Welcome to the Pupster Passion USA doggy lovers website and blog.
All of our team as passionate about our own dogs and helping other pet owners to love and to look after their animals.
For us, dogs are more than just pets. They are part of our families.
So we totally understand the importance of caring for a severely disabled dog in the best way possible.
We will look at this subject in detail in this post, but before we do, one of the best things you can do for a severely paralyzed pet pooch is to buy them a wheelchair for dogs to help them move around and play.
We wrote in detail on this about the best paralyzed dog cart for your disabled pet.
Ok, now let’s get into the details of how to take care of a seriously disabled pup.
What is the Best Way of Caring for a Paralyzed Dog?
There are several main issues that you will need to focus on:
- Mobility assistance
- Bladder and bowel functions
- Skin issues such as bed sores
- Physical therapy and veterinary help
- Hygiene and cleanliness
- Pain management and easing discomfort
- The overall quality of life
So, now we will take some time to look at each of these factors in more detail.
Dog Mobility Assistance for a Paralyzed Dog
Helping your disabled pet to get around will make a huge difference to their quality of life but also to how easy it is for you to look after them.
The two main options you can choose from are doggy wheelchairs and drag bags for disabled pets.
Both have advantages and disadvantages. We suggest that if you can afford it, you try both options on your dog, and then you have the best of both worlds.
Paralyzed Dog Bladder and Bowel Functions
Dogs suffering from paralysis can often have trouble peeing and pooping.
This can either be in the form of incontinence or an inability to “go” or just that their legs get in the way.
The best thing to do for this is to consult with your vet for advice.
But using a drag bag and a dog bed for incontinent dogs is a great way of reducing the amount of mess created in your home by stopping their legs from getting dirty or covered in urine.
Another good idea is trying your dog with doggy diapers. If you can get him or her to wear them without too much fuss, then they can really help keep the mess under control.
The other thing to do is make sure that your clean your dog’s rear end regularly to stop it from getting any skin problems or urinary bladder infections.
Issues Such as Bed Sores with Paralyzed Dogs
A discussed in the previous point, paralyzed dogs can have issues with their skin related to hygiene.
But they can also get problems from their paralysis.
Their skin rubbing on the floor or the braces on their wheelchairs can create sores, which can then get infected.
Keep a close eye out for any signs of these sores and treat them with cream from your vets if they become inflamed or infected.
Physical Massage Therapy and Veterinary Support for Disabled Dogs
Obviously, with a severely disabled dog keeping in close touch with your vet is really important.
Your dog will have extra medical needs that need to be taken care of, so regular visits to the vet are a must.
You might also want to consider physical therapy to help your dog maintain its existing mobility and muscle tone.
It can also help relieve stiffness, pain, and lack of blood circulation caused by their paralysis.
Canine Hygiene and Cleanliness
Keeping your pet clean will be really important in helping them stay healthy.
As they are disabled, they might not be able to clean themselves as well as they normally would.
So regular baths and also keeping their butt area clean with baby wipes is a great idea.
Pain Management and Easing Discomfort
Some paralyzed dogs have no pain; others have constant niggles and grips.
If your dog is in pain, there are some really useful things you can try.
Hot baths, electric heat mats for dogs, massage, good nutrition, orthopedic dog beds may all help your dog to live a more comfortable life.
Overall Quality of Life for Your Paralyzed Pet Dog
As you will see, all of the previous points add up to making the best possible effort to give the dog a good quality of life.
Some pet owners worry that they might have to consider euthanasia for their disabled dog.
But there is no reason to think this has to be the case.
There are lots of things that you can do, ways of caring for a paralyzed dog that can give them a happy, healthy, and very fulfilling life!
One Last Thing Before You Go!
This video has ten great tips for paralyzed dogs on how to look after them.
It is made by a lovely lady who owns and cares for her own dog with disability issues.
So the video’s advice comes from real-life experience, so it should really help you love and care for your dog.