My pug''s new wheels!

[mia1181]

A couple of people asked me to post this when the time came....

Today we received the wheelchair that we ordered online for our pug!

Quick background.... Oliver is 7 years old and he is partially paralyzed. He has degenerative disk disease AKA Intervertabral Disk Disease (IVDD). Since it is something he was born with, and about 5-6 disks are bulging at this point, he is not a candidate for surgery

. But nevertheless, he still gets around great and only drags his feet when he walks. The dragging has gotten so bad that we haven''t taken him on a real walk for over a year now! So although he still has a lot of mobility we thought it was time to get a wheelchair.

So it came today

and after about an hour of tinkering and adjusting it we were ready to give it a try.

He did really well!

He was very patient while I adjusted it and with a little food-encouragement, took steps. After a little adjustment period, he was walking around fine. It was almost as if he didn''t even know it was there, although he did because he was reluctant to walk up on the curb or even go on grass that was a little higher than the sidewalk.

The only thing I am disappointed about is that since he still has pretty good use of his hind legs, I had hoped he would be able to use them in the wheelchair. Unfortunately, as soon as I put him in it, his back legs became spastic and he wasn''t using them. So I had to put his feet up.

Anyway just wanted to share my news with everyone. Here''s the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Cvx4mR4Sg

And here''s a cute pic of him in his cart. He is sleeping really hard right now, exhausted from his first walk in forever!

 

[neatfreak]

Awww he is such a cutie! I am sure he will enjoy being able to get out and about again.

 

[*Danielle*]

That is awesome! He must me one happy pug.

 

[Haven]

He looks like a natural in his cart! What a sweetheart.

I''m so happy to see him walking around!

 

[karasue91]

oh my goodness, that is the sweetest thing I''ve seen in a long time...he is so sweet I just want to pick him up and hug him!!!!! That''s wonderful you were able to buy him that little apparatus so he can ge around

 

[Kaleigh]

Yay for the new wheels, he''ll be loving them I''m sure!!! Thank you for sharing, this is awesome.

 

[PrincessDijon]

That''s awesome that you were able to find your furbaby something to get around!

 

[E B]

He looks so happy. What a fabulous pug mom you are to give him this opportunity.

 

[mia1181]

Thanks everyone!

Dog wheelchairs are super expensive (around $300) and it was a really big decision to get this for him because he is still walking. But I found a seller on Ebay who makes them much cheaper in China. I was a bit nervous that it wasn''t a scam because it was so much cheaper, and if anything went wrong I''d have to ship it back to China. But it turned out great! It''s not as fancy as other carts but it gets the job done. I''m really happy with it and I think Oliver is too!

 

[Blackpaw]

Olive is soooo gorgeous Mia

you must be so proud of him for having such a fine go of that miraculous invention, he''s sooo sweet in it

 

[Linda W]

This just tugged at my heart strings. Bless little Oliver''s heart. You are such a good doggie mommy. I am so happy that he can go for his walks now.


Linda

 

[oobiecoo]

Such a cutie! There is a dog in my apartment complex who also has a wheelchair and he is so adorable when he takes his daily walks!

 

[ang3199]

oh my goodness! Go Oliver! I love stories like this that really show someone''s love for their animals! I''m sure he will be so happy.

 

[Deelight]

OMG that is so sweet and your little furbaby Oliver is just to cute for words


YAY for him getting more mobility back

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Mia, thanks for sharing this! Oliver is such a cutie-pie!

I smile every time I see your avatar . . . I just love that picture!!!

 

[monarch64]

AWWWWWWWWwwwwww, sooooo freakin'' adorable, Oliver is!!!! Thank you for sharing the pics and vid!

 

[geckodani]

Awwww. I want to hug the little guy. That''s so cool that you got him a wheelchair.

 

[tenfour]

he is a sweetie!! congrats on the new wheels!!
last year one of the pugs in the local rescue wheeled around the christmas fundraiser party with her cart. i don''t even think she realized she had no use of her hind legs.
thank you for posting the video and best of luck to oliver!!

 

[PaulaW]

awwww!!! Yay for Oliver!!! He''s very lucky to have such a loving family. It''s wonderful that he has his mobility back! YAY!

 

[mia1181]

Awww thanks everyone! And I think he is pretty darn cute too, but I am totally biased!

I do have to say he usually has a lot more spunk than is shown in the video, but I think he was a bit confused about what exactly was going on. I can''t wait to use it again but I think I need to give him some rest time, he was really pooped last night. But I am super proud

of how good he was through all of it. I saw a lot of videos on youtube of dog''s trying to adjust to the cart. A lot of them get scared and run from it, but since it is attached to them, they keep running faster and faster until they eventually crash into something. I just can''t believe how easy it was for him to get used to it. He''s still not sure about it, but he''ll get there.

Irishgrrrl- This is for you: It''s my avatar unsmushed. (I think it''s pretty funny too!

) I can''t remember if you are the one I told the story of it to, so I''ll tell it again. This was a few years ago, I snapped it with my cellphone. We were going for a walk and when he is done walking he just stops there and refuses to move. So I was pulling on the leash and he''s totally resisting and I noticed how cute it is that all of the skin on his face is being smushed but he just stays put. Stubborn little punk! DH and I have a joke (or "had" when we could still walk him), that whenever he does this we say "Do Not Resist!" like cops on COPS yell at the person they arresting if the person is struggling.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Right on!

What a little hunnie!

cheers--Sharon

 

[mia1181]

Date: 10/30/2008 10:06:00 AM
Author: tenfour
he is a sweetie!! congrats on the new wheels!!
last year one of the pugs in the local rescue wheeled around the christmas fundraiser party with her cart. i don''t even think she realized she had no use of her hind legs.
thank you for posting the video and best of luck to oliver!!

Aww she''s cute! Yep Oliver doesn''t realize his back legs don''t work when he is out of the wheelchair, so of course in the wheelchair it seems like he doesn''t notice he''s not using them either.

 

[dragonfly411]

That is fantastic that you found one for him! He is SO CUTE with it too!!! I love pugs. I''m sure he''s probably going to be happy to get to walk along with everyone now!!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/30/2008 11:05:23 AM
Author: mia1181
Awww thanks everyone! And I think he is pretty darn cute too, but I am totally biased!

I do have to say he usually has a lot more spunk than is shown in the video, but I think he was a bit confused about what exactly was going on. I can''t wait to use it again but I think I need to give him some rest time, he was really pooped last night. But I am super proud

of how good he was through all of it. I saw a lot of videos on youtube of dog''s trying to adjust to the cart. A lot of them get scared and run from it, but since it is attached to them, they keep running faster and faster until they eventually crash into something. I just can''t believe how easy it was for him to get used to it. He''s still not sure about it, but he''ll get there.

Irishgrrrl- This is for you: It''s my avatar unsmushed. (I think it''s pretty funny too!

) I can''t remember if you are the one I told the story of it to, so I''ll tell it again. This was a few years ago, I snapped it with my cellphone. We were going for a walk and when he is done walking he just stops there and refuses to move. So I was pulling on the leash and he''s totally resisting and I noticed how cute it is that all of the skin on his face is being smushed but he just stays put. Stubborn little punk! DH and I have a joke (or ''had'' when we could still walk him), that whenever he does this we say ''Do Not Resist!'' like cops on COPS yell at the person they arresting if the person is struggling.

Thanks for posting your un-smushed avatar pic, Mia! He is just TOO ADORABLE!!!

And LOL at the story behind that pic! I had never heard it before, and that''s just hilarious!!! What a little stinker!

 

[iheartscience]

What a little trooper! He''s adorable and I''m so glad he can get around now!

 

[julesbeth]

How wonderful!! What a cutie!

 

[purrfectpear]

Ssssh mom, Oliver says it''s not a wheelchair it''s a Dog Segway. He''s way kewl.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/30/2008 1:42:56 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Ssssh mom, Oliver says it''s not a wheelchair it''s a Dog Segway. He''s way kewl.

LOL!!!

 

[pjean]

Hurray for walks! I have to admit that while the video made me get all teary eyed for a bit, watching him try for the curb, miss, and then just refuse to believe you about the ramp was hilarious. You can totally see him thinking "nuh uh!"

 

[mia1181]

Date: 10/30/2008 1:42:56 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Ssssh mom, Oliver says it''s not a wheelchair it''s a Dog Segway. He''s way kewl.

Awww! Haha! I never know if I should call it a cart or wheelchair but it seems when I say "he''s getting a cart" I always have to clarify by saying wheelchair and then people know what I am talking about. Doggie Segway is much better!