Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

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Peppertheliloldman
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Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

Post by Peppertheliloldman »

Hi! :newhere: Will appreciate some advice on how to care for my 18.5 year old small size dog who has severe ventral spondylosis. Ever since late September, he hasn’t been able to get up or walk due to weakness in his hind legs. He also has canine cognitive dysfunction, chronic pancreatitis, Seizures, and is blind and deaf. I’ve purchased an orthopaedic dog bed which I hope will help to prevent pressure sores. Will need some advice here as that stubborn little old man of mine will keep trying to get up in the day while we are away at work, and there are times that he struggled so badly that there will be abrasions around his eye and leg from the constant rubbing against the pillow (very flat dog bed) and pee pad. Will appreciate some recommendations on pillows and the fabrics to get for his bedding and pillow case. Is it also advisable to get memory foam pillow for newborn or toddler for him? I’m currently sending him for acupuncture and cold laser therapy and really hope it will help and at least allow him to prop himself up. :( :( :( While we’re home, we will let him circle in his cart.

:thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou:
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CarolC
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

Post by CarolC »

When I had a paralyzied rabbit a number of years ago, I learned that rabbits have especially delicate skin and the recommendation was that natural fabrics like 100% cotton are best for the skin. This meant that while I thought our carpet (it was nylon or olefin or polyester or something) felt soft to me, the synthetic fibers were not truly soft for his skin. So based on that, maybe 100% cotton might be a good choice?

Does he just have a bed on the floor or is he maybe in a crate? Have you considered a playpen? Playpens are great for a small dog. They give enough room to move, safety, and it is easy to keep them clean. You put in a tip proof water bowl and fresh blankets, and hopefully he'll sleep.

How big is he? Is he able to turn himself over? Usually a small, lightweight dog has less of an issue with pressure sores since there is less body weight pushing down on the pressure points. If he is quite thin with a lot of muscle atrophy in the hindquarters so his hip bones stick out, then there is more of a possibility of a sore. The main thing, in my experience, is keeping the dog dry. Too often want is called a pressure sore was really a urine burn that started a raw spot, which was then aggravated by pressure. If the skin had stayed dry it would not have started. This is especially true of sores on the hip. If the dog urinates, the urine tends to travel to the lowest point in the bedding by gravity, which tends to be under the hip. That is how the dog gets a urine burn on the hip, which is then harder to heal because he is always lying on it. Unfortunately, pee pads can be a culprit in this, because they are not really absorbent enough to absorb the urine and keep it away from the skin. They are mainly useful for keeping bedding dry, but I do not think they are worth the risk of getting his skin wet. A dog on a wet pee pad is a wet dog. If your little guy is wetting the bedding and getting his skin wet, I would strongly recommend malewraps. They are a belt that goes around the waist with velcro, and holds an absorbent pad in place. A good pad like Poise will have a gel-lock filling that absorbs urine right away and keeps the skin dryer. You may need some diaper cream with it to prevent "diaper rash", but you won't have an ugly, weeping sore like you can if he lies in a wet spot on a potty pad. Another thing that can start a sore is, as you said, friction/abrasion, such as dragging around a lot on the floor. This is another advantage of a playpen when you are not home to monitor him.
:malewrap:
There have been people here with senior dogs with something cognitive going on, and some find that having an electric fan blowing on them can be calming.
:fan:
I will say one more thing. This is maybe a little bit of a rant, but it is based on experience. When my golden retriever, Merlin, got near the end of life, he had some congnitive issues going on, could not walk without assistance, kidney trouble. One thing he would do is bark and bark. In the very end he had to be admitted to hospital for basically hospice care. As soon as they admitted him, they put him on some kind of medication that calmed him down so he would not bark and bark. When we are trying to provide home care for our dog at this stage, we are not given any calming medication, and it would be better for both the dog and the family to have the dog be able to be relaxed. Maybe you could ask your vet if there is any kind of medication they could try with him, to help him relax and sleep while you are at work, something that won't bother his pancreatitis? If they would have given me something like that for Merlin, I could have cared for him at home to the end, which was what I wanted to do.
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

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:welcome:
Peppertheliloldman
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

Post by Peppertheliloldman »

Hi Carol! Thanks for the advice! :) :) :) :)
CarolC wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:41 am When I had a paralyzied rabbit a number of years ago, I learned that rabbits have especially delicate skin and the recommendation was that natural fabrics like 100% cotton are best for the skin. This meant that while I thought our carpet (it was nylon or olefin or polyester or something) felt soft to me, the synthetic fibers were not truly soft for his skin. So based on that, maybe 100% cotton might be a good choice? Ok! I'll go get some cotton crib sheets to try out :)

Does he just have a bed on the floor or is he maybe in a crate? Have you considered a playpen? Playpens are great for a small dog. They give enough room to move, safety, and it is easy to keep them clean. You put in a tip proof water bowl and fresh blankets, and hopefully he'll sleep. We're keeping him confined in a playpen, with his orthopaedic bed as the base and lots of cushions/pillows on it. For water wise, he's unable to drink on his own, so we'll syringe him water whenever possible. He's also on vet prescribed wet food, and so far no sign of dehydration. I hope it stays that way. I'm also able to give subcutaneous drip if there's a need

How big is he? Is he able to turn himself over? Usually a small, lightweight dog has less of an issue with pressure sores since there is less body weight pushing down on the pressure points. If he is quite thin with a lot of muscle atrophy in the hindquarters so his hip bones stick out, then there is more of a possibility of a sore. He's about 6.17 lbs and is a 3 on the body condition scale. A little skinny around the hips, and sometimes he'll get abrasions on his hip when he struggles too much. I'm trying and hoping i can get his weight up to 3.6 lbs. The main thing, in my experience, is keeping the dog dry. Too often want is called a pressure sore was really a urine burn that started a raw spot, which was then aggravated by pressure. If the skin had stayed dry it would not have started. This is especially true of sores on the hip. If the dog urinates, the urine tends to travel to the lowest point in the bedding by gravity, which tends to be under the hip. That is how the dog gets a urine burn on the hip, which is then harder to heal because he is always lying on it. Unfortunately, pee pads can be a culprit in this, because they are not really absorbent enough to absorb the urine and keep it away from the skin. They are mainly useful for keeping bedding dry, but I do not think they are worth the risk of getting his skin wet. A dog on a wet pee pad is a wet dog. If your little guy is wetting the bedding and getting his skin wet, I would strongly recommend malewraps. They are a belt that goes around the waist with velcro, and holds an absorbent pad in place. A good pad like Poise will have a gel-lock filling that absorbs urine right away and keeps the skin dryer. You may need some diaper cream with it to prevent "diaper rash", but you won't have an ugly, weeping sore like you can if he lies in a wet spot on a potty pad. Another thing that can start a sore is, as you said, friction/abrasion, such as dragging around a lot on the floor. This is another advantage of a playpen when you are not home to monitor him. Was using disposable male wrap on him previously, but the absorbency wasn't that great and i was worried about UTI and urine burn, so I've stopped it. Do you know of any diaper cream that's safe? I'll love some recommendations please.
:malewrap:
There have been people here with senior dogs with something cognitive going on, and some find that having an electric fan blowing on them can be calming. Oh We have a fan blowing at him whenever he's in the confined area.
:fan:
I will say one more thing. This is maybe a little bit of a rant, but it is based on experience. When my golden retriever, Merlin, got near the end of life, he had some congnitive issues going on, could not walk without assistance, kidney trouble. One thing he would do is bark and bark. In the very end he had to be admitted to hospital for basically hospice care. As soon as they admitted him, they put him on some kind of medication that calmed him down so he would not bark and bark. When we are trying to provide home care for our dog at this stage, we are not given any calming medication, and it would be better for both the dog and the family to have the dog be able to be relaxed. Maybe you could ask your vet if there is any kind of medication they could try with him, to help him relax and sleep while you are at work, something that won't bother his pancreatitis? If they would have given me something like that for Merlin, I could have cared for him at home to the end, which was what I wanted to do. I feel you. Am trying to do the same for my little one despite being told by people that putting him down is the more humane thing to do. Honestly, I've contemplated that. But when he bounced back and i saw him wagged his tail after returning from a 9-days stay in the hospital, i knew I wanna fight with my little one. I have some gabapentin at home but I'm only giving it to him when he suffers from abrasions from the rubbing and i want him to rest. His vet also spoke to me previously about dropping his pancreatitis medication, since he has been on it for a year plus and it's not clearing. He's still on it though, as we're scared to rock the boat (he was hospitalized as we gave him selegos/selegiline to see if it help with his canine cognitive dysfunction. unfortunately he didn't respond well to it and became really dysphoric :( ) .
Peppertheliloldman
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

Post by Peppertheliloldman »

:thankyou:
critters wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 12:42 pm:welcome:
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

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If he licks, you'd want a zinc-free cream. Cavilon spray, which was invented for people with ostomies, is a good skin barrier for bare skin. I hear it's almost like glue if it gets mixed up with hair, but you could even shave the area, if necessary. Cavilon is replaced only after wearing off in several days, so it may be more convenient.
Peppertheliloldman
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

Post by Peppertheliloldman »

thanks critters! No, he doesn’t lick. If that’s the case, should I go for one with zinc oxide? Thanks!
critters wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2019 12:18 pm If he licks, you'd want a zinc-free cream. Cavilon spray, which was invented for people with ostomies, is a good skin barrier for bare skin. I hear it's almost like glue if it gets mixed up with hair, but you could even shave the area, if necessary. Cavilon is replaced only after wearing off in several days, so it may be more convenient.
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

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I used Desitin with zinc oxide with my dog who didn't lick and it was the best thing I used. You don't have to put it on with every change, it clings to the skin well and you just butter a little more on as needed. You mentioned you had tried the disposable male wraps. I'm glad you said that because I haven't tried them and didn't know how good they are for a disabled pet. It sounds like they might be better for a dog that is just marking and not voiding a lot of urine.

Poise pads are really absorbent if you use them inside a washable belly band. I buy either the second highest absorbency or the highest for my 8 lb dog. On Poise they show the absorbency by water droplets. I buy the ones that are a 5 or a 6. 6 is the ultimate. I find I can cut the 2nd highest absorbency pad (5 droplets) in half and get 2 diapers out of one pad. The ultimate (6 droplets) pads are wider than the other absorbencies. With the highest absorbency pad (6), I can cut it in 3 parts and get 3 diapers. When you cut it in 3 pieces, the middle piece has 2 unfinished edges where you cut it, but it still works because for the most part the pad hangs together and does not spill out the filling even with 2 unfinished edges. If you buy a different brand, like Equate from Walmart which is supposed to be similar to Poise, it seems to have a different filling (kind of a sand almost) and is not as good at hanging together after you cut it in half, it is more likely to leak and be a bit messier. Of course you don't have to cut them in half, you'll have better coverage it you don't, but it might be an option.
Poise.JPG
I am still thinking about his bedding and the memory foam. I don't know the answer, just thinking out loud without coming to a conclusion really, since I've never had this exact situation but I can picture it very well from your description. It seems like if he could have something to dig his foot into, it would help him get up. In that case you would want something his foot would not slide on. I have no idea if this would work, quite possibly not, but I wonder if he had some booties with a good traction sole, if he could push himself up in bed. The booties would at least protect him from scraping his toes by friction if he tries repeatedly. Since I have never tried it I don't know, and I hate to make a suggestion that involves someone spending money on the off chance it might work when there is an equally good chance it won't. But I don't have a better idea. It would involve finding boots that really have major major traction, AND boots that will stay on the feet of your little 6-lb guy. If he has a slender foot not much bigger than his ankle, it will be harder for the boots to stay on. If he has a foot that is a little wider than his ankle, they will stay on better.

The other thing is, you don't want him to be miserable wearing all kinds of unfamiliar clothing like belly bands and boots, but if it could somehow help him, then hopefully he can adapt. It's good that he already is familiar with male wraps, yay for that! :)

It's too bad the Anipryl didn't work. I've heard it's kind of expensive and doesn't work on all dogs, but you don't know if you don't try. This article suggests a couple of alternatives, but I have no experience with them.

Totally off the subject, but I just want to say I've been putting a diaper in my one dog in a certain way for 10 years, and just today I found an easier way for her, so sometimes just doing something a little different, or being brave and trying something when you think it's not going to work, can actually work out.
:hurray:
Peppertheliloldman
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

Post by Peppertheliloldman »

Hi Carol! Been real busy with the year coming to an end, and also my little old man. Thanks to your advice,I’ve gone on to buy desitin for my old man and so far all’s been good! No more coming home to find his body wet from pee. :yay:
CarolC wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2019 11:43 pm I used Desitin with zinc oxide with my dog who didn't lick and it was the best thing I used. You don't have to put it on with every change, it clings to the skin well and you just butter a little more on as needed. do you Do a brief wipe before putting the diaper back on? You mentioned you had tried the disposable male wraps. I'm glad you said that because I haven't tried them and didn't know how good they are for a disabled pet. It sounds like they might be better for a dog that is just marking and not voiding a lot of urine. Although the diff brand and the diapers absorbency makes a difference, I feel that the disposable ones seem to work for those that can get them changed, maybe like maximum every 4 hours? At least it was so from my past experience with them. Using poise pads with the belly band is really a life saver!

Poise pads are really absorbent if you use them inside a washable belly band. I buy either the second highest absorbency or the highest for my 8 lb dog. On Poise they show the absorbency by water droplets. I buy the ones that are a 5 or a 6. 6 is the ultimate. I find I can cut the 2nd highest absorbency pad (5 droplets) in half and get 2 diapers out of one pad. The ultimate (6 droplets) pads are wider than the other absorbencies. With the highest absorbency pad (6), I can cut it in 3 parts and get 3 diapers. When you cut it in 3 pieces, the middle piece has 2 unfinished edges where you cut it, but it still works because for the most part the pad hangs together and does not spill out the filling even with 2 unfinished edges. If you buy a different brand, like Equate from Walmart which is supposed to be similar to Poise, it seems to have a different filling (kind of a sand almost) and is not as good at hanging together after you cut it in half, it is more likely to leak and be a bit messier. Of course you don't have to cut them in half, you'll have better coverage it you don't, but it might be an option.
Poise.JPG

I am still thinking about his bedding and the memory foam. I don't know the answer, just thinking out loud without coming to a conclusion really, since I've never had this exact situation but I can picture it very well from your description. It seems like if he could have something to dig his foot into, it would help him get up. In that case you would want something his foot would not slide on. I have no idea if this would work, quite possibly not, but I wonder if he had some booties with a good traction sole, if he could push himself up in bed. unfortunately he is still unable to prop himself up. But we’re still trying! I really hope it will happen soon as I’ve seen how happy he was (and he doesn’t whine) when I used some cushions to prop him upThe booties would at least protect him from scraping his toes by friction if he tries repeatedly. oh.. my old man has many pairs of those non slip socks but I let him put them on only when he’s circling in his cart. I’ll try to leave them on longer during the weekend to see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestions again! Since I have never tried it I don't know, and I hate to make a suggestion that involves someone spending money on the off chance it might work when there is an equally good chance it won't. But I don't have a better idea. It would involve finding boots that really have major major traction, AND boots that will stay on the feet of your little 6-lb guy. If he has a slender foot not much bigger than his ankle, it will be harder for the boots to stay on. If he has a foot that is a little wider than his ankle, they will stay on better. i welcome all suggestions! And really, I’m very grateful for them. Words can’t describe how much I’ve gained from this forum and the advices you all have given, and the gratitude I have. There’s only this much that our vet can advise and usually the best advices come from pet owners who have been through it.

The other thing is, you don't want him to be miserable wearing all kinds of unfamiliar clothing like belly bands and boots, but if it could somehow help him, then hopefully he can adapt. It's good that he already is familiar with male wraps, yay for that! :)

It's too bad the Anipryl didn't work. I've heard it's kind of expensive and doesn't work on all dogs, but you don't know if you don't try. This article suggests a couple of alternatives, but I have no experience with them.

Totally off the subject, but I just want to say I've been putting a diaper in my one dog in a certain way for 10 years, and just today I found an easier way for her, so sometimes just doing something a little different, or being brave and trying something when you think it's not going to work, can actually work out. :ecstatic: yes! And that results in a happy owner and a happy pet! :ecstatic:
:hurray:
And with Christmas just round the corner, I wish everybody and our pets a Merry Christmas and a good 2020 ahead! :newyear:
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Re: Some advice needed for caring of a handicapped dog

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Peppertheliloldman wrote: Thu Dec 19, 2019 7:51 am Hi Carol! Been real busy with the year coming to an end, and also my little old man. Thanks to your advice,I’ve gone on to buy desitin for my old man and so far all’s been good! No more coming home to find his body wet from pee. :yay: Good deal! Replying in pink...
CarolC wrote: Mon Dec 09, 2019 11:43 pm I used Desitin with zinc oxide with my dog who didn't lick and it was the best thing I used. You don't have to put it on with every change, it clings to the skin well and you just butter a little more on as needed. do you Do a brief wipe before putting the diaper back on? I think a lot of people do. Personally I don't like baby wipes because of the fragrance, and as long as his skin looked good I didn't wipe it or irritate it in any way, other than to add some ointment if needed. People might think it sounds like a "slacker mom", but I'm only being honest, it worked for us with him in a malewrap 24/7 for 3 years. In a sense the skin is continuously bathed by the ointment kind of softening or melting with body heat and being absorbed into the pad, as long as you keep him buttered. His skin stayed healthy, he looked and smelled healthy, I guess less was better for us. You mentioned you had tried the disposable male wraps. I'm glad you said that because I haven't tried them and didn't know how good they are for a disabled pet. It sounds like they might be better for a dog that is just marking and not voiding a lot of urine. Although the diff brand and the diapers absorbency makes a difference, I feel that the disposable ones seem to work for those that can get them changed, maybe like maximum every 4 hours? At least it was so from my past experience with them. That makes sense. I was still working at the time my dog wore them so he went longer than 4 hours. Also he had renal insufficiency so he was drinking a lot more than normal, so his urine wasn't strong but it was soaking the pad. Possibly the fact that his urine wasn't strong should be taken into account when I say I did not wipe him with baby wipes when I changed him. Using poise pads with the belly band is really a life saver!

Poise pads are really absorbent if you use them inside a washable belly band. I buy either the second highest absorbency or the highest for my 8 lb dog. On Poise they show the absorbency by water droplets. I buy the ones that are a 5 or a 6. 6 is the ultimate. I find I can cut the 2nd highest absorbency pad (5 droplets) in half and get 2 diapers out of one pad. The ultimate (6 droplets) pads are wider than the other absorbencies. With the highest absorbency pad (6), I can cut it in 3 parts and get 3 diapers. When you cut it in 3 pieces, the middle piece has 2 unfinished edges where you cut it, but it still works because for the most part the pad hangs together and does not spill out the filling even with 2 unfinished edges. If you buy a different brand, like Equate from Walmart which is supposed to be similar to Poise, it seems to have a different filling (kind of a sand almost) and is not as good at hanging together after you cut it in half, it is more likely to leak and be a bit messier. Of course you don't have to cut them in half, you'll have better coverage it you don't, but it might be an option.
Poise.JPG

I am still thinking about his bedding and the memory foam. I don't know the answer, just thinking out loud without coming to a conclusion really, since I've never had this exact situation but I can picture it very well from your description. It seems like if he could have something to dig his foot into, it would help him get up. In that case you would want something his foot would not slide on. I have no idea if this would work, quite possibly not, but I wonder if he had some booties with a good traction sole, if he could push himself up in bed. unfortunately he is still unable to prop himself up. But we’re still trying! I really hope it will happen soon as I’ve seen how happy he was (and he doesn’t whine) when I used some cushions to prop him up OK, you already tried that, got it. :wink: The booties would at least protect him from scraping his toes by friction if he tries repeatedly. oh.. my old man has many pairs of those non slip socks but I let him put them on only when he’s circling in his cart. I’ll try to leave them on longer during the weekend to see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestions again! Since I have never tried it I don't know, and I hate to make a suggestion that involves someone spending money on the off chance it might work when there is an equally good chance it won't. But I don't have a better idea. It would involve finding boots that really have major major traction, AND boots that will stay on the feet of your little 6-lb guy. If he has a slender foot not much bigger than his ankle, it will be harder for the boots to stay on. If he has a foot that is a little wider than his ankle, they will stay on better. i welcome all suggestions! And really, I’m very grateful for them. Words can’t describe how much I’ve gained from this forum and the advices you all have given, and the gratitude I have. There’s only this much that our vet can advise and usually the best advices come from pet owners who have been through it. It's amazing the solutions people have come up with for everyday things here. If you come up with a solution to help him sit up, I hope you will post it. The description is so clear, I know exactly what you're talking about. For a second I was thinking, maybe if he gets a lot of exercise he will sleep for the 4 hours you are gone, but you already said he is running around the house in his cart as much as he wants when he's home, so that isn't it. I wonder about some of those pheromone dispensers, like DAP. I wonder if something like that would help him stay relaxed till you get home. Do you think any meds he might be on may cause him to be restless? Really it sounds like normal doggy frustration with wanting to get up and not being able to, but at the same time at his age you might hope he would sleep a lot, but not necessarily. We've had people here try melatonin for their dog with varying success. I have not used it, don't know anything about safety or dosage, but we had one really memorable message thread here about whether senior dogs get sundowner's, and I remember someone said it worked like a charm for her dog. My dog, Merlin, was very restless during the weeks after he became unable to get up. Eventually it seems like he adjusted to it, but the first few weeks he was barking a lot and restless. I couldn't sleep because he was barking so much, but then he seemed to get past that and quieted down. He really only paddled his feet like you describe if he needed to go potty number two. We began a bowel program of stimulating his bottom to get him to poo and I think that helped. But I don't think that was all of it, I think he just gradually got used to the fact he couldn't jump up like he used to, it just took him some time.

The other thing is, you don't want him to be miserable wearing all kinds of unfamiliar clothing like belly bands and boots, but if it could somehow help him, then hopefully he can adapt. It's good that he already is familiar with male wraps, yay for that! :)

It's too bad the Anipryl didn't work. I've heard it's kind of expensive and doesn't work on all dogs, but you don't know if you don't try. This article suggests a couple of alternatives, but I have no experience with them.

Totally off the subject, but I just want to say I've been putting a diaper in my one dog in a certain way for 10 years, and just today I found an easier way for her, so sometimes just doing something a little different, or being brave and trying something when you think it's not going to work, can actually work out. :ecstatic: yes! And that results in a happy owner and a happy pet! :ecstatic:
:hurray:
And with Christmas just round the corner, I wish everybody and our pets a Merry Christmas and a good 2020 ahead! :newyear: Same to you and your little guy! :party:
P.S. Just thought of this. If he is already having trouble rolling onto his tummy, then adding a belly band with a pad might only make it harder. Not trying to be funny but it reminds me of the story of the wife who sewed a tennis ball in the back of her husband's pajamas so he wouldn't sleep on his back and snore. Having that big old pad on his belly might almost prevent him from rolling onto his tummy...I wonder. There is a type of bedding that is absorbent enough that it will keep a small dog reasonably dry without a belly band. Examples are whelping pads or Palace fleece. The moisture goes through the fleece or whelping pad and collects in an absorbent diaposable potty pad underneath. The only reason I thought of it was, I don't want to make a suggestion of a Poise pad and have it make his problem of not being able to get up even more difficult. With my dog it wasn't an issue, but he was a 63 lb golden retriever and the Poise on his belly was relatively small compared to his size. With a really small dog the bulk of the pad may be more noticeable.
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