"Wheels" for dogs with bad legs.

Hi all,

Has anyone bought wheels for their dog, to aid it when walking because of it having bad rear legs?

My dog (German Shephard called Max ) is having a lot of problems walking because he doesn't have much strength in his rear legs and my mum wants me to look at the "dog wheelchairs" on the internet.

My question is, has anybody else bought these for a dog and do they work well?

I'd really appreciate some feedback.

Thanks in advance,

GazB

There's a bloke on our estate who is a Police Dog handler and has a German Shepherd that is now retired and it's back legs are completely paralysed.

I have seen him take the Dog for walks and it has a harness on that lifts the back legs back so they are supported in a sling like thing and wheels take the place of the legs.

Don't know where he got it from cos Ive never spoke to him cos he seems a bit of a grumpy sod!

Maybe your Vet will know.

There is a lady on my estate has a german shephard that uses a wheeled contraption when out walking, it looks very good.

When I see her next I'll ask her for some feedback for you.

Thanks, the vet told us not to bother.. But I found a website that does the wheels, and my mum gave them a ring. The lady she spoke to said 90% of people than ring up have German Shepherds, and over half of them were told the same thing by the vet, but are all VERY happy with the wheels.

I think a couple of hundred £ is a very small price to pay to give him another few years with us, he's the heart of our family and I don't know what we'd do without him!

You could try this site. http://www.disabledanimalsclub.co.uk

I have 2 rescued GSD's, one had her front leg removed when she was a puppy- she's manages very well but she doesn't know any different.

One of my previous shepherds had back leg problems but found it was more artheritis so Metacam was a good help.

Twinky

Did the vet say not to bother and recommend putting the dog down, or did he say just to not bother using one?

If it was to put the dog down then one of these contraptions would probably be a good idea because as you say the dog could have a good few happy years yet!

The problem is, you say he hasn't got much strength left in his back legs (as opposed to none)? So if you start using one of the wheelchair things the likelihood is he will lose whatever little tone and ability to walk he has left, which may be why the vet said not to bother.

A dog is not your whole life - but it makes your life whole.

They work fine.

THIS Is what i made for a dog i had ages ago.

I'm a dog lover and used to be a dog owner so don't take what I have to say the wrong way.

When a dog becomes unable to get around in this way there is only one kind way to deal with it. I would say ask any vet and I could almost gurantee that they would all be of the same opinion.

A dog needs it's mobility to be, well, a dog and to do dog things.

From a purely practical point a dog needs to **** it's leg. How the hell can it do that when it's been rigged up to a set of wheels.

I find it so upsetting to see an animal connected up to one of those contraptions in such an undignified way and can't help but suspect that it is done for the benefit of the owner and not the dog.

Be kind and do the right thing.

Originally posted by Mo

I'm a dog lover and used to be a dog owner so don't take what I have to say the wrong way.

 

When a dog becomes unable to get around in this way there is only one kind way to deal with it. I would say ask any vet and I could almost gurantee that they would all be of the same opinion.

 

A dog needs it's mobility to be, well, a dog and to do dog things.

From a purely practical point a dog needs to **** it's leg. How the hell can it do that when it's been rigged up to a set of wheels.

 

I find it so upsetting to see an animal connected up to one of those contraptions in such an undignified way and can't help but suspect that it is done for the benefit of the owner and not the dog.

 

 

Be kind and do the right thing.

That is totally right and i could not agree more.

We had the same option the other week when our dog got run over and paralised.

It's not an easy decision to make but it is Humane to have them put to sleep.

We are going through this at the moment as our Boxer who is nearly 13 has cancer. It started in her toe and in May we had the toe removed but now it has spread.

We can't put her through another op, especially as she is so old, not to mention another biopsy last week so it has cost us nearly £2,000 so far, but worth the extra time and comfort we have given her.

There comes a point when enough is enough and as nothing can be done to cure our lovely Maisie, the sweetest natured Dog you could ever meet, we are just making sure she is not in pain until it becomes obvious she is unhappy, then we will have to let her go - something I am dreading so near to Christmas as I have 4 kids.

Originally posted by Mo

Be kind and do the right thing.

That's almost like saying, if a human loses use of his/her legs, then it's only fair to kill them.

I know dogs aren't humans, but I'd sooner kill a human than my dog.