progressing to Quad Cart

[JaynTinks]

Hi

I hope someone can help. My elderly dog uses a regular cart but recently when I put her in it she is just flopping to floor and seem unable to stand her self up in it. She can walk on her front legs when using a sling to hold her back end but of course I'm taking most of her weight to support her.

I am wondering if getting her a quad cart will help? Will standing her up in a cart with front wheels fully support her weight so she can stand and use it to potter around the house and garden? I'm not expecting her to walk miles in it daily just so she has a period of each time of being able to stand independently and potter round the house and garden a bit.

She has a vet check up on Thurs and I'm not keen to PTS whilst she is still mentally very active, she still enjoys playing, laying out in the sun, eats well, is still able to see enough to do her interactive puzzles and follow a little trail of treats round the garden. She still wants to come on long treks with my younger dog so I use a dog bike trailer and she loves coming along for the ride. we usually find somewhere she can get out for a sniff-a-bout and lie in the sun for a bit, while my collie get s a quick game of ball!

She still knows when she needs the loo and can communicate this to me for me to help her, but has no muscle left in her back legs and they just hang down (if you stand her). The carts do have stirrups though.

There aren't many other dogs in my area of UK in similar situation so was looking to hear from someone whose dog uses a quad cart and is still able to enjoy moving round their house and garden and having a good quality of life.

I wanted to know if the quad cart will support her weight fully so I can help coax her along with treats to keep her front legs going. We have boots I will start using on front paws as they are starting to knuckle too like the back ones did. so thinking of splints like this to hold them in the correct position for walking.

http://www.handicappedpets.com/images/t ... plints.jpg

[critters]

Personally, I REALLY like those splints. They're nice and sturdy. It seems to me that a quad cart could well be what she needs.

[JaynTinks]

Personally, I REALLY like those splints. They're nice and sturdy. It seems to me that a quad cart could well be what she needs.

will it completely hold her up though if I put her in it will it hold her up in a standing position? or does the dog have to have some ability to weight bear on at least 2 of their legs (front or back)

I need to know this before ordering.

Thanks

[JaynTinks]

This is the one in UK I was looking at. it's like her other cart but has front wheel support and an additional harness for front legs

http://www.wheels4dogs.co.uk/products/pix/4-1.jpg

It doesn't have the bar across the front like though like the US ones advertised on this site, though the person said they were the same carts.

[JaynTinks]

I found out the medium and large sizes do have the bar across the front (chin support I think they call it) and will support the dog fully to stand. I don't know whether to order now or wait for vet? They can't MAKE me have my dog put down can they just can't use her back legs? Vets in UK seem more against keeping disabled dogs alive than you do in US...unless there's a chance the dog will make a full recovery.

I will tell vet I've already ordered a brand new one anyway so they know I've no intention of letting them suggest she should be PTS. She's still mentally active enjoys puzzles, going out for her rides and enjoys life etc. With the Quad cart she'll be able to stand to do puzzles too. I'm getting a treadmill delivered too as she can walk on her front legs if you're holding her back end up in sling, but this is difficult for me to walk along with her like that as I have mobility probs myself but if I sit at side of treadmill on my rollator seat (which is higher than manual chair) I can support her back end while she has a little walk on there. My collie can also use it when we're snowed in the winter, combined with playing snowballs in the garden that should give him enough exercise as he's used to about 5 mile a day walk/run.

I'm also thinking of getting the fit vest which should help develop her muscles in front of body to get more use of the cart.

http://dogtread.com/canine-gym-gear/can ... arter-kit/

[nbregger]

Hi,
It sounds like your dog absolutely does need the front wheels. The front wheel attachment will support the front using the leg rings to support the weight. She will be able to use the front legs to develop muscle, while using the stirrups in the rear so they are not dragging. Watch some of the videos on our website:
http://www.handicappedpets.com/dog-whee ... tos-videos

If you want to order these, please call 888-253-0777 or order online.

[critters]

It's not unusual to have to fight for handicappers in the US either, I'm afraid.

Some people here on the board have used what is essentially a padded table on wheels or a wagon to move critters, especially big dogs, around. This requires nothing on the dog's part and so doesn't give much exercise or change of position, of course.

[JaynTinks]

Thanks for answering. I've contacted the supplier of the blue carts in the UK and asked some questions. I'm satisfied it would support her weight fully whilst I also tried to build up her strength in front of body and legs using the treadmill also.

The vet appointment is tomorrow morning so did want to see what they said too. The woman on the phone was being awkward as Inca has been on Previcox for a while now and I had originally rung just to get a repeat prescription, they wouldn't give it without seeing her first..I asked if vet could bring the boxes with her instead of posting them out and person said vet would bring some 'in case they were needed' which made me feel they were perhaps coming to decide whether she had a good enough quality of life or were going to recommend she be PTS.

Despite her mobility issues she is an happy dog, the vet said she had a strong heart last time they examined her and listened to her heartbeat. She enjoys going out for a ride and playing out in the garden with my younger dog and has a good appetite, no breathing problems or anything and her arthritis pain was being controlled by previcox.

I'm trying to find some non-prescription painkillers that may work as well just in case vet refuses to prescribe as I will tell them I'll be getting a second opinion as the previous vet said as long as Inca was happy and mentally active she thought it was great that she had a cart and went out for a ride everyday in her dog bike trailer! I've heard Liquid Devils Claw is good and many have being able to reduce or stop completely the NSAIDS? I'm not sure about US but in UK you can only get things like Previcox, Metacam etc with a vets prescription. I found one on ebay once Caprieve? or something that came from Bulgaria but got no reply when I tried to contact the seller again and can't find it on there again. Maybe customs are not allowing them to import it from that country? or Ebay won't let them sell prescription drugs to UK?

Anyway time to take mine for a ride while its sunny and quiet (before the kids over here come out of school!) I'll be back later to check for replies.

[critters]

Yes, the profens and those kinds of meds are RX in the US, too.