Wheelchairs for pugs?

by **Pugwinkle** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 5:58 am

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I have nine pugs. Two of my pugs have spinal degeneration which means they are losing use of their back ends. I pretty much carry them everywhere and have to hold them up to eat, drink, and go to the washroom.

I have thought of buying them wheels but I'm not sure how useful they will actually be for my pugs. Do you only put the wheels on the dogs when you are going somewhere or are they able to wear them in the house as well? If they wear them most of the time (not at night of course) how do they lay down with the wheels on?

by **nbregger** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:28 pm

Pugs do well in the Walkin' Wheels if they are over 20 lbs. and they measure more than 7" fold of flank to ground.
http://handicappedpets.com/www/index.ph ... eight.html

Otherwise, you will need to order the custom cart which is also adjustable by a few inches. Either cart can go inside or outside but your dog cannot lay down in the cart. Please call our office to discuss which cart will be best for your Pugs.

by **CarolC** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:00 pm

Pugwinkle. What a cute name. You would never believe it, but there are 2 other members here who also have 9 pugs! I'm wondering what it is about having 9 pugs. :thinking:

Makes me smile just thinking about it!

by **Bobbie** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 10:24 pm

Yeah, and I don't know where all the pug people have gone!

by **Joan** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 10:33 pm

Carol I think we stop at 9 pugs, because once you get to double digits, it may never stop.

Welcome pugwinkle. what kind of spinal degeneration are you dealing with? Are you talking about IVDD, or ?

I have 5 handicapped pugs, 5 were in carts, but 2 have recovered to the point they no longer need the carts, but have achieved spinal walking. The carts are so good for the pugs. It gives them back independence and dignity. It saves your back as well. Mine use them mainly outside, but one eats while in the cart as well. the only reason we don't use them too much indoors, is because with 3 of them, they tend to hook end tables and coffee tables etc, with the wheels, and then just keep on trucking.

I would highly recommend getting carts for them. You could just start with one cart to see how it goes, if they are about the same size. Do you need to manually express the bladders and/or bowels?

Sorry for all the questions, but I just love pugs, and have such an empathy with these special needs guys. 8 of my 9 are rescues, 5 handicapped with spinal issues, one diabetic, and one with hepatitis.

How did you end up with 9?? HOpe you find the answers you are looking for here, there is a great group of experienced and knowledgable people here to help you.

Hugs Joan

by **Pugwinkle** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:35 am

CarolC! Hi! I did have 10 pugs up until January 27th. My eldest boy left for the bridge that day so now we are down to only 9.

He also had spinal degeneration.

Hi Joan, okay to try to answer your questions. I ended up with this number of pugs because when I lived in the city I use to show and breed my pugs. Both my girls that are afflicted with SD are Canadian Champions. Jasper, the one that left for the bridge was the father, then Jemm his daughter also has SD, and her daughter Lily has SD. Jemm's other daughter (different father than Lily) has not shown any signs of SD as yet but Jemm didn't show signs until early 2009 so it may still happen to Emma as well.

I have since stopped breeding. Sure wish someone would have told me about spinal degeneration in pugs and that it seems to be hereditary.

The doctor didn't specify what kind of spinal degeneration it is. I'm not sure what IVDD means? Basically they are losing most of their muscle mass in their back end and can not walk very well at all. When they do try to stand up normally they just wobble and fall to a sitting position. Lily the younger one is the worst off. When this all began they were constantly peeing and pooping in the house because they had no idea when they had to go anymore so instead of dealing with three pugs messing in the house I started expressing both bladders and bowels. I just rub that area with a baby wipe just like I did when they were babies and that usually starts them peeing. It's gotten to the point now where I have to press on the bladder in order to get them going though.

How did you get two of your dogs to recover in order not to need the carts?

I tried all my guys on Prednisone but it didn't make a difference for any of them.

by **Joan** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 9:09 am

I have been around pugs for a very long time, and never heard of spinal degeneration. Is that what your neurologist diagnosed? Could you get a scientific name for it, I would like to do some research. 3 of my 5 handicaps were accidents, and 2 FCE.

I am in B.C. where in Canada are you? Maybe i can find you a better vet!! IVDD is intervertebrael disc disease. Now I belong to several very large pug sites, and know all about the herediatary things like pk, entropain, elongated soft palates, PDE etc. but this one escapes me. Would really like to know more!!

Hugs Joan

by **Bobbie** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 9:23 am

Pugs may be able to get DM; there are only a few tested with the new DNA test but half of those were carriers so the gene is there- whether it expresses in Pugs I don't know. That's what it sounds like but there are other conditions that have the same symptoms.

by **Dieselsmom** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:10 am

Pugwinkle, welcome! I have three pugs, two of them are rescues and one of them, my Makayla, has degenerative myelopathy (well, we've ruled out everything else and DM is the only thing left). Joan is very knowledgable about handicapped pugs, definitely more so than me because I've just been on this journey with DM with Makayla for the past few months. Kayla does have a cart - her cart is from Doggon Wheels, which I believe is where Joan's pugs' carts are from also. They fit beautifully and I cannot say enough good things about the customer service and help that Doggon provides.

by **Pugwinkle** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:20 am

I live in Ontario and I'm quite happy with my vet and his abilities. In fact, I have several vets in the same office so I get from 3 - 5 opinions on health issues that my pugs deal with. We ruled out DM and my vet simply explains that the problem is a degeneration of the spine, thus the name Spinal degeneration. The only reason I'm assuming this is hereditary is that my male Jasper had it who is the father of Jemm who also struggles with the problem, and Jemm's daughter Lily also suffers from it. I know of one other pup of Jemm's that had the same issues and I believe the vet in that case also decided it was Spinal degeneration.

by **Joan** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 11:01 am

Here is a link for a free DNA test for Degenerative Myelopathy. If your pug has been diagnosed by your vet with DM, you can send a sample in for a free DNA test to confirm. this. It is also a great help to them to get these tests from the different breeds that are not usually diagnosed with DM. You would be helping their research project, and at the same time confirming the diagnosis with no cost.

http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/DM/resrchDM.htm

There are lots of good articles on IVDD, and I think your pugs are probably one of these two diseases. Sorry did not mean to denegrate your vet, but there is no research or any info on hereditary spinal degeneration that I can find. I have consulted some extremely knowledgable pug people this am, and they have not heard of it either. So I am assuming your vet meant one of these 2 things.

Hope it all works out for you and your pugs, whatever the cause, carts will be good for them,,,,,,,,,,,,,and for you. I find it a lot easier to express bladders and bowels whilst they are standing in their carts.

Hugs Joan

by **Bobbie** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:15 pm

Yes, regardless of the cause, IVDD or DM or anything else, carts do bring a lot more to a dog's life. They can go for walks, play together, chase a ball, and it is a back-saver for you even if they only use them outside. Candy uses his inside but Merlin is mostly just using his on walks; when they were both in carts inside we had a lot of hangups of one cart on the other.

by **Joan** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:26 pm

One thing i forgot to mention, yes the pugs can lay down in their carts. However, it looks uncomfortable, and I usually take them out when the are laying down, and after they have a nap, they go back in. Keep in mind all my handicaps save one, are seniors..........and pugs like to rest anyway.