poundhound

Thanks again for the above advice. We finally were able to find the right kind of wheelchair for our Lilli, from Aquapaws, near Melbourne, where they focus on doggy rehab and physiotherapy (with pools). There is a confusing abundance of options when it comes to doggy wheelchairs online, and we were a bit overwhelmed, but once we contacted Aquapaws with the necessary measures, they shipped us a wheelchair that seems to be working just fine. Additionally, they were able to find a used one in excellent conditions for less money, and their policy is that you can return it for a 40% refund, once it's no longer needed But for the time being, Lilli is learning to use it and it seems to help her regain a bit of strength in her back legs. Most importantly, she seems to find the exercise stimulating, if tiring. Or maybe it's the liver treats that go with the training, I don't know. But in any case, I have seen her smile much more frequently since we started with this... Next: stem cell therapy?

Thanks Deeds! I just saw your post now. We're in the process of sourcing a "wheelchair", but I will call them too. We live on the Far South Coast, so it would be a bit of a slog, but definitely worth investigating.

Do you know where your friend did the stem cell treatment?

Thank you all for the info!

Our oldest girl, a Kelpie x (maybe with some Staffy or ACD?), is around 16 and has been losing muscle tone in the rear legs (especially the left one). She's been tentatively diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy and had arthritis for at least 4 years, which we treat with a monthly shot of Cartrophen and Previcox daily. Her mobility is quite reduced, but her personality is still Kelpie-like, and she still wants to play from time to time, run downhill (with a lopsided crab-like movement), and is as eager as ever for dinner, brekky, snacks and cuddles. We think she suffers from a bit of canine dementia, which mostly manifests itself at night, when she wants to play musical beds with the other two dogs in the house until the wee hours (even if we're all trying to sleep). AFAIK, she's not in pain, but she does occasionally look frustrated when her rear legs don't cooperate. We're trying to find ways to improve her life, and especially her mobility, until it becomes clear that it's not fun at all anymore and it's time to say goodbye. We obviously love her to bits and are hoping to give her a chance to enjoy the upcoming spring and summer, her favourite seasons. Ideally we'll be able to help her go to the Rainbow Bridge once incontinence kicks in and/or by the start of next winter - she hates the cold season. We've been trying to train her to sit in a padded cart, so we could take her for walks on the roads with the other two dogs, but she wants to get out of it as soon as it starts moving. We're thinking about getting her a doggy "wheelchair", but there are many brands out there, starting at roughly $100 (on ebay and amazon) on through $900+. In this area (NSW Far South Coast), our local vets don't have a lot of experience with doggy wheelchairs, and some think she might be too old for them. So I'd like to ask for advice and recommendations about different brands or models, based on your experiences. Also, how hard is it to train a dog in using one? And finally, is there any vet who specialises in myelopathy or similar old age problems? We could probably travel as far as Sydney or Melbourne, although Canberra would be easier. Thanks in advance for any advice.

I meant replies and advice.

Thanks, it helps. We've been working with our BC on his noise phobia, and have manage to reduce the long list of scary sounds he came with when we adopted him from the pound, but there are still some sounds that we can't seem to neutralise: thunder (of course), motorcycles, chainsaws, and whippersnippers. He's been on fluoxetine for at least four years, and it has helped tremendously. None of the other remedies seemed to make a difference. Two of the dogs are somewhat crate-trained. The third is a recent adoption, but generally speaking she is a much calmer dog. Thanks again for any replayed advice.

Well, we have the opposite situation: we might need to move to NZ and have not one, but three rescue dogs: 2 Kelpie x (nearly 15 and 13 year-old respectively), and a sound-phobic 7.5 year-old Border Collie. Not an easy fix. Apart from the horrific expense, and the risk that the BC will bark for the entire flight there (Sydney-Auckland) because of the engine noise, how/where do we find out if the dogs are fit to fly from this end? Not sure our countryside vets have much experience with this...

Well, I volunteered to take one in or help with transportation. I sent the form a couple of days ago, but haven't heard anything yet. They must be overwhelmed with 50 neglected doggies (and not just any dogs, but koolies!).

Ok, now I'm confused Yd 1 has been adopted, so the pledge has fallen off, so to speak, right? Now the only question (for me anyway) is: should I move the pledge on to Yd 4 (the oldest dog on the DAS website at the moment), or should I watch and wait 'till next week - since at the moment there are 19 dogs listed, and 3 have deposits - or should I save my pledge for the young pup when/if he goes back to DAS? Interesting to know, from the reposted Facebook message, that the average rescue costs roughly $300... My pledges rarely exceed $50, which I guess is better than nothing, but nowhere near enough to rescue a single dog.