Re: Stuff I learned along the way
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:31 am
I have an old dog whose back end has gone. I'm not sure if its paralysis she was diagnosed with arthritis, she can feel her legs and she knows when she needs the toilet but the muscles in her back legs have wasted and they just hang down now or drag if she's in her cart so I have to use the stirrups. She started with her back paws knuckling a few years back but was fine with little boots on at first.
Now I've noticed her front paws seem to be knuckling and she doesn't use them as much when doing puzzles she holds them out stiffly in front of her, I didn't relaise at the time she was trying to keep her balance so now I use cushions behind her or lay her up against something (back of sofa) then she can make more use of her paws when eating chews and doing puzzles.
She used to do some standing up but now struggles reaching to floor when the treats drop. I do have a little bean cube footstool thing that is just right height for her to stand in front of and have her puzzles on there. so looking for a few for xmas that she can do easily using only her mouth and without having to move round the cube to get to the puzzle from different angles. I'll be getting her a new quad cart, it will be her xmas present but she can use it from as soon as it arrives (not gonna make her wait until xmas day when she needs it now!) then she can stand for a couple of 15 min sessions a day doing puzzles and see if we can get her moving in it.
I never thought of using a treadmill for helping them keep strength in their front body and legs and surprised never seen it mentioned as it may have been more beneficial when she first started having problems.
I think you have to 'think outside the box' sometimes and some people find this difficult if they're not used to having to. Having disabilities myself I'm quite used to looking at something and thinking How could I manage that task?
Maybe we can start a thread on ideas for xmas toys for our dogs..as if they have quad cart and reaching to floor to pick up treats is difficult or you give them toys when they are on floor out of cart then the standard treatball to fill and chase round hte house is obviously not going to work for that dog?
Now I've noticed her front paws seem to be knuckling and she doesn't use them as much when doing puzzles she holds them out stiffly in front of her, I didn't relaise at the time she was trying to keep her balance so now I use cushions behind her or lay her up against something (back of sofa) then she can make more use of her paws when eating chews and doing puzzles.
She used to do some standing up but now struggles reaching to floor when the treats drop. I do have a little bean cube footstool thing that is just right height for her to stand in front of and have her puzzles on there. so looking for a few for xmas that she can do easily using only her mouth and without having to move round the cube to get to the puzzle from different angles. I'll be getting her a new quad cart, it will be her xmas present but she can use it from as soon as it arrives (not gonna make her wait until xmas day when she needs it now!) then she can stand for a couple of 15 min sessions a day doing puzzles and see if we can get her moving in it.
I never thought of using a treadmill for helping them keep strength in their front body and legs and surprised never seen it mentioned as it may have been more beneficial when she first started having problems.
I think you have to 'think outside the box' sometimes and some people find this difficult if they're not used to having to. Having disabilities myself I'm quite used to looking at something and thinking How could I manage that task?
Maybe we can start a thread on ideas for xmas toys for our dogs..as if they have quad cart and reaching to floor to pick up treats is difficult or you give them toys when they are on floor out of cart then the standard treatball to fill and chase round hte house is obviously not going to work for that dog?