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Ever seen or hunted a (Crippled or 3 Legged Dog) ??? LOOKING FOR HOPE!

6K views 33 replies 31 participants last post by  weps10 
#1 · (Edited)
I am sure some of you have read my post around 3 weeks ago about my pup breaking her leg in the front elbow resulting in Salter Harris Fracture 4 in the growth plate. Everything was going great until she was showing signs of fluid build up at the incision site so I took her in for a check ! After X-rays it was found the screw that was used to repair her fracture is backing out !!! I didn't know either to puke or cry ! I had and still am treating her like a infant, I have totally changed my life around to take care of her, and the bad news keeps rolling in !!!
The good news is the bone is still in perfect postion and has not moved yet !
The Ortho Surgeon put a cast on her that is all the way around her chest, and runs down to her toe nails on the fractured leg ! And basically this is our last chance and is a hail marry at a fix to hopefully hold the bone in place, and keep the screw from backing out anymore until enough healing takes place to hold everything !


Also she will have to have another surgery now regardless the outcome to remove the screw to keep it from damaging tissue from backing out !


The outcome, yet still praying and hopefull !!!!! is not looking good for her now to make a full recovery without some degree of lameness in the affected leg, BUT that will be a while before we know just how much, and will be determined on if the bone stays were it is now !!!


Just curious if any of you folks have ever seen or hunted a dog that had some degree of lameness, or unable to have full use of a leg due to a injury ? She is such a wonderful pup, has a great bloodline, and was doing GREAT in training before her injury ! I am just looking for some degree of hope right now that I will still have a hunting partner for a few years anyway ! Even if she is unable to make a full recovery on her leg !

I REFUSE TO GIVE UP ON HER !!!!!
 
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#2 ·
IT has been quit a few years ago but I have seen a 3 legged dog running season test. My husband judged the dog. He did great work and did not know he was any diff than the other dogs. He just adapted. Ran full on on marks and good blinds. I do not remember who owned the dog, but I think someone in Louisiana since that would have been where we judged the most. Good luck with your pup.
 
#3 ·
Saw one run in southern Idaho and what a sight he was ran full speed to the marks and ran really godod blinds. If I remember right he was running a master test as that was the only thing I was running.
Clay
 
#5 ·
Our janitor Chris Atkinson's "Luke" suffered a severe fracture in a boating accident. Lost his leg because of it. I saw him run test dog on three legs at a finished test.
 
#6 ·
hunted with one once this season. the owner said he was in the back of the truck and jumped out and shattered his back leg. basically the vet said it would require 6 months of sedation to let the pins set or amputation. he chose amputation and 2 months later he was hunting.

i felt bad for the dog for having an owner that just put him in the back of the truck no kennel or anything. the whole situation could have been avoided. but he didnt let that slow him down. he was hauling tail after ducks and this was flooded timber in arkansas. not many 4 legged dogs can get around there well with snags, sticks, and brush everywhere
 
#32 ·
Was a damn fine dog too
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
A guy out in AZ has ran a 3-legged dog for years in Master, hunts her as well, only thing he gets concerned with is long retrieves in ick Mud. He broke his own hip awhile back. He's noted as saying "We've got 4 good legs btw us ;)"
 
#13 ·
Two Jim Valvano quotes come to mind...
“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”
“Don't give up, don't ever give up.”

I'm glad to see that you won't quit on her, she wouldn't quit on you. Good Luck!
 
#34 ·
This article is about my pup. What the article does not say is within 2 months of taking the leg she went from 0 passes to her Junior title. She was still shaved from the operation in the pictures with her title ribbon. The only thing that can limit a dog with three legs or three and a bum one is the same thing that limits it with four good legs... the thing at the other end of the leash.
 
#15 ·
We had a 2 yr Chessie dumped at local shelter a couple years ag, hit by a car and badly fractured rear leg. Fortunately the Exec Director is a vet, specializing in Ortho. He patched her together with a big plate and multiple screws. She came to my house to recover and heal for 3 mos. The vet opted to go in and do a second surgery to remove the plate and screws after the bones fused - not because it was loose or bothering her, but because he generally prefers to remove all the metal esp in an active dog. Of course every case is different. Lucy was adopted, went for some gun dog training (thanks Pete!) and has now hunted two seasons. She still has a trace of a limp at times but does not let it slow her down and she has turned out to be quite a pheasant dog - she leads a very good and full life. Hopefully your pup will too!
 
#16 ·
It was a tough, yet easy decision to amputate Luke's leg after the few procedures we'd tried to save it. He was nearly 9 years old at that time.

Thanks to Copterdoc for finding the TV Episode about the experience. I'd forgotten that was still available.

Luke did fine for quite a while on 3 legs. He was "retired" from hunt tests as a NAHRA GMHR. But for fun and therapy (he was loving life again when we started hunt tests back up) he wound up getting his HRCH on 3 legs.

The links in this thread brought back some memories!

Chris
 
#17 ·
Years ago there was a chap in NE TN (I think) that was a NAHRA MHR and ran in the NAHRA annual event.
 
#19 ·
I have had the privilege of judging two such incredible athletes at separate hunt tests (yellow lab and a Vizsla) with three legs and both dogs were so fast and so good, I never even realized until I was presenting the handler with the ribbon that their dog was on 3 legs. They both ran exceptionally well...exceptionally!!!! Trust me, there was not a dry eye at the ribbon ceremony...certainly not mine!
 
#21 ·
Years ago, one of my pups sire FC/AFC Fountain Valley Thunderball lost his front leg after geting run over. I saw him destroy a Master hunt test in Madison Wisconsin. He ws a machine. A little ugly getting in and out of boat, but handled really big lilly pads with no issue.
I really don't think he ever knew he was three legged.
 
#24 ·
Marty Kress had a little chocolate girl that ran several MN and was absolutely amazing. Joe O'Brein ran a tri-pod in at least one and maybe more MN- all heart (the whole 45#'s of her).

Pretty sure that 4th wheel is just a factory installed spare regards

Bubba
 
#25 ·
Austin, a fine boned choco. male lost his left rear wheel at 5 to cancer. He ran many HT's and FT's on his 3 legs. He even ran a Canadian National Am. for 8 series on 3 wheels. What an inspiration he was. Not a day goes by that I don't miss him and think of him. He crossed the bridge when he was 7 1/2.

Dogs are not vain, a lost leg never slowed Austin down. Don't give up. No never.

Marty Kress
 
#27 ·
There was a youtube video posted in one of those previous threads about 3 legged dogs that showed a 3 legged dog running a hunt test. It was pretty inspirational!
 
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