Solutions for Handicapped Pets
Upcoming events and schedule changes
Massage, May 6. Call 816-331-1868 for an appointment. Your dog will love massage by a certified canine massage therapist!
May Seminar- May 7, 1 p.m. Back Pain and your Pet—Do you know how common back problems are in dogs and cats? Do you know how many resources we offer to manage that pain? This is a great seminar for ANY pet owner, but especially those with aging pets or dogs with long backs like Dachshunds and German Shepherds. We encourage attendance by anyone interested in helping keep their pet from suffering back pain.
We sometimes have to limit clinic hours when Dr Leonard is out of town showing her dogs. We will not be able to offer medical appointments on the following days: Friday, April 15/22/29; Friday May 13/20/27; Friday June 17; Friday July 1/22/29; Friday August 5; Friday September 16. The clinic will still be open at least part of the day on these days, just call to check our hours if you need to stop by for a supplement, prescription refill, or other non-medical reason. Depending on the pet, Debbie may be able to assist with nail trims, repeat cold laser treatments (after consulting with Dr Leonard), and other procedures a doctor may not be needed for. Just call and check.
Resources for Handicapped and Mobility Impaired Pets
German Shepherd in cart
We see a LOT of pets that have suffered spinal disc protrusions, torn knee ligaments, and other ailments that cause impairment of their movement in some way. They may be paralyzed or weak in the hind legs. They may suffer pain that causes lameness. They may have nerve injury that causes their toes to drag. In many cases, these pets may need temporary or permanent assistance in how they get around, or other management situations. While our treatments can sometimes reverse these conditions, or better manage them, sometimes patients need additional help. Here is a list of products that owners of these pets may find useful.
Dog Leggs Therapeutic Products— http://www.dogleggs.com This is a source of many types of slings, wraps, braces, and other tools to manage injuries and wound care
Wound Wear — http://woundwear.com/product3.cfm is the source of Dr Leonard’s favorite knee brace, often recommended for dogs with cruciate ligament tears in their knees that for whatever reason will not be receiving surgery to stabilize the knee
Handicapped Pets.com and Walking Wheels— http://www.handicappedpets.com is one of the best resources for carts for pets that have hind limb paralysis or severe weakness. They also carry harnesses, slings, diapers, and other management tools for mobility impaired and incontinent pets.
Ginger Leads— http://www.gingerlead.com is one type of sling that also attaches like a leash, to assist with dogs that just have hind limb weakness and need light assistance
Help Em Up Harness — http://helpemup.com This is our favorite harness for dogs that need more assistance in getting off the floor, especially for larger dogs. The fit and two handles mean less work for the people lifting and better distribution ofpressure on the dog’s body. MUCH better than a towel under the belly for long-term care.
“Chucks” disposable underpads. This is the term from human health care workers—when they get peed on you chuck them. Here is just one example: http://www.amazon.com/Dynarex-Blue-Disposable-Underpads-Small/dp/B000FD2AWI They are widely available from pharmacies, online, and sometimes recovery outlets. Similar to puppy training pads but much cheaper and often larger, these are invaluable for pets with incontinence to keep surfaces under them clean without doing as much laundry.
Physical therapy tools are available from several companies, including http://www.balancedcanineproducts.com and http://www.caninerehabproducts.com . Things like peanuts, balance discs, and balls can be used to rehabilitate pets after injuries, surgery, or long illness. These should be used with guidance from your veterinarian or physical therapist.
Toe grips — https://www.toegrips.com slip over toenails to help provide traction for weaker pets walking on slick floor surfaces. You can also sometimes use rubberized pet booties for this purpose.
Other great ideas abound. We have clients who have used the collapsible canvas wagons to cart their paralyzed pet around, fabric shopping bags to make padded slings for post-back surgery dogs, even their own small dog carts from PVC. Just because a pet can’t walk, or has slowed down, doesn’t necessarily mean their quality of life has diminished significantly. It’s just different. We are happy to help you evaluate your impaired pet to determine how best to manage their handicaps and keep their life quality high. But of course, we also use many of our usual therapies to try to improve their mobility. Chiropractic, cold laser, acupuncture, and nutrition can all contribute to better function. Call 816-331-1868 for an appointment to better evaluate your pet’s condition.
