Sit Down Dog Wheelchairs
How Do I Know It's Time to Add the Front Wheels?
Whether your dog has DM, arthritis, or losing leg strength as they age, we know that their mobility needs can change. Legs can be weaker, and a dog may require more support as their condition worsens, which is why they must have an adjustable wheelchair that can change with them. So how do you know when it’s time to add the front wheel attachment to your dog’s rear wheelchair?
How a Wheelchair Front Attachment Works
First, it’s essential to know how your dog’s wheelchair works. The Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair is the only fully adjustable mobility cart on the market. Each wheelchair can adjust in height, length, and width to accommodate your dog’s build perfectly. But the adjustability goes well beyond the perfect fitting cart! Most canine mobility problems start with weakness in a dog’s back legs and a dog being unable to support themselves.
Pets at this stage of mobility loss benefit significantly from the support of a rear wheelchair. The rear wheels provide the stability a pet needs to be able to walk, run, and maintain an active lifestyle. However, it’s fairly common for a dog’s leg strength to worsen over time, with the front legs weakening as well. When a dog needs support on all four legs, the rear wheelchair can be converted into a four-wheel wheelchair with the simple addition of a front wheel attachment.
Adding a front attachment to a dog wheelchair turns a rear wheelchair into a full-support wheelchair. A quad cart has two wheels in the front and two in the back. Now the pet’s entire body is supported, reducing the weight placed on their limbs and making it even easier for them to walk.
5 Signs That Your Dog is Ready for Front Wheels
1. Tiring Easily
You may notice that your dog is getting tired quicker on their daily walk or that they want to lay down in the wheelchair. A dog displaying more of a desire to lay down in the wheelchair likely needs wheelchair support for the front legs.
2. Stumbling or Tripping in the Front Legs
When you take your dog for a walk, do they sometimes stumble over their front feet? Often, tripping can signify that your dog is having trouble with its front legs. In addition, when your dog is using their wheelchair, they are placing a lot of weight on their front legs. Over time, this additional stress can cause a dog’s leg to buckle. Adding supportive wheels in the front will relieve some of this leg pressure.
3. The Dog’s Diagnosis
The level of support a dog needs directly correlates with its diagnosis and condition. A pet with front leg weakness, arthritis in the front limbs, or arthritis in the shoulder or neck will require front leg support. Likewise, a dog with late-stage Degenerative Myelopathy, whose front legs are impacted, will also need a front wheel attachment.
Dogs with neurological conditions that impact balance should always use a full-support wheelchair.
4. The Dog Can No Longer Support Themselves
After getting the wheelchair fitted correctly, the pet cannot move around freely, refuses to move, or wants to lay down. In these situations, the dog can no longer support itself and needs support throughout its body. It's never too late to add front wheels to a dog's cart, the wheelchair is easily modified and can be done at any time!
5. Mobility Condition Has Worsened
Worsening mobility loss is the number one reason a dog needs their rear wheelchair converted into a quad cart. In addition, pets with degenerative conditions and spinal issues need their body fully supported in the front and rear.
