I have a mini dachshund, appx 14 years old. He had a disc injury in 2007 (full down, loss of deep pain) and a different disc (minor) injured in 2010, both healed with meds and crate rest but now as he's aging we've noticed a deterioration in his legs, first walking in what we could best describe as drunk - back legs didn't always want to play along - but in the past few weeks he's gone down for what we think is his final time (no pain but loss of movement and control) and I've missed things I knew from all the learning I did for the first injury including simple things like a drag bag so now I'm fretting that I'm still overlooking things.
I have fabrics to make a drag bag to protect his feet - i turned my back for a moment and he made it the length of the patio and got a few good scrapes that we're working on. Are there patterns available so I can get a best fit? I know what I want to make but I don't have the base template to make sure I get the straps secure.
Cart is on order, hopefully here this week. Based on his behaviour when I hold him up with a towel I expect him to take to it well once he figures out the difference in the movement.
We're taking him for acupuncture. The vet that we found that offers it has had good success with improving bowel/bladder control, she feels feeling and walking is a stretch but he may get some of the reflex back for some standing and a few steps. We think for at least a few treatments to see if we get anywhere its worth it to try to improve his elimination control.
Am I overlooking anything that might make this easier on him or me? I've grown up with dogs and have 2 more in addition, one of those older with blindness and some hearing loss but this is something entirely new that I'm having to adjust for long term
Kimberly
Bobbie mentioned (they are a godsend!) you may be able to reduce leakage by expressing his bladder. Here is an article on that with many videos at the end.