Adjustability of K9 Carts Dog Wheelchairs Help Rescues!

Dachshund "Pepper" looks like Goldilocks; her K9 Cart dog wheelchair is far too large

In June 2010, Dachshund Rescue South Florida (DRSF) ordered a two-wheel dog wheelchair for a "Pepper," a dachshund with disc disease that had lost the use of her hind legs. Pepper's new rescue mom had agreed to pay for a portion of his dog wheelchair. Pepper's mom had never taken care of a handicapped pet so you know how big a heart one has to adopt a pet like this. Well, the measurements were sent to us for a 15 lb. dachshund.  We didn't have the owner's contact information, but felt the measurements were a bit big. But then some "dachshund" rescues are mostly dachshund (plus a little or a lot of something else.) As usual, we built the K-9cart.com dog wheelchair to adjust in height, length, and width.   Well, Pepper's mom was a bit beside herself when the cart seemed so big. However, we knew because our carts were adjustable including even the leg rings that Pepper would probably be okay. Pepper's mom sent us digital photos so we could access the fit.  At K-9 Cart Co East, we usually suggest three picture angles: 1.) from the side at the dog's level; 2.) from the rear at the dog's level; and 3.) an aerial view. We told her to not be afraid to shorten the straps. Even if she made a mistake and cut the foam or straps too short, another pair could be sent to her in a few days time.  Key to getting a good fit would be to shorten the leg rings - a feature not available on many dog wheelchairs. So off Pepper's mom went to see whether a dacshund's cart could be shortened or not...

Dog Wheelchair Weight Does Matter!

Corgi "Gromit" in a properly balanced K-9Cart.com dog wheelchair is moving out.

In March 2011, Gromit's owner contacted K-9 Cart Company East. Gromit, a 10-year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, was diagnosed 10 months prior with degenerative myelopathy (DM).  His owner had purchased a Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair for his 60 lb. corgi.  Because the Walkin' Wheels dog carts are NOT custom-made for each pet, a 60 lb. corgi and a 60 lb. Boxer may receive similar components.  This leads to a dog wheelchair that is not optimized for each pet, and as Gromit's owner put it, "It's heavy and difficult to get him in and out.  It doesn't have an option for 4 wheels.  I'm hoping he will do better in a K-9 cart."  We've seen this same problem acknowledged before in a Merlin's DM Blog.  For a corgi with DM  that has good forelimb strength, the corgi may be able to manage pulling around a heavy cart like this.  Whether this hastens forelimb weakness is hard to say, but Gromit just would not move in his Walkin' Wheels dog cart.  So how much does a Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair  weigh compared to a K9 Cart?

Get a Custom Fit K-9 Cart Dog Wheelchair and See Oxford, MD

K-9 Cart Company East has always offered to provide a custom tailored fit for your dog wheelchair if you are willing to visit our shop in Oxford, Maryland.  Obviously, we love Oxford, MD, since we live here.  But Oxford has a lot of historical significance as well.  Today, Oxford is a sleepy town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and known as a respite in the summer for sailors and boaters on the Chesapeake Bay.  Did you know that Oxford, MD was the original major port on the Bay long before Baltimore, MD became a major shipping port?  The ships that come into Oxford are much smaller now and mostly for pleasure.  Besides walking the tree-lined streets and admiring the Victorian houses in the historical district, you can enjoy a beer and fresh steamed blue crabs that were probably just caught that morning.  The weekend after Father's Day (June 25th this year), a big draw is the Oxford cardboard boat races.  Don't let the name fool you.  These boats rival many owing shells, kayaks, and canoes for speed under human power.  And

Wobbler's Syndrome and Dog Wheelchairs

Great Danes and Doberman Pinchers are breeds that are most often seen afflicted with Wobbler's Syndrome.  A K9 Cart may be helpful during rehabilitation or in more severe cases who are not eligible for surgery.

It is time to talk about serious enemies lurking out there in the lives of large breed dogs, especially in Great Danes and Doberman Pinchers.  This is a condition know as Wobblers Syndrome or Cervical Vertebral Instability.  There are seven cervical vertebrae or bones that make up a dog's neck.  In Wobbler's syndrome, the last three cervical vertebrae, i.e., five, six, or seven, are the culprit. Wobbler’s Syndrome is well described as evidenced by a wobbly gait.  It is assumed to be caused by a genetic deficit seen in mature Great Danes and Doberman Pinchers, but nutrition may also play a role in enhancing the expression of the disease in these breeds too. The condition has a subtle onset caused by a progressive instability of these lower cervical vertebrae.

Stem Cell Therapy in Dogs and Cats

Microscopic image of injected stem cells

In 2004, Vet-Stem commercialized stem cell therapy for horses and dogs. Unlike the controversy over using embryos to obtain stem cells, these stem cells are derived from adipose or fat tissue.  Vet-Stem works through a series of trained veterinarians.  During a short surgical procedure, fat (typically from the shoulder) is removed from your dog.  The fat is then shipped overnight to Vet-Stem in California where it is processed on day 2 and shipped back to your vet to deliver into a joint on day 3. Thus, the procedure must be planned on a Monday-Wednesday to enable delivery on Wednesday-Friday.  Because the fat tissue is shipped to California where it is processed to remove unwanted fat cells and concentrate the stem and other supportive tissue cells, Vet-Stem had to seek FDA approval to market their product.  Whereas fat is an attractive readily available source for stem cells in people using liposuction, the decreased fat-to-muscle ratio in our pets means they do need to undergo two surgeries for t Vet-Stem's FDA approved stem cell treatment .  Fortunately, other companies have now entered the market to enable fat-derived stem cell therapy for treating orthopedic injuries or arthritis in your pet. The two biggest companies in addition to Vet-stem are Stemlogix, LLC and MediVet in the USA.  The major difference between these companies and Vet-Stem is that the fat tissue is processed in your local vet's office.  Thus, your pet only needs to undergo a single surgery/anesthesic episode.

Cats and K9 Carts Wheelchairs

Specimen of a cat brain from the side showing the cerebellum in aqua.

Cerebellar hypoplasia is a reason that we see young animals needing four-wheel K9 Carts. The cerebellum is a small portion of the brain (pictured in aqua to the left) that is responsible for the fine motor control.  Cerebellar hypoplasia is seen more frequently in cats than dogs.  The disease may not be immediately apparent at birth.  Animals will typical show tremors and when the other kittens or puppies in the litter start to walk, the affected pet may not walk or show uncoordinated and jerky movements.  The term "hypo" in cerebellar hypoplasia implies that the cerebellum is underdeveloped.  The cause of cerebellar hypoplasia may range from toxicity to the mother while the fetus is under development to malnutrition to genetic causes.  A definitive diagnosis can only be made by advanced imaging such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).  Due 

Generic anesthesia may change vet surgical procedures

Yet another new product emerged at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC).  While sevoflurane is commonly used in human patients for gas anesthesia, the high cost has made it prohibitive for most veterinary practices.  Sevoflo developed by Abbott  Animal Health, is used primarily for veterinary procedures like MRIs and at advanced specialty veterinary centers in the USA.  However, the recent introduction of an FDA-approved generic formulation should speed the adoption of this gas or inhalation anesthetic by more veterinarians.  One of the chief benefits is that animals recover very quickly after receiving sevoflurane.  However, the high cost not only of the anesthetic itself but the need for new gas anesthesia equipment, e.g., vaporizer, is a huge financial hurdle for the average veterinary practice.  With the availability of a new generic form, Petrem, one can anticipate that prices will drop and that adoption by your vet in the next few years will increase.  

Dirt to Fix Your GI Problem?

We were surprised by this product at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC).  While it has the politically correct name of "Rx Clay" essentially it is just very purified ash, clay, or dirt depending on where you live.  Indeed it looks a lot like the ash you may have in your fireplace if you are burning wood to keep your house warm.  RxVitamins sells this product albeit exclusively through veterinarians.  Diane, their Northeast Account Executive, gave me the straight poop on Rx Clay.  Now the next bit of info may not be good for those who have week stomachs.  If not, read on. 

My vet told me my dog has FCE - what is it and what should I expect?

For those of you in college, FCE may stand for "full course equivalent," but in the veterinary world, FCE is a relatively newly recognized condition in the spectrum of disc disease. FCE or FibroCartilaginous Emboli is when a small portion of the disc between the vertebrae (or bones that protect the spinal cord) breaks off and enters the arterial blood supply for the spinal cord. This blockage prevents oxygen from reaching the spinal cord. the portion of the cord supplied in this area dies.

Discs provide cushions to allow mobility of the boney vertebral bodies that protect the spinal cord.

Puppy born without front limbs seeks a K-9 Cart

Skip was born without front legs. Christina Dennis from Rome, GA says Skip gets along as best as he can.  She got Skip 8 weeks ago when the owner wanted to destroy Skip because of his birth defect.  Christina is hoping that she can give Skip the best life possible by getting him a dog wheelchair.

Skip was born without front limbs and tries to get around the best he can.  Christina saved him from being put down.

K-9 Cart offers to help...

When we saw Skip's story, we offered to running a matching donation campaign.  We will meet donations half-way to provide a K-9 Cart forelimb cart.  Read more about Skip here.  If you are moved by Skip's story, please consider donating to his cause: