There is a video making the rounds on the internet featuring a completely remarkable dog. His name is Duncan, and he only has two legs.
Watch the video of Duncan's First Trip to the Beach
Duncan is a boxer that was born with four legs, but only two of them functional. When he was 8 weeks old, both deformed legs were amputated, and Duncan had a special "doggy wheelchair" fitted for his use. However, he is incredibly agile on his two remaining legs, and completely outruns a 4-legged dog friend in the video! Using his tail for additional balance, we see Duncan run, spin, and jump with excitement.
Watch the video of Duncan's First Trip to the Beach
Duncan is a boxer that was born with four legs, but only two of them functional. When he was 8 weeks old, both deformed legs were amputated, and Duncan had a special "doggy wheelchair" fitted for his use. However, he is incredibly agile on his two remaining legs, and completely outruns a 4-legged dog friend in the video! Using his tail for additional balance, we see Duncan run, spin, and jump with excitement.
As humans, we have not only a physical but an emotional attachment to our limbs. Human amputees can still have a wonderful quality of life, but the loss of a body part can cause feelings of grief or bereavement. Dogs and cats, however, don't have that emotional connection. Their outlook on life is to keep going, and they adapt remarkably well to the amputation of a body part. Furthermore, while the surgery is lengthy, with proper pain control during the initial healing process, pets are quick to recover from the surgery, and many are up and walking within a few days.
Duncan's story is extreme, but it does illustrate the resilience that our furry friends possess. I hope your pet never needs to have a body part amputated, but in such an event, remember that a majority of pets - big, small, active, lazy - can go on to leading very full and comfortable lives after an amputation. I have yet to meet the pet and owner where amputation ended in dissatisfaction and failure.
Duncan's story is extreme, but it does illustrate the resilience that our furry friends possess. I hope your pet never needs to have a body part amputated, but in such an event, remember that a majority of pets - big, small, active, lazy - can go on to leading very full and comfortable lives after an amputation. I have yet to meet the pet and owner where amputation ended in dissatisfaction and failure.
Congratulations to Duncan, and a huge round of applause to Panda Paws Rescue, which specializes in rescuing dogs with special needs, for helping keep Duncan happy and healthy.