Best tools for living with a paralyzed dog 1

Every dog, like us humans, can sustain an injury, illness, or have problems moving because of old age. Many of these can lead to major movement restrictions or even paralysis.

On our blog, you can already read articles about what to prepare for when living with a handicapped dog. However, we promised to add a list with tips for practical and interesting movement aids. Some of you can’t imagine life without these tools, for others, it will make it much easier to take care of your dog with a disability.

As always, you decide what is best for your dog, according to the current state of health, your situation, and your way of living with the dog.

We have divided the article into 2 parts for you for better clarity and readability.

The first part is dedicated to feeding and excretion, the second to movement and entertainment, and will appear on the blog on Friday May 21st.

HYGIENE

Diapers

Newbies in the care of paralyzed dogs may be surprised that one of the most used aids is not originally intended for dogs, but children. These are the traditional baby diapers – for hygienic reasons, a substantial part of paralyzed males and females need them.

Defecation problems are very common in these types of disabilities, so the diaper comes in very handy.

Unfortunately, how many diapers you will need every day cannot be determined in advance, it very much depends on the health condition of each particular dog and other options for defecation. While some dogs use multiple diapers a day, others use diapers just for exercising.

Whether you take care of a male or a female dog can also make a significant difference.

Diaper panties are great for female dogs, as they give you peace of mind because the diaper will easily cover the whole area and catch both types of accidents that can occur.

Tip! Some bitches have problems with wearing the diaper, because, as they crawl on the ground, it rolls down to their buttocks. Therefore, some owners fix the diaper up with suspenders.

The situation for dog males is a bit more complicated because there are simply no diapers on the market that could well and confidently cover the whole back part of the doggo’s bottom part. That’s why owners often wrap diapers around the waist like a belt. If there is a risk of diarrhea or some other discomfort, then they add a second diaper, which also covers the buttocks.

Instead of a diaper that is wrapped around the waist, you can also use another specialized device, which is:

Incontinence belt/panties

Another aid is also related to emptying – an incontinence belt or panties. It is used by dogs, who suffer from continuous spontaneous leakage of urine due to which a large amount of fluid does not leave at once (otherwise the diaper is better). But they can also help a lot only as a protection of intimate parts, especially dog boys.

How? Imagine a dog crawling around the apartment with his tummy on the ground and his hind legs pulling behind him. Unfortunately, this is the most sensitive area. It doesn’t necessarily hurt him, because his feeling in the back of his body is probably already reduced. In reality, that’s not an advantage, because any abrasion or other injury heals worse in the paralyzed limbs. So, they need to be protected even more.

Incontinence belts and panties are already made directly for dogs, so unlike diapers, you will find them in stores for pets.

Changing mats

Another traditional baby aid that will help you with caring for an incontinent dog, is changing mats. You can use it just like mothers do for their babies – for safe and hygienic changing of diapers everywhere.
They are also a perfect tool for exercising with a dog if it is prescribed to be without a diaper.

FEEDING

Adjustable food bowls

For dogs with disabilities, even feeding can become a demanding task. The center of gravity of the body changes, and their stability diminishes. So consider whether it would not be a good idea to replace his water and food bowls with ones with adjustable height. You will be able to better respond to the current situation and needs of the dog. Imagine yourself – you also enjoy eating your food in comfort and it’s also the healthiest option, see?

We are currently working hard on the new product for this kind of dog care and we hope to introduce it it really soon!