Senior Goldendoodle Tripawd Eloise benefits from free canine rehab evaluation and at-home therapy thanks to Tripawds Foundation Rehab Grant #184. The consultation, and rehab exercises help Eloise stay strong and love life on three legs. Read her story, and learn how you can get a free veterinary rehab evaluation for your dog or cat.
Yes! Tri-kitties qualify for free feline rehab too. See all Tripawds who have received free rehab sessions thanks to your support.
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Meet Senior Goldendoodle Tripawd Eloise
Eloise is a 12-year-old happy, bright and determined senior Goldendoodle Tripawds. She’s been our beloved family member since she was 8 weeks old. In January 2024, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the left scapula and subsequently had a left thoracic limb amputation.
We had our initial rehab evaluation appointment with Shawn Zimmermann, RVT, CCRP, at MedVet Cincinnati one month after Eloise’s amputation surgery. Shawn gave us a number of at-home exercises to be done one to three times daily, which include: rear limb weight shift, cookie-to-shoulder, rebound back, rebound side, front-limb-on-box/reach forward, crunch to shoulder, lie down to stand, sit-to-stand, sit to down to sit, and slow leash walks.
The exercises are geared towards rebuilding Eloise’s stamina and strengthening her front leg/wrist, as well as regaining back leg strength after losing quite a bit of muscle tone during her recovery from surgery. Shawn also showed us how to do spinal effleurage massage to help soothe and relax Eloise. Additionally, as shown in the attached pictures, Eloise uses the underwater treadmill in her rehab sessions at MedVet to improve her gait and re-learn how to move her back legs while walking.
Lessons Learned from Rehab for Eloise
Through this experience, I learned how truly resilient dogs are; knowing it is one thing, but living through it is another. Witnessing Eloise’s progress in just two months has been nothing short of amazing – from those scary and stressful first few days after she came home from the hospital as a brand-new amputee, to seeing her cheerfully prance around at her 2-week post-op suture removal appointment, then days later watching her determinedly climb the stairs to the second floor in our house – and she continues to improve every week. She shows her bravery as she undergoes carboplatin chemotherapy treatments – she smiles and gives big tail wags when the nurses come to the car to retrieve her for treatment and/or blood draw appointments. She reminds me that attitude is everything, and I love this girl more than words can express.
I am so thankful that Eloise’s surgeon, Dr. Susanna Hinkle Schwartz at MedVet Cincinnati, told us about Tripawds during our surgical consultation appointment in January. The Tripawds website and community forums have been invaluable resources through this journey I never wanted – but am so glad for the knowledge I’ve gained along the way. There is still so much more I want to read on the website (feels like I haven’t even made a dent) and cannot imagine navigating this process without Tripawds as a resource. My sincere thanks for all that Tripawds does.
~ Julie and Eloise
How to Find a Rehab Therapy for Tripawd Dogs and Cats
At Home Front Limb Tripawd Rehab Program