Tripawd Siberian Husky Zoey benefits from free canine rehab evaluation and at-home therapy thanks to Tripawds Foundation Rehab Grant #199. The consultation, and rehab exercises help Zoey 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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We adopted Zoey, a 2.7 year-old Siberian Husky mix, in June of 2024. She came from the SF SPCA and became a Tripawd in April 2024. She had been on the streets and got hit by a car. By the time she got to the SPCA, she was covered with ticks, fleas, mites, and was unable to use her front left leg. The SPCA removed her leg, all the way to the scapula. We fell in love with her immediately- she was sweet, beautiful, and loving. We had never owned a Tripawd before, nor a husky, but her charm and personality won us over.
At-home Rehab Regimen Helps Tripawd Siberian Zoey
At home, Zoey was exhibiting behaviors that made us wonder if she needed more support as a Tripawd. We brought her to A Well Adjusted Pet, and they determined that although Zoey was building up muscle and seemed to be in good health and condition, her muscles were tight (particularly her hamstrings, hips, and pectorals) and her hip joints had limited flexibility.
Dr Elana prescribed stretching and massaging exercises that would help bring relief and more blood flow to her muscles. Three main activities that we will be focusing on include:
- Standing forelimb on a raised disc, where she has to stretch upward for a treat. The trick is getting her to put her leg up on the raised platform, while keeping her hind legs behind her (rather than stepping more forward). This allows her to stretch her legs and hips in ways that she normally wouldn’t. We need to do this daily, with 3-5 repetitions, holding for up to 45 seconds. We have to start out small, with lots of treats!
- The plank- she puts her hind legs on a raised bed and then she needs to reach forward with her front leg. We use a treat to lure her forward. This stretches the front of her hips (which are usually in flex), her hamstrings, and lengthens out her spine. We do this 2/week, with 2-3 repetitions, and 2-3 sets. Zoey can only hold it for about 5 seconds, but the goal is to work up to 45 seconds.
- Massage- we need to place our flat hands above and below her hip muscles, gently compressing for about 2-5 minutes. Dr Elana described her muscle as a frozen bar of butter. We need to warm her muscles so that more blood flow can happen. Right now, when her muscles are hard, it means that she is overworking them, and they don’t have the blood flow or time to recuperate. Massage and warm compresses can help with blood flow. We should do this as often as possible, especially after long walks.
Dr Ilana Strubel and Dr Molly Landeen from A Well Adjusted Pet were the ones who told us about Tripawds. The one thing we learned most is that we need to implement preventive measures (such as stretching and massage) to maintain Zoey’s joint, spine, and muscle health for as long as possible.
~ Elyse and Tripawd Siberian Zoey