Disabled Pets

Our latest handicapped pet at home is Jazzy...she doesn't really have a disability but is just ancient for a dog her size. In people years she's about 110 (15 in dog years) so has over time been having trouble getting up and keeping her rear end working.  It's nothing specific, she just tends to toe under and collapse or sit when she's trying to walk so at this point she needs our help with a sling to get around. She's also totally deaf.   But being deaf doesn't mean she's not very vocal about wanting to move to a different place in the house or demanding I take her out on her sling for "bird walks" (she likes to sniff where the birds have been) and so far has had few potty accidents except poops.  A small price to pay for a really sweet girl that "runs" our pack. Some tips and tricks for caring for an older, immoblie dog can be found  here.

Change is happening, dogs and cats are living longer than ever before. We increasingly consider them more children than pets and contact with our animals has become an important part of our lives. Veterinary medicine has progressed to the point that life expectancy in pets is longer and healthier.  Because they live longer, there is a need to protect them from preventable disabilities such as infections and parasites - but the difficulty is giving a pet that has more severe handicaps a quality of life. More owners are willing to take on the responsibilities in caring for a geriatric or handicapped pet and there are many more options than there used to be. 

Not long ago dogs had lifespans half of what it is now, but with that longer lifespan is the responsibility to make them comfortable, secure and happy in their older years or if they become disabled in some way.  Lay a solid foundation of health when they are young, and you will have them long into their older years.  Progressive, degenerative conditions can be reduced and dealth with, and more severe handicaps are more workable than ever before. Which is why  having a disabled dog is not the end of the world! They still love, feel, play, and care about us. Having a disabled dog is just our chance to give back all the unconditional love they've given us. When you need solutions for handicapped dogs, remember:

Dogs with Disabilities:

• Don't feel sorry for themselves, we do it for them
• Don't know they're disabled
• Are accepting of what life has to offer
• Accept as much help as their pride can take
• Take each day as it comes and smell the flowers they can reach (and sometimes eat them)
• Have more patience than we'll ever have in the same situation
• Don't worry if we love them, they know we do
• Do worry if we'll take care of their needs - and shouldn't have to
• Don't say what if, they just do what they can
• Enjoy life just like other dogs, just not as rambunctiously
• Worry about their status in the pack, it's our job to reassure them they still have it
• Don't fear the future or worry about the past
• Make every effort to do what they can to their maximum potential
• Are not a burden, but a joy and a reason to slow down our own hectic lives

We can learn alot from dogs with disabilities! They can enjoy life to the fullest with just a little help from us. We are on our fourth dog with a neurological disease that wastes the rear legs and eventually renders them useless. We are here to help disabled dogs live full and happy lives.  Whether your dog is paraplegic, quadraplegic, toeing under, paralyzed, or has orthopedic problems, we can help you cope and find solutions.

Supporting owners of Disabled Dogs in many ways:

• Check out our resources and products for dealing with disabled dogs such as wheelchairs, carts, dog harnesses, and dog slings..
  
• Give hope and guidance to owners of disabled dogs, including and up to coping with pet loss.  Support and acceptance is what owners of disabled dogs need most. "Putting down" is not always the best or only solution.
• We are happy to make recommendations and provide product comparisons to help you choose the best equipment at the best price for your handicapped dog.
• Provide tips and techniques for dealing with the every day care of a handicapped dog.  Whether mobility is impaired, or some other disability, a handicapped dog is a beautiful gift!
  

 In caring for them all we've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't. The answers are not always obvious, but we'll help you sort it out. With each dog we've been able to find solutions that assisted the dog to live longer, and more comfortably.  Every dog is a challenge, but also a learning experience - but most of all, a disabled dog is a joy - they appreciate everything life has to offer and never say "why me?".