Tripawds ~ Living Life on 3 Paws

All photos were provided by Tripawds.com

   Do you know a dog or cat that is living life on 3 paws? It is not as unusual as you might think. You can read Skippy’s Story to meet a great little dog that is living large as a tri. I can’t imagine how devastating the decision to amputate a limb on a beloved pet must be for someone. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have someone to talk to at a time like that? You’d need a person that has been down that long road to answer your questions and calm some of your fears.

   I am so pleased to introduce you to René Agredano and Jim Nelson. They are the founders of Tripawds®, a foundation helping people and their pets realize it is better to hop on three legs than to limp on four™. We were fortunate enough to meet René and Jim at the BlogPaws conference in 2014. Since then, I have followed their amazing work and they are heroes in my eyes. René recently answered a few questions for me. I hope that you enjoy our interview and share it with anyone who if sharing their life with a tri paw.

1. Approximately how many tripawds are there?
   That's a hard question to answer, if not impossible. I can only answer this based on our community's statistics. Since we started in 2006 we've seen over 10,000 members around the globe register as members of our community, with over 11,000 Facebook fans joining them. Not every person who joins us has a Tripawd. Maybe they're just thinking of adopting one, or exploring it as an option, but the majority of people who join us do go through the experience.

2. What is the most common reason that a dog or cat loses a limb?
   Within our community, it's limb cancers like osteosarcoma (our Jerry lost a leg to this cancer, which is why Tripawds began). The second most common reason animals lose limbs is accidents, followed by birth defects. Neglect is another reason. Our current Tripawd Wyatt Ray lost his leg because of it.

3. When is it best to have a tripawd fitted for a prosthetic?
   Prosthetics must be considered before amputation surgery. If a surgeon doesn't leave enough limb during the procedure, the prosthetic won't have anything to grab onto and stay put. Animals aren't candidates for prosthetics if 1) they don't have enough of a stump left or 2) the type of cancer they have required complete removal of the limb to achieve “clean margins” and eliminate cancer in the affected limb.
   For animals who are good candidates, a prosthetic fitting can happen within weeks of surgery. The pet parent must be willing to commit the time and money necessary for a successful experience. Pet prosthetics aren't like growing instantaneous legs: they're an ongoing process over the course of the animal's life and must be made by someone with experience in animal biomechanics, like OrthoPets. A badly fitting or DIY 3D printed prosthetic made by an amateur is worse than none at all.

Photo credit~ Johnny Brazil Tripawds Pals

4. Is there a harness that works best for a dog that has lost a front leg?

   We love exploring new dog harnesses to see if they're helpful to Tripawds when walking on slippery floors, using stairs or getting into vehicles. The harnesses in our Tripawds Gear blog are Tripawd-tested and meet the needs of both front and rear-legged amputees. But the extra challenge front-leggers have with harnesses is that without a second front leg, there's nothing to keep the harness completely in place. Some harnesses are better than others at staying put, like the Webmaster Plus, but all of them need some degree of adjustment whenever the dog wears it.

   Whether a harness is for a front or rear Tripawd, harness manufacturers have told us that the logistics of making gear specifically for Tripawds is at this point, impossible to overcome. Producing harness for front/rear and left or right missing limbs is cost-prohibitive. Hopefully, someday that will change.

Photo credit ~ Henry the Tripawd Cat Friend

5. How do the nutritional needs of a tripawd differ?

Tripawds must stay slimmer than dogs of similar breed and stature. For example, a healthy dog is a 5 on the Purina body condition scale. A Tripawd should be about a 4. Any extra weight on a Tripawd is exceptionally tough on their joints and mobility and results in a diminished quality of life. We cannot overemphasize the importance of keeping a Tripawd slim.

6. Your network has almost 10,500 members and 1,136 blogs. How have you grown to such impressive numbers?   Through the years it's just been word of mouth, with veterinarians being our primary referrals alongside the Internet. The Tripawds Foundation now does direct outreach to vets at events like the American Animal Hospital Association conference and the PuppyUp Foundation canine cancer fundraising walks to raise awareness.

7. What is the best book to help a pet parent that is facing an amputation with their dog or cat?

   Well gosh, I'd have to say it's ours! We have two e-books in the Tripawds library that are helpful before, during and after amputation surgery. The Tripawds Required Reading List is another good (and free) place to start.

8. How does a tripawd parent get in touch with your group?
   Easy! The Tripawds Start page is the best place to begin. We're also on Facebook and Twitter (the two best places to reach us on social media) and on Instagram, Pinterest and Google Plus.

9. What can my readers do to help support the great work that you are doing?
   There're many ways to support our community. One of the best is to let people and veterinarians know we exist. Vets are ones who deliver the bad news that a dog or cat needs to lose a limb. Tripawds is there to lessen the shock, to offer the emotional support pet parents need after hearing the news. Our Tripawds Foundation has Tripawds outreach brochures for vets to provide and we'll ship to anyone who requests them.

10. What is the best life lesson that you have learned from your dogs, Jerry and Wyatt?   Life's hardest moments, like dealing with cancer or the loss of a limb can have many blessings if your heart is open to receiving them. Jerry had cancer but it didn't stop him from making the most of life. Every day was a great day to him. As long as he was alive and with the people he loved, all was good. Watching how he lived after cancer, and now seeing how Wyatt copes with his so-called “disability” has shown Jim and me how to be more appreciative of every moment we are given on this earth. We strive to be better humans because of it. ☺

   I want to thank René for taking the time to help me share their mission. If you or someone you know is living with a tripawd, please visit Tripawds.com for a wealth of support and information. Of course, if you are looking for a terrific foundation to support, I recommend Tripawds. ♥

We are joining this week’s Pet Parade a few days late but that just shows how easy it is to hop on all week. Enjoy the Pet Parade Blog Hop!  Join the fun with Rascal and Rocco, Bionic Basil’s Blog, Love is being owned by a Husky, and me.

get the InLinkz code