn guy:

4 thoughts on “5 Weeks Post Op”

  1. Oh sweet Tyson, you jave me GRINNING ear to ear😁

    The visual of you trying to go upstairs with your raccoon just so determined melts my heart ❤

    You certainly are a very loved pup and very well cared for! Your hooman have figured out great ways for you to play fetch without doing any crazy twists and turns tonuuournlegs. Good job!

    And you look so look handsome in your red vest!! It’s your color!
    I never hadmich luck with my Happoy Hannah as far as her being able to go UP stairs (a rear legger also). She`s a big fluffy girl at 125 lbs and I never got the hang of a harness with her. I basically ended up sleeping downstairs on a mattress as I missed sleeping with her just as mich as she missed sleeping with me.

    It may be that a couple of Rehab sessions can help build his core muscles.

    Love tjat Tyson is enjoying being Tyson!!😁 Tjismpost made my day!

    Hugs
    Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too

  2. Tyson you are SO gorgeous! I’m hoppy to hear you’re doing well, but watch out for those stairs buddy.

    Maw, glad you survived the pack’s latest round of hospitalization. Yikes! I hope your human kid is doing well and recovered. Now you guys can all get back to the new normal. Finally!

    Since you asked about stairs….yes, going up is harder on a rear legged Tripawd. They carry all their propulsion in their two back legs, so things like moving up and ahead are all done with those muscles. Losing one rear leg is a big blow to their ability to move up and forward, so your job is to start strengthening his core muscles. There are many ways you can do that. It takes time, but better than an accident or pulled muscles. For now I would baby gate off the stairs, and be there to help him down and up with that awesome Webmaster harness handle. Our Wyatt Ray is nine years young and we still always help him on the stairs.

    Have you checked out the Tripawds Gear blog? We have tons of tips there. Also, our e-book, Loving Life on Three Legs, has many exercise tips. And as Sally mentioned, a consult with a rehab therapist is worth its weight in gold. They can evaluate Tyson and show you where he needs the most help to stay limber, strong and injury free. The best part is that the Tripawds Foundation will even pay for your first rehab visit! See:

    http://tripawds.org/2015/09/vet-rehab-reimbursement/

    One more tip (even though I know you didn’t ask for one here). About that ball throwing… you definitely have it right about now allowing him to do much twisting or turning on that remaining rear leg. That’s a good way to blow out a cruciate ligament, happens ALL the time and is one of the most common injuries in Tripawds. So yay, good job being observant!

    But when it comes to throwing the ball…any kind of explosive activity is detrimental to a Tripawd’s muscle. Not saying don’t throw it, but you definitely want to give him at least 5 minutes warming up, and cooling down, before chasing that prize. A good leash walk should do it. Again though, a rehab therapist can guide you in this area as well.

    We’re glad Tyson is on the mend! Reach out to us in the Forums if you have any questions at all OK?

    Give him a smooch from us!

    1. Thanks, Jerry. We’ve already been through a cruciate ligament tear and had that surgery done years ago. As an ugly twist of fate, it was done on the leg that we amputated. I definitely don’t think we have the funds to do that again….nor do I think I would want Tyson to deal with that. So, you can bet I’m very protective of that back leg. He’s got a hard enough time as it is at our place because it’s ALL hills , so he’s always pushing up those monuments.

      I have been using the harness to help him up the stairs, but he hasn’t been up-upstairs since his surgery. I keep him in his “room” to keep him from trying.

      And I live in Canada, so I’m not sure if his assessment would be covered here. I was thinking of looking into it anyway…I’ll see what I can find.

      As always, thanks for the input. I appreciate your help navigating through all of this. Maybe I can see if I can post a video of his new brand of fetch! 😉

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