Our pug, Bebop Pugman, is eleven years old now and for the last 3 years or so he’s been having trouble walking due to nerve damage in his lower back. Though he’d drag his legs and bloody up the tops of his paws on occasion or fall down while he was trying to pee, he’s been able to still get around for the most part until just recently. We’ve talked on and off about the assistance of wheels but according to the vet, if you put animals in them too soon, they’ll lose all leg function quicker than if they’re still trying to get around. But within the last month or so, Bebop’s been having a lot of trouble walking at all. And though he’s not a puppy, he’s still so vibrant and happy and full of life that we had to try to make his existence a little better while he’s still here with us.So here’s a little video of Bebop in his brand new wheels… so happy.
{click here if you can’t see the video}
Each day he uses his new wheels, he gets better and faster and stronger… and we anticipate once the weather cools down a bit, he’ll enjoy using his wheels even more. He seems to really love the fact that he can finally get around again… and we love it too. He wears them mostly on walks and a little in the house. If he’s not wearing them inside, he’s usually lying in one of his many plush beds… or dragging his lower half to the front door to greet the UPS, FedEx, & our mail carrier, Rick.
This nerve damage in his back has also recently left him a bit incontinent so he pees whenever he gets excited or tries to move at all. While we’ve tried all sorts of pet diapers, we found the washable male wraps to work best with an infant/baby diaper inside as lining. He’s such a trooper though. He’s really such a good boy… but I never thought I’d be washing dog diapers in lieu of baby diapers.
Wheelchair info:
We measured Bebop and ordered a custom wheelchair online from Handicapped Pets {.com}. They are fabulous to work with! The chairs come in a variety of shapes and sizes & in pink for girls 😉
More Recent Photos…
Jan 2013 His wheels ice up in the snow, but he manages, or we nudge him a little 😉
