To Wheel or Not To Wheel

[hammerithot]

My 11 year old aussie/queenie cross girl, Roxy, has recently blown both of her cruciate ligaments. Surgery isn't an option due to her age, health issues, and finances. She is able to get around a little, but mostly stays down unless she thinks I'm leaving the property. I had to lock her up yesterday to keep her from trying to follow me on the morning walk with the other dogs; she just can't do it. She's figured out how to get herself up reasonably well without help, but she's no longer able to jump in or out of the truck; I have to lift her in and out. She is also unable to do stairs or hills without assistance. The biggest barrier to her happiness is not being able to go on the walk. I have ordered her a hip harness to help her arise and walk, in the hopes that maybe she can come with us if we do a short walk. After some thought, it has occurred to me that she might do well with some wheels. It would enable her to come on the morning walk, and she could use it at clients' homes to do a little exploring while I work (although I'd have to get her out for her to lay down). She won't really be able to use it at home. Our property is very steep and much of the area would be hazardous for her to try to cover on wheels. I am looking for thoughts on putting this dog with her disability in the wheelchair.

[hammerithot]

Because I can be kinda stupid, I neglected to mention one of Roxy's major issues. She has pretty major arthritis in her front legs. Both wrists are visibly deformed by the arthritic changes. This is something of a concern, as I am worried that putting her in a wheel chair could over-stress her front legs and cause more trouble. She is getting around okay on her front end right now. She does pass the "towel test." Is there something that could help the arthritic wrists?

[critters]

Bobbie is the wheels expert, but I think Roxy sounds promising for wheels. There are wraps and the like available for wrists, such as http://handicappedpets.com/www/index.ph ... older.html .

[Diana R.]

I had a pitbull mix Quincy who also had torn cruciates in both knees at age 10 or 11 and also surgery was really not an option given his age. He was put on medication which helped tremendously---cosequin ( which is glucosamine and chondrotin) and rimadyl ( a nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory) and was able to continue on his walks until he died at the age of 14. You may want to talk to the vet about that. The cosequin takes a while to kick in but like I said it helped him tremendously and most of all to continue his walks. Diana

[Bobbie]

You would want a counterbalanced or front extension cart, most likely. Another option might be specialized knee braces for cruciate injuries. But if the dog wants to go on walks and the terrain is relatively good, a cart might be just what she needs.

[hammerithot]

Thank you all for your kind words and support. We are definitely going to get Roxy some wheels, as soon as we can scrape the money together. The morning walks are on dirt roads, so she should be able to get around okay. I got her a Walkin Lift harness, but will need to return it and get a smaller one. She is very narrow, and because she has a lot of fur, she's difficult to measure! I've been using a towel to help her get around outside and up the stairs. She's still enjoying going to work with me, and motivates around at client ranches on her own fairly well. Of course, she tires much more quickly than she used to, and I've noticed that riding in the truck seems to tucker her out, too. She stays closer to the truck, partially, I think, because she knows she needs "back up" if another dog gets aggressive with her. But she's socializing well outside of the home pack. At home, she's a little defensive and doesn't want the other dogs or cats to get near her (this is not new; the only difference is her "bubble" has gotten bigger). Roxy has been taking Rimadyl daily for about four or five months now. This predates the current situation. She has Tramadol as well, which I only give her if she's had a particularly tough day or is otherwise more painful than usual. She's also started a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement. She will be getting an Adquan series as soon as I remember to pick it up from my friend. An equine vet I know wants to try direct injection of a steroid and hyaluronic acid. It's a treatment that has been wildly successful in horses, and I think I'm going to give it a go. Even a little improvement would be great. So, that's the plan! I'm excited about the wheels. I think she'll be quick to adapt. And, again,

[slshepherds]

Hi

Sorry I'm late in my reply here. I think a cart would really help Roxy, it did for Bonnie, a senior I had many years ago who had severe arthritis and dysplasia, turning back the clock years, allowing her to run and play again.

One thing you wrote really concerns me. You say that Roxy is on Rimadyl and that a vet wants to give steroids. Please DO NOT do this! Rimadyl is a non steroidal antiinflammatory (NSAID) and should NOT be given with steroids, the combination is contraindicated and can lead to problems including stomach ulcers and GI bleeding.

Have you thought about talking to your canine vet about rehabilitation? There are protocols that people have used for medical management of cruciate injuries.

regards
Joanne, Carl and Cody

[Christine]

Hi and Welcome!

Your Roxy sounds wonderful and up for anything. I look forward to hearing more about her and we would love pictures. Have you thought of building a ramp so she won't need to take the stairs?

Thanks for that reminder about the steroids, Joanne!

P.S. I have to ask....are you a ferrier?

[FYI]

The side effects of concern are the same with all NSAIDs: stomach ulceration, loss of kidney function, and inappropriate bleeding. * * * Multiple drugs of the NSAID class should not be used concurrently as the potential for the aforementioned side effects increases. For similar reasons, NSAIDS should not be used in conjunction with corticosteroid hormones such as prednisone, dexamethasone etc. Pfizer recommends a 5-7 day rest period when changing over to carprofen or to another NSAID from carprofen.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cons ... anagement/

[hammerithot]

Yes, thought of building a ramp, but may not be able to due to the terrain the house is on. Also, Roxy is having difficulty with hills, so I'm not sure a ramp would be a huge improvement. Our home is on eight acres and the house itself is the only improvement. There's no concrete or asphalt anywhere. And the house is situated on the smallest possible house pad ever made. Two feet from the side of the house, and you're on the hillside. She has learned not to go outside unless there's a human around to help her back up the stairs. Otherwise she'll just hang out on the porch!

The steroid would be by injection, located in the affected joint(s). I'm sure if that would cause an adverse reaction with the Rimadyl, the vet will have me take her off of it. He's a pretty smart fella. I've seen him do some incredible things for both horses and dogs. Roxy already suffers from ulcers and takes famotidine as well. Like I said in my original post, this is a dog with multiple health issues. I generally avoid as much as possible anything by mouth, as she won't take any pill of any sort without it being rammed down her throat, and the potential for worsening her ulcers. She's also always been a pretty poor eater. She's on a prescription diet for her kidneys. So, yeah, dog with lots of problems!

My canine vets have recommended swimming therapy. I'm looking for a pool or pond to do that in. The deepest water on my property is the 150 gallon stock tank in the horse pasture. Otherwise, the different vets have different opinions. One wants me to go ahead with surgery. She doesn't seem to think Roxy's health issues or age are a barrier. Another just declares her "not a surgical candidate." The third feels I know my dog best, so I'm the best decision maker. In honesty, I agree with the second guy. She has a tough time with anesthesia as it is, so putting her under for the time it would take to do the surgery is probably a bad idea. More than once I've brought her home still out after a dental, and she'd been done for hours. She also has chronic bronchitis, a condition that would make a long stint under anesthesia tough. And the equine vet opposes the surgery in this case, too. He's known Roxy all her life and has done chiropractic and accupuncture on her.

And, yes, I am a farrier.

[Christine]

It sounds like you have a good group of vets, especially if they are open to listening to you - the one who knows Roxy best. Please keep us posted. (I thought I might have spelled "farrier" incorrectly!)