K-9 Cart Co East April 2011 Newsletter

When you mention a pet wheelchair, many people think of the freak show associated with the circus in days gone by.  However, owners of K-9 Cart dog wheelchairs know that most pets take to a cart like water for elephants.  While we are not sure whether we will like the new movie adaptation of "Waters for Elephants," we did love the book and have fond memories of the elephants being unloaded by train for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. K-9 Cart Co East got it's own visit from the circus when Ringling Bros. were in Baltimore.  Mulan, a pug, who travels the country with her elephant trainer family for

Ringling Bros. was showing signs of hindleg weakness.  Given her age, we suspect she had degenerative myelopathy.  Her owners made a trip to Oxford while the circus was in Baltimore (~ 1.5 hr drive) for a custom fitting.  We found it fascinating to hear about the life of real elephant trainers in the 21st century.  Mulan makes her winter home down in central Florida where there is an active Asian elephant breeding and conservation program.     about the Center for Elephant Conservation.

Living on the Eastern shore of Maryland and being recreational sailors, we may be a bit more obsessed with weather than most. Certainly, we have seen extremes in hot and cold weather over the past year.  The last few months have also shown extremes in sizes of dogs that we have fit with K-9 Cart dog wheel chairs. Great Danes often are afflicated with cervical instability known as "Wobbler's syndrome."

 "Sheila," a 115 lb. Dane needed a two-wheel canine cart for precisely this reason. At the same time, the shop was busy constructing a tiny pet wheelchair for a Yorkshire terrier (aka "Yorkie.") The strength yet lightness of our tubular aluminum frame with custom foam-filled wheels helps us to accommodate all shapes and sizes.  Since all our dog carts are custom-made and adjustable, we have yet to find a pet that we cannot fit in a K9 Cart.  to see a short video.

There may be many signs that make one suspect that a pet may have degenerative myelopathy or DM.  First, if your dog is an older German Shepherd Pembroke Welsh corgi, Boxer, Rhodesian Ridgeback, or Chespeake Bay Retriever, who has developed progressive hindleg weakness or wobbly gait in the rear that does not improve during the day, your dog may be affected by degenerative myelopathy.  In years past, DM was a diagnosis of exclusion.  That meant your vet had to rule out all other disease first, which could be quite costly. Now a swab of the gums, and your pet can be tested to determine whether he carries the gene known