Not sure wheels will work. Is there another solution
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Not sure wheels will work. Is there another solution
Last year when my Yellow 12 yr old lab was unable to use her back feet, I (i.e. my dog) tried out a wheelchair on craig's list. It was an older model, but I didn't get it b/c I saw the problems for my dog. She wanted to sit down in the worse way and the device wouldn't let her. She is not one of those energetic dogs that wants to run all the time or be on her feet all the time even when she was walking. Now at age 13 her back legs are weaker and unable to help her. He front paws still work but she has lost a lot of muscle from lack of activity. We think it is neurological. We did not think last year she would still be with us and as I wrote somewhere else, we think about this everyday. But she is still healthy and has no other obvious problems. Also because she can't stand up, even getting her harness on her is difficult so I don't know how I would even get a wheelchair attached to her if I were home alone. Are there any other ideas that would help her get around? WE do have a cart and a flat type of moving device to move her around but when I am hope alone I cannot lift her to get her into the cart. it would be nice if she could get around by herself,at least a little. Something with wheels? something close to the ground, maybe? Something higher that would lift her from above, maybe? I don't know. Just wondering. Not knowing how much time we have also is something to think about.
Re: Not sure wheels will work. Is there another solution
Hi itasara,
I saw your other posts and may answer separately after more time to think. Like you, I cared for my senior dog after he lost mobility because he was happy in other ways.
Yes, there is a way to get the dog into a cart single-handed. I had the same problem with my golden retriever. Not only was he too much for me to lift into the cart daily single-handed, but when I got him on his feet he wanted to start walking someplace, not stand still so I could put him in the cart. The solution was an engine hoist. It did not cost that much. With it, I could crank him into a standing position, maneuver him into the cart while he was up and stationary and supported, and then unhook the hoist. Here is how we did it.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Engine_hoist_for_a_heavy_dog
There are several good brands of harness that can be worn all day. That way you are not putting them on and taking them off all day. Try looking up the Hartman harness (it's good, I got one for my golden retriever) or the Helpemup harness. You will see they are not cheap, but when you have a good harness you are saving your back due to being able to use better body mechanics with the lifting. You'll have to look at each one, and consider the contours of your dog's waist, and see which would work. I might prefer one that does not put pressure on the abdomen, just because in time your dog may start to urinate when lifted if pressure is put on the bladder. For example, the Walkabelly is a good harness but could cause urination later, kind of hard to see ahead. Hope this helps a little.
I saw your other posts and may answer separately after more time to think. Like you, I cared for my senior dog after he lost mobility because he was happy in other ways.
Yes, there is a way to get the dog into a cart single-handed. I had the same problem with my golden retriever. Not only was he too much for me to lift into the cart daily single-handed, but when I got him on his feet he wanted to start walking someplace, not stand still so I could put him in the cart. The solution was an engine hoist. It did not cost that much. With it, I could crank him into a standing position, maneuver him into the cart while he was up and stationary and supported, and then unhook the hoist. Here is how we did it.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Engine_hoist_for_a_heavy_dog
There are several good brands of harness that can be worn all day. That way you are not putting them on and taking them off all day. Try looking up the Hartman harness (it's good, I got one for my golden retriever) or the Helpemup harness. You will see they are not cheap, but when you have a good harness you are saving your back due to being able to use better body mechanics with the lifting. You'll have to look at each one, and consider the contours of your dog's waist, and see which would work. I might prefer one that does not put pressure on the abdomen, just because in time your dog may start to urinate when lifted if pressure is put on the bladder. For example, the Walkabelly is a good harness but could cause urination later, kind of hard to see ahead. Hope this helps a little.