Any spinal walkers out there??Hobble device for use with wheelchair
Re: Carl Update :-( Any spinal walkers out there??
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I have 2 that are spinal walking, one attempts the run, and though a bit awkward, he stays up and he can outrun me.
With both of our dogs that have rehabbed, I did it quite differently, but it worked!! I put them in the carts till they had a lot of muscle on the front end to help them. Then with just their back toes touching the ground (in the cart) I hooked up a sort of hobble device, similar to that which trotters use in racing. I used a velcro strap from the front left hooked just below the elbow, to the back right just below the knee. The right front was hooked up to the left rear the same way. Every they took a step on the front, it automatically pulled the opposing rear leg forward. had a strap around the middle with a ring to hold up the straps.
Casper, one of our older, more sensible pugs caught on fairly quickly, and once he started moving his back legs on his own (about a month) we kept him in the cart, but took the straps off, and just started letting the saddle down gradually so his muslces would build up, and he would gain his balance. Within 6 months, he never used the cart again, and has been walking for 3 yrs. now
Louie, a 4 yr old rescue pug, took a lot longer to get the idea and capability of moving the back legs. His nickname is Looney-tunes, and for good reason. He just wanted to run so bad, that he would not slow down enough to get the concentration needed. He built up muscle quickly, but everytime we took the straps off, he would just lift the back legs and run as fast as he could. Finally after nearly 18 months, he could walk, but still would start scooting when he got excited, which was often. It took a full 2 yrs in the cart with his hobbles, and walking a bit here and there, to graduate from the cart entirely. He has not used the cart for almost 2 yrs now. A bit of a long haul, but when we rescued him, a neurologist told us he had no deep pain sensation, and would never even lift his tail. I have a video of him running, wagging his curled up tail, and sent it to that neurologist!
Solomon our first rescue moved his legs right from the first in the cart. Try as we did, we could not get him to regian his balance for more than 3 or 4 steps. So I kind of gave up and he is happy as any senior pugs could be in his cart. Maybe I should have perservered more, I dont know. When we rescued him, the vets thought he would live for weeks, maybe months. So maybe Had I known they were wrong, i would have tried harder. He is coming up to his 5th anniversary with us in a few months.
Sarah, a rescue pug that was hit by a car, has a severed spinal cord, and after nearly 2 yrs, still absolutely no movement on the back legs. She is happy in her cart, and will probably stay there for good. So it does not work with all.
Peanut our latest rescue pug, is also still in her cart, but after a yr she is moving her legs well with no help while in the cart. She can walk a few steps at a time, it is a process!
My advice is to never give up. You have a young dog, and if he has the will, you can supply him with the way!!
Good luck to you, Hugs Joan
I have 2 that are spinal walking, one attempts the run, and though a bit awkward, he stays up and he can outrun me.
With both of our dogs that have rehabbed, I did it quite differently, but it worked!! I put them in the carts till they had a lot of muscle on the front end to help them. Then with just their back toes touching the ground (in the cart) I hooked up a sort of hobble device, similar to that which trotters use in racing. I used a velcro strap from the front left hooked just below the elbow, to the back right just below the knee. The right front was hooked up to the left rear the same way. Every they took a step on the front, it automatically pulled the opposing rear leg forward. had a strap around the middle with a ring to hold up the straps.
Casper, one of our older, more sensible pugs caught on fairly quickly, and once he started moving his back legs on his own (about a month) we kept him in the cart, but took the straps off, and just started letting the saddle down gradually so his muslces would build up, and he would gain his balance. Within 6 months, he never used the cart again, and has been walking for 3 yrs. now
Louie, a 4 yr old rescue pug, took a lot longer to get the idea and capability of moving the back legs. His nickname is Looney-tunes, and for good reason. He just wanted to run so bad, that he would not slow down enough to get the concentration needed. He built up muscle quickly, but everytime we took the straps off, he would just lift the back legs and run as fast as he could. Finally after nearly 18 months, he could walk, but still would start scooting when he got excited, which was often. It took a full 2 yrs in the cart with his hobbles, and walking a bit here and there, to graduate from the cart entirely. He has not used the cart for almost 2 yrs now. A bit of a long haul, but when we rescued him, a neurologist told us he had no deep pain sensation, and would never even lift his tail. I have a video of him running, wagging his curled up tail, and sent it to that neurologist!
Solomon our first rescue moved his legs right from the first in the cart. Try as we did, we could not get him to regian his balance for more than 3 or 4 steps. So I kind of gave up and he is happy as any senior pugs could be in his cart. Maybe I should have perservered more, I dont know. When we rescued him, the vets thought he would live for weeks, maybe months. So maybe Had I known they were wrong, i would have tried harder. He is coming up to his 5th anniversary with us in a few months.
Sarah, a rescue pug that was hit by a car, has a severed spinal cord, and after nearly 2 yrs, still absolutely no movement on the back legs. She is happy in her cart, and will probably stay there for good. So it does not work with all.
Peanut our latest rescue pug, is also still in her cart, but after a yr she is moving her legs well with no help while in the cart. She can walk a few steps at a time, it is a process!
My advice is to never give up. You have a young dog, and if he has the will, you can supply him with the way!!
Good luck to you, Hugs Joan