There is someone looking on another list about three legged dogs and whether a Lab can live a happy life as a tripod. Seems like I remember several years ago about someone's Lab falling off a boat and getting hit by the propeller. Dog eventually had to have the limb amputated, but was happy after that. Was that someone on this list?
Dogs in general seem to take amputations pretty well. It is much better to have a hind-leg amputated than a front leg for mobility, but dogs don't seem to spend a lot of time feeling sorry for themselves and pining away for a lost limb - they just get on with their lives and find a way to be happy.
There is someone looking on another list about three legged dogs and whether a Lab can live a happy life as a tripod. Seems like I remember several years ago about someone's Lab falling off a boat and getting hit by the propeller. Dog eventually had to have the limb amputated, but was happy after that. Was that someone on this list?
There is someone looking on another list about three legged dogs and whether a Lab can live a happy life as a tripod. Seems like I remember several years ago about someone's Lab falling off a boat and getting hit by the propeller. Dog eventually had to have the limb amputated, but was happy after that. Was that someone on this list?
That's probably me that you are looking for. My Luke went off the bow of a duckboat and was pretty beaten up from tip to tail by the propeller. We wound up, after three surgeries on a rear leg and some other vet work, amputating.
Luke was a 9 year old retired hunt test dog when he got hurt. I went ahead and ran him in Finished HRC for therapy and he got his HRCH and did some more hunting on three legs.
He was fine...although it took me a while to get over the guilt. We filmed a little TV show about the accident. The primary theme was a safety spin...don't let your dog ride on the bow. Even though he loves it, he's got no business up there.
I think they're getting ready to do some reruns of the Waterdog show. Maybe they'll rerun the Luke episode.
Luke lived for 5 years after the accident. There's a current thread on a dog that we just buried Friday. She was the packmate of Luke, the three-legged lab. Their bodies rest side-by-side along with Bubba, another former member of our pack.
If you know someone whose dog is about to undergo an amputation, please let them know that Luke said his 4th leg was a spare. He did fine on three!
Sold a big chocolate male puppy to a man in South Carolina. Beau was hit by a car and had to have his left front leg amputated. The Vet just rounded it off at the chest. Beau went on to be a great hunter and could get up on a floating dock with just the one front leg. Wouldn't it be great if we humans could accept adversity as well as our animals.
I think one question to ask is why do you have a three legged dog? Was it an accident? Then by all means. If you have a three legged dog or are contemplating amputation due to cancer, I have experience with that. If it is cancer then think twice about all the money just to say good 4-6 months later.
Dave
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