Disabled Dogs

Other Doggie Aids/Devices

In addition to wheelchairs, there are other devices that may help disabled dogs, including slings, booties, ramps, raised bowl stands, and simply using scatter rugs on slick floor surfaces.

Slings, which fit under the dog and have handles on each end for you to grasp, can be used to provide support when walking your dog. Slings can be something as simple as using a towel or you can make one fairly easily. A number of mail order dog supply companies sell slings. Fireplace supply stores also sell canvas wood carriers which may be used as a sling, depending upon the size of your dog.

Here are a couple of designs for homemade slings if you want to make one yourself.

For my design, I used two different lengths for the handles on each end. The ideal handle length will vary according to the height of both the dog and the person assisting the dog. Using the two lengths allows for a number of variations.

Here’s another one that includes an extra piece and strap which can be used for incontinent female dogs. The extra material fits between the dogs rear legs and the strap provides an extra handle around the dogs tail.

As Chelsea’s condition progressed, the pressure placed on her bladder from the sling or from me lifting her would cause her to wet. This design helps us to avoid soiling the carpet while we make our way outside. I simply put an old towel in between her and the sling to catch the urine. The extra handle around the tail helps to hold the towel in place. Once outside, I remove the towel and replace the modified sling with the regular sling.

For both slings, I used duck cloth, which is a heavy washable cloth, for the outside of the sling. I used a synthetic or fake fur called Sherpa, which is a washable type of fake lambswool, for the inside of the sling. The first sling I made was only two layers of duck cloth, but it was too thin and the weight of Chelsea caused it to bunch up width-wise under her tummy, which was probably terribly uncomfortable. So, I added two layers of Sherpa to the underside of the sling and the added thickness has helped to keep it from bunching up as much. I used polyester webbing material, similar to that used for some dog leashes, for the handles. Slings made of these materials can be put in the washing machine (I let them air dry), which is especially important if your dog is incontinent.

The modified sling is a bit of a nuisance to use, especially since you’ll need to substitute a regular sling once you get outside to allow a female dog to urinate. Another simpler alternative may be to sew some handles (again webbing material can be used) to one end of an old folded up towel and to use that along with the regular sling. Insert it so the handle extends over the dog's tail – like the extra piece on the modified sling – and then use the regular sling to hold the other end of the towel in place. This way you can just remove the towel once outside without also having to replace the modified sling with the regular sling.

You can probably come up with other designs that work better for you, but these sling designs may give you some ideas to get those creative juices flowing!

Booties can be used to protect your dogs paws if they can no longer pick them up properly. Most wheelchairs either come with stirrups or these can be purchased as an option. Stirrups suspend their back legs to avoid scraping or injuring their paws while in the wheelchair. However, I found my Chelsea doesn’t like it when I put her back legs in the stirrups, so instead I make booties to protect her feet as she drags them along behind her.

I was never able to find a good commercial bootie that held up any length of time for a dog who drags their feet on pavement or other hard surfaces, so I make them myself out of two layers of vinyl fabric. I now use a somewhat lightweight vinyl fabric called Pioneer vinyl for the inside and a heavier, more durable fabric, called Marine vinyl, for the outside. These work well to protect Chelsea’s feet now that she can only drag them along. When she could still move her legs, I used duck cloth and then added or changed to using vinyl fabrics as her feet dragged more and more. Feel free to email me if you want more details about the different fabrics and designs I’ve used for booties.

Another method to make booties last longer (or to quickly repair a worn one) is to wrap the outside with duct tape. It’s amazing how well that holds up, although it won’t win any fashion contests!

Another possibility is to take a pair of booties which fit well to a shoe repair shop and see if they can add some type of sole to protect the area(s) where your dog wears out the bootie. Just beware that booties don’t always wear out on the bottom only; they may get most worn on the bottom, top, or even the front or tip (where the toes are). Where they wear will depend upon whether your dog completely drags his feet, or if he is still able to go through the walking movements with his legs. And, this may change over time for dogs with progressive diseases. Just be careful not to make the bootie overly rigid or you won’t be able to get the dog's foot into it.

Ramps are another device which may greatly assist dogs who have difficulty going up or down stairs, getting onto furniture, or into vehicles. If your dog is allowed on furniture or beds, a ramp may be helpful inside the home. I use one along with a sling to "walk" Chelsea up to our bed at night.

Ramps may also be helpful outside the home to avoid steps -- much like wheelchair accessible areas for people. Ramps can also help your aged or disabled dog get in and out of your vehicle. A number of dog supply mail order companies now sell ramps. You may also want to do a web search on "dog ramps" or similar terms, using different search engines, to see what you can find. If you want to build your own, a search for information about designs used for people may also provide information about the proper slant so that you don’t make one that is too "steep" for your dog to easily climb. You may also be able to get ideas about building ramps from sources which use or sell them for dog agility purposes.

If you’re thinking about buying a commercial product, remember that traction is important for dogs with walking disabilities. You may want to ask about the walking surface of the ramp to make sure it’s not too slippery. The ramp we made for Chelsea is a simple one made of wood. We used 1x4 and 2x4 pieces of wood for the base, which supports a piece of plywood used for the ramp surface, and then put carpet over the plywood. If using a commercial ramp with a plastic surface, you may be able to put carpet tiles or paste indoor/outdoor carpet or something else on the walking surface to provide more traction.

Raised bowl stands may make it easier for your dog at meal time. A raised bowl may aid in digestion for any dog, not just those who are disabled. Many pet supply stores sell raised bowl stands, or if you are a bit creative, you can construct one yourself. Temporarily, you can use a sturdy box or simply stack phone books so that you can determine the ideal bowl height for your dog; just be careful if you have an eager eater because he may knock over his bowl!

Throw rugs placed on slick floors also give a disabled or elderly dog more traction. Bathroom rugs are good to use because they have rubber backings. For rugs without rubber backings, you can purchase rubber, non-skid backers to put under throw rugs to prevent them from skidding. These are amazingly cheap at Wal-Mart and other discount stores.

Doggie bladder and/or bowel incontinence may be another situation you have to deal with if your dog loses control of his or her back end, or for elderly dogs.

I’ve dealt with this simply by placing blankets over the carpet in the room where my dog stays most of the time. I use velour blankets because I find they clean up easily. Old shower curtains or rubber sheets designed to put over children’s mattresses can be placed under the blanket to better protect the carpet. Others have suggested buying cheap plastic table cloths from discount stores such as Wal-Mart or Kmart and using these to protect carpets. (Of course, you could also crate your dog if you are gone for only short periods of time, or restrict them to a smaller area such as the kitchen; just be aware that restricting them to areas with slick surfaces may make it difficult or impossible for them to move around, causing them stress.)

My vet has an incontinent dog and uses little boy jockey shorts (putting the tail through the opening) and then putting a diaper or pad in the shorts. She uses straps designed to hold sheets in place under mattresses to keep up the shorts by fastening one end of the strap to the jockey shorts and the other to a harness that her dog wears in the front. For larger dogs, suspenders might work in place of the sheet straps, or perhaps you could make something using elastic. Another option is to try pants sold for bitches in heat; these are often sold in dog supply catalogs. I have heard that some doggie supply places now sell pants designed specifically for incontinent dogs.

To keep larger straps in place so they don’t slip off the side of the dog, you can criss-cross them across the dogs back (do the same for the strap used across the dogs stomach). Put a few stitches in the criss-cross or fasten with a diaper pin, covering the pin with duct tape or other sturdy tape to keep it from opening. If you can envision how a suspender looks on a human’s back, this is the same basic "X" design.

I also designed a sling which holds an old towel in place under my Chelsea to avoid accidents on our way outdoors. It’s pictured so you can see how it was designed and how it works.