Quad cart for GSD - Page 4

Only nine parts leftover...


Still need to put the front wheels on, at least for awhile, till my boy gets his strength, coridnation and balance back. I am working with a excellent rehab vet. He's pretty sure T can get 90% back, given his progress to date. I'm learning a lot. It could end up my next vocation... There's a vet tech program at the JC here, and, havng been in CA for a year, I qualify for in-state tuition, and "help" from the county career center. We shall see.

Yes, its an Eddie's Wheels cart. I still haven't gotten the front training wheels on yet, but Eddie's looked up the original owner's name and order, and is sending me instructions and diagrams. My boy likes standing in the 2 wheel cart, but he doesn't really want to walk in it yet, and when he tires in front, he tries to lay down, taking the whole thing over sideways with him.  :-( It is nice though that I can work with his legs while he's in it better than when he's on the floor, massaging and working the joints for range of motion. He does like that part.

Less than 5 wks after the FCE event, he is doing a little better nearly every day. He can get around some on his own steam in the yard now, half stand to do his biz without getting it on him or falling back in it. (whew!) I caught him going about 30 feet, mostly on his feet last night, occasionally knuckling over on the left rear as his tired towards the end. He can catch a ball as well as ever so we do that a lot to keep his mind alert and entertained, but he's getting pretty spoiled, his best movement TOWARDS THE HOUSE, and faking being too tired going a direction he doesn't want to go (anywhere but the house) once he's done his biz. Smart dog. He already has me pretty well trained, but I don't care. As long as he's happy I'm happy.




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Looks like quite a contraption!

I've had great luck with the Walkin' Wheels Dog Wheelchair. As Stormy's DM got worse, I was able to adjust the cart really easily. This is the second dog I've had in this chair. Billy was a much smaller Corgi -- all I needed in order to adapt it was a new set of wheels for $30. Really handy to have a wheelchair that can be used on many sizes of dog.


Stormy! Look at his Happy Ears!!!

Charlie LOOKS happy!

I haven't got the two front wheels on T's cart yet, but below is a photo of him standing with the rear wheels only, which he does better and longer every day. I need some more muscle to get some of the adjustment parts loose on the front wheels assembly, and someone to help me hold him up while I fine tune it all. We start working with the Physical Therapy/Accupuncture vet next week. I'm really excited about that. T IS improving daily. Its been 5 weeks and he's come a long way from laying motionless, barely able to pick his head up off the examining table and incontinent.

Now that I'm feeling better, I can work on cutting the "grass" (read: foxtails) in the back yard down, tilling, rolling and re-seeding so there is a nice surface back there to work with. I hope to get that started this weekend. My landlord is going to borrow the equipment so it won't cost much to do... just some grass seed and sweat equity. Unfortunately automatic sprinkles are not in the bidget, but the yard isn't that big, only about .22 acres. No matter. I intend to have my own place this summer anyway, but I want to leave this one better than it was when I got here last year. No shortage of opportunities to do that, LOL.

So--- my boy continues to fight, and to improve. Its a lot of work on both our parts, but we are determined to have him as close to normal again as he can get by mid-late summer. 3 weeks ago I would have said "impossible", but today I think we just might be able to accomplish that end. :-)

Bad angle. Before adjustment.



T's custom harness-sling-thingie





Upsy-Daisy

This was almost a week ago. He can get up pretty much on his own now, walks quite a ways on his front feet.
I just steady him in the rear and help a little on the part of the floor that doesn't have a rug yet.
I wish I had that carpet that went in the dumpster last summer back. I'd have have given it a deep steam cleaning instead of throwing it out.
Rugs are EXPENSIVE these days!

Good to see the progress! Great job,Shelley!

My dog Cael had an FCE last night - woke up to him dragging his rear, just got home from the vet.  Your story and T's recovery are giving me some hope.

Good work, Shelley!  I'm telling you, at this rate, you ARE going to see T run again...while it won't be the same ground-eating stride he had before, when he does it you're going to cry at how beautiful he looks. 

dAWgESOME, definitely don't become discouraged--it's a slow process, and a lot of work, true, but most of these dogs CAN recover to the point where they've regained their mobility.  The biggest obstacle in providing the necessary supportive care is time, financial and environmental restrictions: work schedules that don't permit the flexibility needed when you've got to tend the the dog's bathroom and hygiene needs, checkbooks that can't squeeze out the extra cost of supportive aids such as slings or harnesses or carts, living situations that make it impossible to deal with bathroom indiscretions...hopefully you don't have to surmount any of those things and can concentrate on caring for you boy.  What's Cael's age? 

I recently found an AWESOME source of cheap, used but sanitized waterproof bedpads--the type used in hospitals, nursing homes, etc. to keep incontinent patients dry while protecting the mattress.  What's even better is that it's part of an occupational program for the disabled, so everyone benefits!  Here's the website:   http://www.odcmerchandise.com  Shipping costs are a drag, but I just ordered enough to make it worth the fee, since the pads themselves are so darn cheap--even with the shipping, it still worked out to less than $2/pad...and they're in EXCELLENT condition.  These have made caring for my 16 year old GSD, Suess, a whole lot easier for both her and me.  :)

He will be 7 in October - He was fine last night then this morning would not come out of his crate all he wanted to do was sit  

The only real "obstacle" we have is the 8 steps he will need to go up and down when its time to go in and out.  He seems angry and confused why he can't move as fast as he is used to.... We are going to order him a cool custom harness just like "T", we have an in-door dog pool and underwater treadmill near our house and my acupuncturist also works on animals.  I'm most worried about the bathrooming... not it getting on the floor or him (or me... LOL) but making sure he is able to get what he needs to out of him.  My vet offered a catheter but I'm not sure what to do about that yet.... Sorry Shelly not trying to hijack your topic.... Thanks again