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GENERAL
OVERALL GOOD HEALTH
Your pet should be in general good health other than the inability to use the
rear limbs or be having difficulty ambulating with the rear limbs. If your pet has
any health condition that may preclude the use of a cart, please call for advice.
STRENGTH OF THE FRONT LEGS
Normal strength in the front legs is defined as the pet's ability to walk well on the
front legs (with the back level) when supported in the rear by a sling, towel or by the
base of the tail. It is very important to keep the back level as if you hold the
rear higher than the front, your pet will have to walk forward or fall. Since the
feet will drag with the back level, do this on a surface which will not hurt the feet.
If your pet does any of the following with the front feet then it
is an indication of front leg weakness: Stumbling or
knuckling with one or both
feet (falling over on the front of the paw)
Taking a few steps and stopping or laying
back on the front legs
Short, choppy steps or crossing over of
the front feet.
Splaying front legs out wide to balance itself.
Please try to be objective on the above evaluation! Your pet may
have the mental willingness to want to move around but sadly not have the physical
capability. Ability to drag around is not necessarily enough forelimb strength to
walk or run in a cart.
If you have any doubt as to your pet's front leg strength, either
call and talk with a member of our qualified staff or send us a video for purposes of
evaluating your pet before buying a cart. Video of your pet moving on their own plus
footage of them being supported with a towel allows us to give a good evaluation.
OBESITY
If your pet is overweight,
it is a difficult situation as it is hard to reduce a pet's weight if they cannot exercise
properly.
It is imperative that you put your pet on a diet as this will not
only help in the overall health of your pet but may be instrumental in your pet regaining
normal function. It is very difficult for a pet to try and lift its rear up off the
ground if it is overweight.
Obese pets generally have a harder time adjusting to carts and
they must be gradually conditioned to avoid stress. It would be like you and I
starting to exercise vigorously and being out of shape -- we simply could not do it and if
we persevered it could lead to a stressful condition.
Sometimes with an older dog or with a tiny dog, one must evaluate
what the pet really wants to do! If they just want to lie out in the sun or lay
around, then perhaps the use of a handheld sling would be
best.
EVALUATE YOUR PET AND DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM! IF IN DOUBT
PLEASE CALL US AND WE SHALL ADVISE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
DISPOSITION
It is extremely rare that a pet will fight a cart or refuse to use one because of
a disposition problem. Only you know if your pet fits into this category.
If your pet has always fought the use of a leash or being
handled, then no matter how you may want to help it, it may not want to be put into a
cart!
If you have a pet that is afraid of everything, then animal
psychology is needed to work slowly and gently with your pet to let them become accustomed
to use of the cart and the freedom it will afford.
A pet that has been "down" for a long period of time
has usually developed its own way of moving around and since they will now be able to
"run around again normally on all fours" it may take time for them to realize
that they are not being "chased" by something. This is particularly
applicable to the smaller tiny dogs who may be afraid of what is "following
them" around!
DESIRE
We are not talking about your desire to see your pet up and walking around on all fours.
Much as we want it, it is sometimes not possible due to the physical condition of the pet.
What we mean by desire, is your pet’s desire to get around. Run and
chase balls, go on a casual walk around the back yard, or hang out in the park with
their companions, human and animal alike. Provided that the above criteria can be met, we
are here to provide the means to do this. Many animals, when given the chance to walk
around again with the help of the cart, improve not only physically, but mentally.
Therefore if your pet is in a temporarily depressed state, the mobility a cart offers, can
make a world of difference.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Special conditions related to a mobility problem that affects a pet’s use of a K-9
Cart. Some examples would be an animal with cervical or balance problems and animals with
problems in all four limbs. If you feel your pet has any of these conditions, we request a
video of what your pet is able to do on their own and with your support both in the rear
and in the front. After viewing the video, we will call you with suggestions on how we may
be able to help your pet.
CATS
As cat owners know, cat personalities are quite different from dogs! They are extremely
independent and go their own way. Many cats do very well in carts and others will have
nothing to do with them. We have seen cats put in carts that we thought would not do well,
and they take to them instantly. Others, no matter how hard you try, will not consider the
cart. We suggest evaluating your cat with a sling under the abdomen, or one around each
groin area. If your cat will handle some help and support, it will greatly help in
determining if it will be willing to accept the help of the cart.
CORGIS
Corgis are a stubborn breed, as Corgi owners will agree. Since they are so independent, we
strongly recommend supporting your dog under the abdomen with a sling support to see if
they will accept the cart. If they have any use of the hind legs, no matter how little, we
strongly recommend getting the walking conversion with the cart. They will have an easier
time adjusting to the cart if their hind legs can touch the ground. They will very rarely
take to a cart immediately, so patience from you is necessary. Once they realize that they
are able to move around with the cart, then they take off!
GIANT BREEDS
Giant Breeds are considered to be any pet over 100 lbs. We are able to manufacture a cart
to support dogs up to 135lbs. With dogs this size, we prefer to make the cart so that the
hind legs are always off the ground. This is because we can better support the dog and
keep the cart more stable. These carts are always non-refundable and require advance
payment in full by Certified Check or Money Order. Please contact the office for the
necessary additional information required.
RABBITS AND OTHER ANIMALS
Most Rabbits do well in carts. They do require additional measurements and information to
build a cart. They are also a non-refundable cart that requires payment in the form of a
Certified Check or Money Order. We have made carts for a variety of other animals,
including sheep, goats, skunks, deer and miniature horses. For rabbits and any other
animal we require a photograph of the animal, and preferably a video of the animal and
what it is able to do with sling support and on its own.
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