We have a 10year boxer with a spine problem which means she cannot control her back legs, although they have strength there, they go all over the place. She enjoys life and tries to run with the other dogs a bit like a drunk, but cannot quite do it without falling over. She has hydrotherapy with a walking machine under water every 10 days with the specialist at Dick Whites and they have recommended wheels as they feel she is an ideal candidate. She is not in pain at all.
The wheel they recommend are ones where the legs slot in and hang down without touching the ground as she is unable to fold her legs up to a sitting position as with some of the wheels we have seen.
Have any of you used these for your dogs, and what happens when they get indoors as they cannot wear them there as they will get hooked on the furniture and she cannot sleep with the wheels. Do you find they are easy to get on with or is it difficult to put on and off, just for the dog to go out for a wee etc..

There is absolutely no way that I would put a 10 year old dog of mine through the humiliation of having to learn how to use wheels.
If this were a dog of mine who no doubt has enjoyed a full and happy life and given me so much pleasure for 10 years I would consider having her put to sleep while she is still reasonably happy and still has some sort of dignity.
The big problem is ourselves and the huge guilt trip that we have to go through, just so horrible !!
I owe it to all of my oldies that they should go quickly and with dignity, not after many tests and trials that probably have not worked very well and in the end the result is the same. :(
I am probably going to get well and truly blasted by everyone now for having written this but there is no other way I can say it.
And I do love and respect the health and happiness of all my dogs.

> There is absolutely no way that I would put a 10 year old dog of mine through the humiliation of having to learn how to use wheels.

I couldn't have a blanket rule, for me it's not about the age of the dog, it is what personality the dog has.

I would never consider wheels for my current dog, it doesn't matter what his age, he would find it strange and it would stress him out. However, with my last dog, this was something we had considered as a possibility for him when he was older. He had a dodgy back end when we got him and assumed he would have mobility issues when older, he was a very happy-go-lucky dog that would take anything in his stride and would not have batted an eyelid at using wheels to get around (turned out that his rear end never deterriated to the point of him needing assistence).

To the OP, sorry I can't be of any help, but I hope you get some useful answers.

Even though she is 10 years old, she is full of life and energy. Her front legs pull her along and she is in no pain. She is not ready to go yet, and trust me I know when a dog has had enough and will not hold on a day more than necessary, but this is not the case with this dog. She enjoys life, has bright eyes  enjoys food and  tries to keep up with the other dogs. The specialist believes she will go on for ever and so do we.
I have seen the look in a dogs eyes when they have had enough, but not in this case, she wants to live. We just want to make life a little easier for HER, not for US.
Sorry Wee Man but you are off course with this dog, she is not your usual oldie but very much into enjoying life like a dog very much younger than her 10 years.

The big problem is ourselves and the huge guilt trip that we have to go through, just so horrible !!

No guilt trip, just doing what is best for the dog, we wouldn't dream of keeping her going if she was in pain or if she was not happy. But she is very happy with a waggy tail from first thing in the morning until last thing at night. When the time comes we are capable of making that decision, but it is not the time yet.

Sillysue, I'm sure you know your dog best and that you will make the right decision when the time comes. Best Wishes.

Personally I would say goodbye, and that's  100 % regardless of what age and character the dog is of -I just would never consider it. How would she wee and poo, presumably she cannot do that with the wheels on? And indoors is a lot of time to not have the use of legs, in fact it is the greater part of every day. Most animals I have seen with wheels have had to use nappies, have ended up with bed sores etc. I think there are too many possible problems, and not in any dog's best interest. I'm sorry if it sounds blunt, I tend to say what I think, and it's just MY opinion. But the only one to suffer if your lovely old girl is put to sleep will be you, not her -that is the one thing we all know for 100 % certain. Hence it would be my choice. (And I do say that as an owner of an oldie who seems to be going in this direction i.e. losing the use of her hindlegs, so it is something I have thought about, and I fully understand how you must feel.)

We took the decision to put my beloved Harry to sleep when it became clear that he wasn't going to regain the use of his back legs. He was only 10 years old and incredibly fit and otherwise well. But dragging himself around the house was causing sores, and having to manually evacuate his bladder and bowels wsn't easy for either him or me. His front end was perfect and muscular - his back end was skeletal and useless. We decided we couldn't make him spend the rest of his life - possibly another 5 years - unable to do what he enjoyed so much - running and bounding and rabbitting in the fields and hedgerows; wheels would never have got there. I couldn't condemn him to half a life, with him breaking his heart watching the other dogs doing what he wanted to and couldn't. I miss him to this day.

It is like a zimmer frame for dogs and they can wee and poo with no problem, they can still exercise the back legs but it just gives them a bit of support rather like stabilisers on a kiddies bike. So not real wheels just support http://www.wheels4dogs.co.uk

Having a breed that is renown for back problems & having seen Bassets either being pulled along on trolleys or with wheels always said never for any of ours. Specialist told me of a dachshund that has a good quality of life with his wheels but when Lucas suffered paralysis for some day's we discussed that if he didn't regain use of his back legs within the the period of 7/8 weeks I would let him go. It would have broken my heart but long term quality of life is utmost for me. Sorry if I sound harsh, certainly don't mean to be judgemental either, but having had him swim around the floor for some days it was heart rendering & couldn't allow him to be like that long term.  I feel for you & wish you the very best whatever you choose.

http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=15462

Wrote the above about one of my dogs many years ago - in is case I have no regrets and think it is much the same as the decision to PTS you know your dog and know if there is still a lot of living to do.

Thank you so much for that, it made me cry and is very much the way I feel about our girl. She is not depressed and is full of life still and deserves to be allowed whatever time she may have left without us taking the life away from her too early.
I had my GSD PTS a couple of years ago when her back legs gave out, but I knew that she had given up and was ready to go, she had THAT look. But our Boxer now is not ready yet.

Think my OH has a video of him kicking around on U-tube I'll see if he can come up with a URL and I will PM you with it.

I think saying it humiliates the dogs is anthropomorphising. I do not think Nando would cope well on wheels, he would be freaked by them, but if I thought it would help him and prolong his life with a good quality, I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

I've no experience of dogs in them however I would at least give him a go before considering having a dog PTS.

can she walk at all? ie does she potter around the house upright or drag herself? if she is independently mobile some of the time I would consider it, if it is the only way/time she would be able to move freely I would probably not, I think it would make her quality of life too uncomfortable.

She gets around the house, but wobbly. She is very determined to get where she wants and always makes it although it is in a drunken stagger. Her back legs are strong, it is just that she cannot feel them so she doesn't have a lot of control over them. As far as she in concerned she has nothing wrong with her. She doesn't drag so she has no sores, it is just that sometimes her legs just lean to the side a bit too much and she falls over, she manages to get up and continue as though nothing has happened.

I've not had any experience of these this, but, with experience of elderly humans using wheelchairs/electric cars etc rather than walking, any use she has of the legs might decline as she won't be exercising them if using the wheels.

Hi Daisy
The link I posted is only an example of the type of wheel available but it seems the dog can still exercise the legs as it is only like stabilisers as written here.
Helps your dog retain their general health, fitness and well-being
As your dog's legs are free, they can poop, pee and exercise their hips, hind legs and tail
Adjustable as your dog's needs change
It can be used on rough ground, in water, mud and on the beach as the extruded aluminium frame is light, strong and will not rust
Easy to Order as requires only one measurement and weight are needed to choose the right size of wheels
Your dog can be put in and taken out of the wheelchair by one person, without lifting
All parts and components can be easily replaced so it is very serviceable

We have been given links by the specialist at Dick Whites in Newmarket, but they are similar to this one

The dog cart is for exercise and are not usually used in the home except perhaps for feeding and grooming.

Having seen a little Jack Russell that has neurological problems using one of these on the park I would have no problem in trying it and as you know your dog best it could be worth trying. This little dog had a lovely time chasing their other dog and generally have a wonderful life

I hope you come to the right decision for you and your dog ( whatever that may be)
I think that it is easy for people to comment when they are not in that situation, if as you say they are bright etc then why not give it a try? if the dog does not accept it and is not happy then you will know what to do.

Our 14 year old stumbled a couple of times when out in our paddock and prompted a conversation between my husband and I as to whether we would use a cart, I said No, he said Yes. BUT neither of us know what we would do until it happens to us.

Good Luck with your decision, you will know what is right for your dog :)