The Casual Tripawd: Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome
The Casual Tripawd, Part 2
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome
I am reminded of an old blog entry, "Lessons From My Dog: Overcoming", as I watch Jack napping in the nest. He is only a few months old, but he is now facing a future whose success relies upon his determination to adapt to a life with only three legs. I have no doubt that this dog will overcome challenges. Positive improvisation rests on our shoulders, however.
The opening lines of an article written by Lance Cpl. Ryan Ramsammy, 2nd Marine Division, come to mind as I write this. "Improvise, adapt, and overcome. Those three words are paramount to fighting and winning battles, but what happens when you finally overcome? You keep improvising, and you keep adapting. The enemy won’t rest and neither should you."
A frontal "tripawd" dog's enemies are varied, but gravity itself takes the largest toll. Dogs carry most of their weight with their front legs. Removing one leg will not cause the remaining limb to physically move to the center of the chest. The dog must get by with all the weight shifted to that side of the body. The leg's muscles and tendons can become strained. Joints wear out. Things once taken for granted become daily obstacles.
In Jack's case, I am witnessing some behaviors (temporarily) vanish.
Jack barks at birds. And barks, and barks. He darts around the yard, following them as they try to find a more-peaceful roost. Jack also barks at the tree. This is what makes leaves fall off. You didn't know that? Those leaves are pretty stubborn. He has to get on his rear legs and plant both front paws on its trunk, and then bark even louder. But Jack has not barked at birds or leaves since I brought him home from hospital. The silence truly is deafening.
Jack and Zoie love their zoomies. They chase each other all over the yard, nearly breaking the sound barrier. The other dogs know to get out of the way. Sometimes Dante joins in. Mostly, he barks until Jack veers course to slam into him. But nobody has run in the yard since I brought Jack home from hospital. It feels empty outside.
This sudden change in routine can last a lifetime. Depending on the size and age of your dog, he might never hop onto your bed or sofa ever again. He might not seem interested when you put his kibble bowl in front of him. He might not play with his toys. Might.
You dog will find ways to improvise and adapt, naturally, but they need us in order to overcome. Stairs are a challenge, but so is eating, bladder and bowel movements, and getting around. Just when you think you have the battle won, gravity and fatigue find new ways to hinder your three-legged companion. You keep improvising, and you keep adapting. The enemy won’t rest and neither should you.
The Casual Tripawd will (hopefully) be a series covering Jack's journey as well as the things we find to help him along the way.
Is your dog an "outside dog" tied to a rope or placed in a kennel? A dog with only three legs can not defend itself when tied out. He becomes an easy target for aggressive dogs. They sense his weakened state. Your dog can not avoid bacteria when kenneled outside. Her wound can become infected under her wrapping and you would never know it. I have seen shit as a vet tech that still haunts me: please, do not put your amputee dog in a situation where it can be disemboweled while still alive or killed by sepsis. Buy a box of pee pads and a big, fluffy bed. Your kitchen is now home to your salty dog.