March 24, 20202

I was so distracted by researching and crying and giving Akeela as many cuddles as I could, that I did not stop to think about how I needed to prepare for the adaptation to her new tripawd life.

Naturally, I jumped back on the internet to see what other people had to say! The morning before I picked her up from surgery, I found some incredibly useful tips and made some last-minute trips around town for supplies.

1. Tripawds have a very difficult time walking on hardwood floor. If you have hardwood in your home (like I did), then you will need to put runners and carpets throughout your house. Home Depot had a random assortment of mismatched rugs for $10. They also had runners that you could cut per foot (approximately $3-4 per foot). We bought both, since my apartment is oddly shaped. Home Depot also sells self-adhering fabric ends to put on the cut pieces of the runner so they don’t fray. Make sure the rugs are nonslip! If they aren’t, then pick up some of the nonslip sticky runners that go underneath to hold them in place.
2. It is difficult for tripawds (especially front legged tripawds) to bend down to eat food or drink water. It puts a lot of strain on their front leg. To help them out, you should get a standing dog feeder. I ordered one on Amazon for $17. While I waited for it to arrive, I put her food dish on a blue Walmart bin that I use as her food storage.
3. Pill pockets are a genius invention! All 4 of Akeela’s pills were capsules. Instead of getting messy with peanut butter, all you have to do is slip the pill into the treat and seal it shut. Akeela loves the Greenies brand! Most of her medication needed to be taken with food (or treats), so this was a perfect solution. Just make sure to keep them away from your cat……. (not a fun vet bill).
4. Akeela is a very spoiled pup dog and has beds strewn about the entire apartment. They are big, fluffy and have ergonomic sides and built-in pillows. Unfortunately, they are not very user friendly for tripawds who are just getting the hang of 3 legs. The sides were difficult to maneuver and the 5 inches of memory foam was tough to hop around on. In the beginning, I put up her dog beds and laid down a yoga mat and blanket. They were a little slick, so I used the textured sticky runner mentioned above to hold it in place.

   Around day 4 of post surgery, I picked up her bed from the office and brought it home. It was much more comfortable for her – she passed out on it as soon as I brought it through the door. It is firm, not eggshell textured (difficult to maneuver with one front paw), extra wide to allow ample hopping/turning space, and only 2 inches tall. I would recommend finding a bed like this for your tripawd.

5. If you have stairs in your home, or leading to your home, then you will need to help your dog up and down. The vet recommended that we wrap a towel around her chest (careful not to pull on the stitches) while she is getting used to them. They said to have her do most of the work, but to keep the towel there as support. The first time up or down you will definitely need to provide a majority of the support, as they aren’t used to 3 legs yet and will likely still be sedated. We are currently on day 4 post-surgery and are still using a towel. Each day she uses our help a little bit less.

I found out the hard way with last minute scrambling, so I hope this information will help you be better prepared than I was!