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Post by Brandon & Flash on May 13, 2019 14:45:43 GMT -7
Thank you so much for the updates. We’re debating between buying Flash a Eddies Wheels wheelchair or a Walkin Wheels wheelchair. I was curious to get some feedback from anyone on this forum that might have used one of those brands.
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on May 13, 2019 15:35:25 GMT -7
I had a Walkin' Wheels cart for my Jeremy and I was happy with it. You only need to take one measurement as it's adjustable and very easy to adjust. It was easy to get Jeremy into and it seemed comfortable for him and never caused him any soreness. I bought the large wheels so Jeremy could go on the sand in it. He loved the mobility it gave him. I could put his hind legs up in the stirrups for when he wanted to go fast. Or I could leave his feet down just touching the ground. I do believe that the cart helped Jeremy walk again. It gave him the feeling of walking again with his legs swinging a bit and it was in his cart that his legs really started moving on their own again.
Let us know what you decide. I do hope that Flash will enjoy his cart as much as Jeremy did. Stay positive and never give up hope!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,540
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Post by PaulaM on May 13, 2019 19:04:04 GMT -7
Brandon, my doxie used an Eddies. I was very happy with it with 10 years of daily use. It still looked brand new. Very easy & quick to get in and out of and was used many times a day with the in and out thing dogs do! Our walks took us over natural and uneven paths in the forest. Clark bull dosed his way under branches, across muddy drainage ditches, and in the winter over snow. I liked the small footprint of the cart in that it pretty much kept it from hanging up on branches, etc. Cart could be used as PT device with legs in down position. My neuro ordered the cart from Eddies thereby getting a discount. You might check with your neuro/Eddies to see if that program is still in effect these many years later. The Eddies folks, Leslie, is great to work with.
Clark loved a fast run! He was one that never did regain DPS.
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Post by Brandon & Flash on May 16, 2019 16:49:57 GMT -7
Thank you both for your advice. Flash’s Neuro recommends Eddies wheels and his rehab specialist is adamant he uses a Walkin Wheels so that’s where the brand choices come from. Flash has DPS and continues to show some signs of possibly being able to maybe walk in the future but he’s getting sick of being in his stroller so it’s time to purchase the chair as he still mainly crawls. We’re going to do a little more research and we will let you all know our decision
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Post by Brandon & Flash on Oct 18, 2020 10:29:35 GMT -7
Hi -
I wrote on this thread about a year or so ago after my dog unfortunately came down with IVDD and he is now permanently paralyzed and even during the early stages of his recovery he self mutulated his penis which resulted in a penile amputation. I love him to death and it has gotten easier over time as we’ve gotten in a routine but my biggest challenge remains him making messes all over the house since he can not control his bodily functions. He’s only 7 years old so hopefully he lives many more years but his accidents in the house are completely destroying my floors and carpets. I clean often and the rooms he’s in most continue to smell like urine and it’s really wearing on me. I am set to move into a new construction home in about a month and I really don’t want it destroyed by him peeing everywhere. Any recommendations on what I can do to save my future house? Also, I’ve tried diapers but he just crawls right of them and I’m trying to avoid drag bags because he does skeleton walk and I think drag bags would just teach him not to use his legs at all.
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Post by Ann Brittain on Oct 18, 2020 11:00:19 GMT -7
Hi Brandon,
Welcome back to Dodgerslist.
Having an incontinent dog can be difficult to deal with. I'm sorry after all your effort to care for Flash you're having these issues. I know how unpleasant and frustrating it can be.
You don't mention whether you're expressing Flash so I assume you are not. Expressing him regularly will help you control the random peeing issues. Here is a link to help you learn the procedure. dodgerslist.com/2020/05/05/bladder-bowel-care/
Ask your vet or vet tech to help you with expressing if you have any issues getting the hang of it. I would also check with him/her if expressing is appropriate for Flash considering his urinary issues.
There are other things you can do to help reduce the frequency. Such as, not allowing him to drink at will. You can put his dish down and let him drink at regular intervals to help you get him on a peeing schedule.
Hope you can come up with a plan before you move. Good luck!
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Post by Brandon & Flash on Oct 18, 2020 11:58:34 GMT -7
Hi Ann -
Thank you for your feedback. I do express him every 1-2 hours but it seems even with that repetition he still makes accidents and drags it all over the house.
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Post by Ann Brittain on Oct 18, 2020 12:28:19 GMT -7
I'm glad you're able to express Flash. It sounds like you're making every effort to try to get this under control.
Since Flash is leaking in between expressions, my only thought is that he's not getting emptied each time. Or due to his urinary issues or even muscle control, the pee leaks out between expressions and doesn't collect in his bladder until it's full. That conclusion is not based on science. I'm just trying to consider what the possiible cause could be.
Our Buster was unable to pee on his own after surgery, but when he was expressed his bladder would empty and we didn't have leakage issues. Eventually he regained bladder control, but we would express him occasionally to check for signs of UTI's.
Hopefully someone with a similar experience to yours will respond with answers that will help you resolve this issue.
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,540
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 18, 2020 14:38:57 GMT -7
Brandon, thank you for the update to let us know how Brandon is doing. And that he is spinal walking. Tell us more about that. Is he able to change direction when he does that walk without first having to sit down and then stand up facing the new direction? More on spinal walking: dodgerslist.com/2020/06/26/spinal-walking/ and dodgerslist.com/2020/08/14/prognosis-for-walking/Let me add a few possibilities to the good information Ann mentioned above. Garments that allow leg movement and keep the diaper in place:
tinkletrousers.com/ claims not to pull down their rear end! www.joybies.com/petstore/ piddle pant Peekeeper: peekeeper.com/ PoochiePants www.etsy.com/shop/PoochiePants?ref=l2-shopheader-name and www.joybies.com/petstore/ Photo: When you express every 1-2 hours do your fingers have the ability to feel that the bladder is pretty much flat....pretty much empty? When the bladder is empty it extends the hours til the next expressing time. Has a urinary tract infection been ruled out that causes the leaking? When is the last time he had a urinalysis to show no bacteria are in the bladder? Beside when you clean carpet, floors and bedding, that you are using white vinegar. The acidic vinegar will counter act the alkaline urine. Plus it kills the bacteria that produce the "stink." --- pour some white vinegar on a carpet spot and then blot very well with a towel to pull all the urine out. May have to repeat a couple of times. -- If you own or rent one of those carpet cleaning machines. Use NO SOAPY stuff it just attracts dirt where you'll have dirt spots magically re-appearing and the need to soon re-clean carpet. Instead only load up the "water rinsing" compartment with white vinegar. Machine "Rinse" that urine spot with the vinegar. The sucking action will do a nice job of pulling up the urine/vinegar up out of the pad underneath the carpet. Leaves a clean smell. --- Things that can be washed (bedding, towels, blankets), if they still come out with urine smell. Then pre-soak items in white vinegar solution, then put in washer as usual with soap, etc. Stock up on cheap vinegar at your local big box store. At Costco, for example, you can purchase a 2 gallon pack of white vinegar for about $3-4. Way cheaper than at a grocery store!
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Post by Brandon & Flash on Oct 30, 2020 8:01:34 GMT -7
Thank you all for your notes and ideas. It really is appreciated. In reference to his spinal walking, it’s sporadic at best, only two or three steps, and he cannot turn without sitting. Either way, proud of him to continue to chug on. In reference to expressing him, yes I can feel his bladder and at times it can be difficult to find but for the most part it’s a fairly easy process. I’m starting to think maybe his penile amputation is partly to blame for the leaking since he has a hole to pee out of of. Since that surgery he has been much more susceptible to UTIs and I was just informed he has a bladder stone. Right now he is on a diet to try to dissolve it because I really don’t want to put him through another surgery to remove it but if it doesn’t dissolve they’re saying he will have to do surgery.
On a different note. Thank you for sending those holsters as I assume I’d put a diaper on him and those would keep it in place? Since his spinal walking is limited would you at any point recommend a open drag bag?
Again I really appreciate your feedback as I try to improve my pups quality of life. He certainly appreciates it!
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PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,540
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 30, 2020 9:10:39 GMT -7
Brandon, if Flash wants to spinal walk the drag bag would impede his ability. The more practice in spinal walking the better he'll get at learning this method. A drag bag (and other protective garment options described below) is to protect the body from scooting. The "pants" type of products put forth in my previous post are to keep a disposable diaper or self sticking absorbent pad in place when dog moves about that belly bands often are not good at doing. So Flash would need one of each: 1) garment to keep diaper in place over the penis and 2) a garment to protect skin when scooting. Maybe, maybe if Flash is a seal like scooter an open mesh drag bag might keep the diaper in place????? Which kind of scooter is Flash? Does he scoot like a seal with legs behind him? Or is he a frog-like scooter with legs forward and scooting on his butt? ** You will want to consider how you will prevent rug burns from scooting on carpet and other surfaces that can abraid skin. Find BOTH some sew- and no-sew options in below link. If you don't sew, contact your local fabric store (JoAnne's etc) where they likely know of a reputable local sewest who can do a sewing project for you. FROG LIKE SCOOTERS Clark’s Bumpad for frog-like scooters:
dodgerslist.com/2020/06/13/garment-skin-uti-protection/Tandy’s no-sew Butt Protection dodgerslist.com/2020/06/13/garment-skin-uti-protection/SEAL LIKE SCOOTERSCharlie Bear's no-sew shirt dodgerslist.com/2020/06/13/garment-skin-uti-protection/Ollie’s Cape DIY with a commercial option dodgerslist.com/2020/06/13/garment-skin-uti-protection/Commercial Airy mesh panel scoot bag— one example company, Google to find others. www.handicappedpets.com/walkin-drag-bag/ [drag bag] Brandon, when you get a good system figured out, would you let us know which products you chose? That would certainly help another members with a similar situation.
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Post by Brandon & Flash on Oct 30, 2020 22:54:14 GMT -7
Thank you so much Paula for all of the potential options. Flash definitely scoots like a seal but I do agree that I need to consider how a drag bag would impede him from trying to skeleton walk.
I am set to move in my new home towards the end of the November so I hope to have tried a few different methods by then and I will update the group in December.
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