Someone has been put in touch with me, who has a 13 yr old GSD with DM, and a fierce desire to keep on living. He is a retired gentlman so can't afford to buy a set of wheels for his dog. I am sure there used to be someone (a very nice chap) who loaned dog mobility carts to people, but I can't get his details. Does anyone out there know or have any other ideas?
Thanks all
Kat

Make one yourself from a disused shopping bag on wheels?  That's what my Dad did for our Springer about 20 years ago....

Hi,
Just wondered what DM was?
Thanx

Degenerative Myelopathy previously called CDRM Central Degenerative Radial Myelopathy

Basically wasting of the muscles in the hindquarters due to the nerves faliling to function & the gradual loss of use of the back legs & sadly incurable

ChinaBlue, if you can't trace this man you could maybe try contacting the PDSA - they may be able to put you in touch with someone, or fund it themselves?

Jo

How much do they cost perhaps we could chip in that is if the dog still has a quality of life.
I am fostering a lovely GSD she is fifteen and was rescued from a yard where she was on a chain lying in a foot of water.when she came she was very bad on her legs she now has rymadyl and synoquin which helps and her mobility is a lot bettter Im told she will eventuall go off her legs and will have to say goodbye to her but till then she is happy.
Let us know if we can help, and how much are they to buy?
plus we could all scour Ebay and similar sites

An update on this is the wheels cost £250 to £300 is anyone willing to donate towards this or any rescue willing to buy it and then get it back at a later date and have it available for hire?
Its a lot really for our rescue at the moment as we are full to bursting and have large overheads but we could chip in something.
If this Bitch is truly fine in every other way except for the CDRM

here is email I received today:

Hello Mattie

Thank you for your e-mail. The dog community is so helpful.

The gentleman is in Norbury in SW London. I have emailed him to tell him of your reply, and that I would pass his e-mail address on to him so you can 'talk' directly. The cost is around £250-300. If that's too costly perhaps you could partially fund it, and he then donates the wheels when no longer required? Then maybe they can be loaned out in future to others who need 'wheels' for a small fee to help recoup the cost.

any doubts on wheels visit this link

http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/index.php?s=07fcb7eeefb4df377038017741e14854&act=Search&CODE=show&searchid=cd3379a06a64d2633794a5db48772589&highlite=7893

If funding is required to help out with these wheels, could we put a post up on the board? If everyone chipped in 50p - £1 we'd be sorted in no time.

Jo :)

I have had a lovely email fromthe man in the link says he will see what he can do .Ill keep you informed.

Just an update everyone - and thanks for all the help. Our local rescue centre has found a set of wheels that are broadly the right size for this shepherd girl, and she has tried them under the supervision of the vet and took to them pretty much straight away - so that is delightful. I have suggested to him that if Mattie can help and he can also chip in, now he knows that she will take to them OK he should try and get her a set made to size, but at least these will do her for now, so she's mobile again - brilliant.

Kat

Well i received a cheque from someone off here  ( dedogged) for ten pounds but havent heard from anyone  else  I was wondering how the appeal was going will the wheels she have not do or does she need her own?
can someone let me know then I can send out some begging letters ;)

I had an  email about kelly the GSD here is an extract

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I've managed to get Kelly to Foal Farm & have the loan of a K9(US make) cart, but it does not have the same advantage as the UK 'Dogmobile' that would enable her to stay in it because of the 'spring assistance' device that lets the dog lay down & get up unaided.  Trouble is it costs £250 including (£15 P&P) & has to be made to the dogs specific measurements, so might not be much use to another one unless 'identical' in size.
If you'd like to learn more directly, the daughter, Charlotte is the one to contact.
Her parents started the firm as a result of a farmer friend's dog having an accident & losing the use of its hind legs.  The farmer designed a cart, but needed someone to make it. They had an engineering business so were well placed to do this.  It was a success so they decided to go into it full time & the rest is history, as they say.
They do seem very helpful & not at all 'pushy', in fact Charlotte even e-mailed to say they'd be prepared to refund 70% if it did not work out.  But with Kelly's age (13) & the fact that we are pensioners we are not sure that the expense would be justified even although we want to do as much as possible to make her last days as comfortable as possible.
If it could be partially funded & afterwards made freely available for the possible use of others this might be the solution & we would naturally like to be given the opportunity to co-operate with you.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Im not sure about this what do others think Im happy to put something towards it if it can be used again for the good of dogs and have already a ten pouinds donation Ive never been involved with dog wheels before do the dogs keep their dignity?

Hi Mattie

I see Peter has e-mailed you. I think it would be great if we could help in some way with the wheels, for them then to come back to you for future loan to others. The difficulty is that they are made to size, and so whilst there is some adjustment the dogs it would be useful for would need to be of a similar size. To put my money where my mouth is so to speak, I will happily also donate £10. Please let me know where to send it.

In answer to your question about dignity, I was thinking about it the other day, having become involved with Peter and Kelly, and also knowing another lady who had a shepherd 'on wheels'. I have always felt that I would not take this road, feeling it isn't dignified for the dog. However, when really thinking about it, we humans worry about dignity, dogs don't. Dignity doesn't exist in a dog's mind, any more than say embarrassment or vanity. I think a lack of dignity can only be suffered by someone who has awareness of situations of embarrassment,or vanity, or what other people think. I'm probably not putting this particularly well, but I know exactly what I mean.

I still don't know whether it would be the choice I would make, but for those who do and if their dog seems happy, I think that's OK too. Some dogs take to it and some dogs don't, they seem to make a choice.

Sadly Kelly has passed away .
Can the person who sent me a cheque please contact me

labrador.rescue@btinternet.com

sorry need to return cheque so bumping it up if thats ok Admin

I would just like to thank everyone on here for trying to help Kelly, especially Mattie. It is truly wonderful that 'dog people' can work together to try and help someone else and their dog. That's what I like about animal people!

The cart which we discovered is going back to FOal farm animal rescue centre, but let me know if anyone needs to borrow it anytime, and hopefully we can arrange it. Likewise I have a couple of 'Mikki' slings, to help dogs on a temporary basis, all anyone need to do if they wish to borrow them is to contact me. I have one large and one medium.

Thank you again for caring

Katrina