Has anyone had any experience of using a dog wheelchair or cart.
I am considering getting one but would like to know what people who have used them think of them.

Justi

Hi

I have not had any experience with them but have had a look at Braken's web site and what a very brave girl she has been and what wonderful devotion you have shown her

The cart you have made for her looks really good and she can still enjoy walks with Elly :)

I think at her time of life that is just what she needs :)

So long as she is happy and still enjoying life then I would carry on using that :)

Lucy
xx

Thankyou Lucy
I am really in two minds one says lets just carry on as we are, she still does her walks all be it taking the cart and putting her in it when she tires which is about after 30 - 40 mins  and carry on so elly gets a good walk or to get the mobility cart as this would take some of her weight, she would still have to use her legs, but she would be able to go further and would be a bit more stable, she can be a bit wobbly on her back leg some times, I know she has slowed down with age a bit but just want her to enjoy life to the full, as you have seen from her website she has beaten the odds, she was given 6 to 12 months pain free life after the operation and now we are 6 plus years on and she is still living a good life. That is one of the reasons I did her website, when a dog has bone cancer and its posted on the forums so many people say kindest thing is to give her pain killers and put to sleep within a few weeks when the pain becomes unbearable.  This is so the wrong advice, there are things that can be done you have no guarantees, but to me if we only had a year it would have been worth it, bone cancer is incrediably painful and amputation removes that pain immediately, and combined with chemo (which she sailed through) gave her the best chance, of beating the disease, we now know so many dogs with bone cancer, some have done as well as bracken some not so well but I would always give them the chance. I wanted people to know that there can be success with bone cancer it is not always the doom and gloom that is usually promoted.

justi

>This is so the wrong advice

I don't think it is advice, just peoples differing opinions on what they would choose to do in those circumstances, it will always be down to the owner to decide having heard the various opinions :)

I agree it is up to the owner, I guess I just relate to when it was me, I was asking for help, from anyone who had experienced this and got a lot of negative replies, from people who had never experienced having an animal with bone cancer, which did not help in the slightest, and I was very emotional at the time, scared to death and worried about what was to happen to my dog. Now with 6 years experience I know a lot more, and I still feel bad when I see posts from someone who has just been diagnosed, and the answers are all if it were my dog I would let it go, yes that is one choice, but there is never a mention of the alternatives, there is so much that can be done, there is what we did, chemo and amp, there is just amp, there is limb spare, radiation, different protocals, but sadly I never see these mentioned and I do find that sad because when faced with diagnosis you do not know these things are available and that is why you are asking for help, or it was in my case. I understand people probably don't know the treatments available,  it is just so hard to read let them go, I was told this so many times and  I have met so many negatives yet I have a happy dog who loves life and is still surviving happily over 6 years after diagnosis. (lol you can tell I am emotional about this, will get off my soap box now)

justi

It's not necessarily a case of not being aware of the treatments but as I say, each to their own view but I would say whenever there are threads about these sorts of things it always seem to me that everyone is pushing for any treatment going.  I guess our emotions lead us to lift different perceptions of it :)

Hi

If you want my honest opinion now after what you have posted then here it is :)

She has had a wonderful life thanks to you but she is now an old girl and unfortunately is showing signs as many dogs do of getting old :)

I think you need to take stock now and realise your beautiful girl may now be getting to the stage of the horrible reality of she may not be with you for much longer :(

We all have to do this when our beloved dogs get old and I have done it twice so far with my two wonderful old Labs :( It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and I am sure I will have to do it again BUT you have to let go when the time is right :)

She is still happy and hopefully clean and eating well and hope it continues

Never get of your soap box as you have given a lot of people hope in what you have been able to do with her

Lucy
xx

yes she is getting on I know but she still has great quality of life, yes she is clean, the only thing that worries me is the slight weakening of her back leg, I guess in the back of my mind is the worry that the cruciate ligament would go again, which is why I am wondering if getting her a cart would prevent this,  the rest of her is in great shape especially for an old girl, she still wants to do her walks, still eats like only labs now how to!! etc, I just want to make sure she lives her life to the full right up to her last day.  I know she is spoilt rotten lol

Justi

I am sure she is spoilt :D As my girls have been :D

I would say if her leg does go then I will say a cart is not what I would opt for :)

A labrador lives for going out and walking and she has been lucky enough to do this for so long :)

If her leg does give way then I would say even though it will hurt so much time to say good bye :)

I know this is maybe what you don't want to hear but that is what I would do :)

Take Care

Lucy
xx

Justi, thanks for posting your experience.  My old Lab girl has a bad back and I wonder about the day her back legs give out entirely.  Our local paper carried a story about a dog with the same ailment, invertebral disk disease, who was outfitted with a cart and was enjoying her re-discovered mobility immensely.  It is good to hear of all sides of the story and your side will help me to make a decision when the time comes.

Nips had a very good doggy friend - another JRT - who died 3 months ago at the grand old age of 21. For the last year of his life his owner used an old fashioned pushchair for him to rest in when he got tired which was also about 30 minutes into a walk. She has another, much younger dog who wanted to walk longer and further and the pushchair was an ideal solution. Jack, the old lad, remained happy right up to the very end when his legs and pretty much everything else gave out one day and the vet was called to send him peacefully off on his final journey. For sure, the pushchair was an excellent solution (he used to sit up in it on his favourite blanket as cheery as anything!) and she reckons that the chance to be out and about at his own speed probably prolonged his life.