Valentino's wheels - June 2009

Valentino's wheels - June 2009

Those of us with elder animals or pets with special needs know how difficult it can be to watch our beloved companions slow down. Emotionally, we want to help however we can and often feel helpless. Our animals tend to “deal with” their physical limitations better than we do (see my “Comments from Kelly” in a past Articulate Animals Newsletter about my own little guy’s advice to me as his mobility declines) and they want nothing more than to minimize our worry.

There are a myriad of products and options to help our ailing and aging pets. One such solution has been my saving grace as my eldest loses his mobility.

Valentino’s Story

Valentino was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy about five years ago at the age of six. It started and has progressed slowly; first I noticed tentativeness in running up stairs, then a little wobble here and there. Now he’s only successfully using his back legs about 10% of the time, dragging himself around the house the rest of the time. His spirits and energy are high and he takes his condition completely in stride.

I wasn’t sure he would be willing to admit his need for assistance, so I waited until this past January before taking his measurements for a custom-fit wheelchair. I looked at the different types of wheels for dogs, determining what my priorities were and weighing each wheelchair style against my list. It is wonderful that we have choices to accommodate our needs – indoor vs. outdoor; size of animal; harness vs. saddle, etc. Every animal has different needs, and every guardian will have a slightly different priority list.

The chair arrived with a comprehensive set of instructions, including several tips on how to acclimate the animal to the chair for long-term success. Thankfully Valentino took to his chair immediately with no trauma, drama, or mishaps. He *loves* his chair! Within a day he knew how to back up if one of the wheels got caught on a chair leg. He can “turn on a dime” and is breaking speed records both in and out of the house. He doesn’t have the strength to maneuver up more than a slight incline so I found a trail that is packed and level for our weekly hikes. I wondered if he would be embarrassed, but he is his same old social self when we are out on the trail, introducing himself to everyone who passes.

What a blessing that resources for our special needs companions are becoming more and more available. I am happy to be able to give my four-legged loved ones the best quality of life possible as they age.

For more stories and examples of dogs on wheels, as well as a listing of resources for animals with disabilities, visit Frankie’s website at http://joyfulpaws.typepad.com/joyful_paws/.

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