Adopting a second wheelie

Neurological Disorders Resources. Treatment and care for pets having pain or trouble walking or standing due to spinal injuries or neurological disorders like IVDD, FCE and DM.
fibroflairy
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:15 pm

Adopting a second wheelie

Post by fibroflairy »

Hi,
I adopted a wheelie dog called comet last year, after becoming semi retired due to auto immune issues, I've also spent my life working with children and animals specialising in children with additional needs. Being wonky myself and having all the time in the world, an additional needs dog seemed like the ideal solution! And he is, 100% the best dog I've ever owned or had the joy of meeting :) it was a bit of a learning curve, but tbh more with dealing with other people's reactions than with comet himself! He is continent and has recently developed deep pain sensation.... Eek! We've been doing physio and swimming etc from when he arrived even though we were told he would never recover any feeling (he was a cruelty case, 2 spinal fractures and his tail hacked off by 3 weeks old). So we are continuing with that.... Anyway that's the background... So now we are a settled if somewhat wonky family! I've been reading here but never posted before. We were fostering for his charity and have come to the conclusion that he prefers having another dog around for company. So as well as continuing to foster we have decided its time to adopt a second dog, and look and behold we found Jessica, a serbian dog of similar age and size also with paralysis, she arrives Sunday! Now I've got everything I think I need for her, bit I have a couple of questions:
She apparently leaks and just wees occasionally with no idea when or if she needs to go, her current place do not express her but she apparently does get constant utis.... Would regular expressing help with the uti and leaking situation?
Does anybody have any double stroller recommendations? Although similar sizes and ages we are quite active so I think either and or both may require wheel rest whilst out, I have a single stroller for comet anyway but was just looking at double options :)
Can I do any harm doing gentle pt with her and swimming etc? Her paralysis is of an unknown reason, she was found already paralysed on the streets
And finally, she apparently hates drag bags and as a result has a bald bum, is there any alternatives as she isn't used to wheels yet but is very mobile?
Thanks so much to anyone who has read this far!
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by CarolC »

Wow! Reading this is such a nice way to start the day! Two of the moderators here have also worked with disabled children and both have a houseful of disabled pets, look out! :wink: :wink: What size are your pups, 15 lbs, or...?

Yes, I absolutely agree with what you said, expressing would be a huge help for her infections. In addition to expressing completely every 8 hrs (or more often if you like, every 6 hrs is good, too) I would put her in a diaper to keep her girl parts clean. It will help keep the dirt on the floors and pavements from contacting the female area, which can be a source of infection. I would get diapers with a hole for the tail big enough for stools to fall out, so she does not have fecal germs contacting her female area, either. Even if she continues to use a drag bag, I would still do the diaper.

You know, there are a lot of brands of drag bags, maybe she just doesn't like the kinds she has been put in before? This may be something you can discern by observation and intuition after you get her. If you want a list of some different manufacturers, let me know, I can get you some links. It's too bad she hates drag bags. You will have a better idea of what she needs after you get her. Possibly a diaper would be enough to protect her skin without the bag, but it is hard to tell in advance. Dogs drag in different positions, it's an individual thing. Some will drag on a hip, some will drag in a froggy legs position, and what position they drag will affect what area of skin is getting abrasions and what needs to be protected.

I think PT would be wonderful if you can do that with her. It would help her physically and also be fun for both of you.

Whatever I said above is just some ideas. You will figure things out when you actually get her, but I'm sure your idea on expressing is the way to go. You can also express the bowel. If you want links on expressing, don't hesitate to ask!

:group:
User avatar
critters
Founding Member
Posts: 14362
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2001 7:00 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by critters »

:strobe: and congrats! I second what Carol says, especially about expressing. What ain't in can't leak out, and it's good at preventing UTIs, too. :mrgreen:
fibroflairy
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:15 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by fibroflairy »

Thanks both of you, watching expressing videos now, and I've got a vet check over booked Monday so I'll get them to show me too :)
A size would have helped, sorry I was excited lol comet is a corgi x and is 8kg and Jessica is a puli and is 9 kg, I'll upload pics when she arrives :) I currently have the pet gear stroller but together they're over the weight allowance and it'd be a squeeze!
As for continuing with the disabled ones.... I have another foster lined up for when Madam is settled, he's blind and has suspected CH.....
User avatar
critters
Founding Member
Posts: 14362
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2001 7:00 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by critters »

fibroflairy wrote: As for continuing with the disabled ones.... I have another foster lined up for when Madam is settled, he's blind and has suspected CH.....
You belong right here!! :mrgreen: Most of us have more than one handicapper.
fibroflairy
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:15 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by fibroflairy »

Well she's here, she's beautiful, and comet loves her, we had her cart adjusted tonight, and she's much happier with it now :)
We're going camping tomorrow, which comet loves so it will be interesting to see what she makes of it, we will of course come straight home if she shows any sign of not enjoying it :) she's very chatty, she'd soon let me know :)
I just have one question for you but all, which I can't find mentioned here anywhere, she likes to be between my legs when we walk, at home when she's not in the cart that's fine, but out and about, I can't manage the required John wayne stagger to achieve it, and my calfs have the bruises to prove it.... Any ideas on how to help with this? Atm I'm just treating her when she's on the outside, she doesn't have to be doing anything just being beside my legs rather than in-between them, I'm hoping this will help her realise thats a better place to walk... Maybe lol also leads, comets clips to his harness and hers atm goes into her cart, but then she tangles it doing zoomies,, what do you usually use?
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by CarolC »

So glad they hit it off right away. This is the first time I have heard of a dog staying between someone's feet, she must just be scared. I bet it will pass quickly. Does she know any voice commands, perhaps in a different language? Even just "No?"

Your idea of treats is probably going to help, but if she needs training, one of our moderators does agility with her wheel corgis and she uses clicker training. (She also used to take her dogs camping! :D ) Here is an article she wrote with some tips.

https://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/?title=Clicker-training_for_cart_use

Would love to see pictures when you can catch a breath!
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by CarolC »

P.S. Excuse the double post. You were talking about her doing zoomies and tangling her leash, and also the need to keep her out from between your feet. I have no idea if this would work, I don't know anyone who's tried it, but there is a way to do a stiff leash for blind dogs that might (maybe?) work? You put the leash through a length of PVC pipe, then snap it on your dog as usual and put your wrist through the loop end and hold the pipe. It gives you some leverage to direct the dog left or right. If I didn't explain it very well let me know, I'll see if I can find a photo, there used to be one.

EDIT TO ADD: Found it!
http://collargirl.com/blind.html

blind2.jpg
blind3.jpg
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by CarolC »

Also, one more post. :blush: You were talking about double strollers. I've never bought a double stroller but I see a lot of them when you google double pet stroller. It looks like there are 2 kinds, the kind where both dogs share one seat, or the kind where each dog has its own individual seat. The ones where they share a seat do not look as wide, which I think might be easier to maneuver? The side by side kind with 2 seats are quite a bit wider. What do you think? Here is an example of one where both dogs share the same compartment. It goes up to 90 lbs / 40 kg.

https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Gear-Strolle ... B00OSB6FXI
fibroflairy
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:15 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by fibroflairy »

Sorry I haven't replied, we went away for a camping/festival thing, she loved it :)
I bought her a new harness with back rings and clipping the lead there or maybe the harness itself seems to have solved the issue of her going between my legs, she's off exploring with comet and doing zoomies in the biggest space possible! We already use a clicker so I'll check that article out thank you :)
They're both very bright so I will be looking for some kind of activity for them (they have toys, puzzles etc I mean more in a sporty kinda way) I hadn't thought about agility just assumed it would be out!
Sorry about the picture quality but I've had to resize it a lot to make it upload :/
Attachments
Flat out after a morning with their festival fans
Flat out after a morning with their festival fans
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by CarolC »

Oh, that is a great picture! You wore them out!!! :lol: That's priceless! Love the soft ears, and they both look pretty easy to bathe and groom. Congratulations on solving the running between your feet problem. Hope to see more updates and pics. Woohoo!!!!!
:trophy:
fibroflairy
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:15 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by fibroflairy »

So I received a few frantic messages from A lady on Facebook who had seen comet and this happened.....
Attachments
Our tiny new arrival
Our tiny new arrival
User avatar
CarolC
Moderator
Posts: 13698
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by CarolC »

Awww! :hearts: Is he a chiweenie? How old? How much does he weigh? Is he additional needs like the others?

Now you have three?!? :D
fibroflairy
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:15 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by fibroflairy »

She's allegedly a German hunting terrier but she seems to small, she's only about 9inchs tall bless her. She is indeed another paraplegic, about 2 years old, she was found with a building collapsed and a broken spine, immobile and pregnant, she's been emergency neutered then kept in a garage as they didn't know ah t to do with her, so they reached out to me.... Her back legs are in a n awful condition due to rubbing and it's clear she's been gnawing them, so my vets put her on Gabba, they were pouring hydrogen peroxide on the wounds to keep hem clean but we've stopped that a D I'm dressing them and using a cream from the vets under the dressing, her wheels are also miles too small so I've measured and ordered a new set. She's a sweetie but where she's lived the last 12 months mostly alone in a garage she's very reluctant for me to now leave her side, and cries when I do,but a E will get there, the other 2 adore her luckily so she's fit right in
User avatar
critters
Founding Member
Posts: 14362
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2001 7:00 pm

Re: Adopting a second wheelie

Post by critters »

Congrats! So now you have 3 wheelies? :D
Post Reply