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…which also means your clients may be looking for solutions to help their pets maintain and improve their mobility throughout their senior years or even after surgery.
The happiness of pets by improving the enrichment in their lives has always been a focus of the team at Pets Need A Life Too and now we’re very proud to introduce our sister company HandicappedPets Australia.
HandicappedPets Australia is now partnering with HandicappedPets USA to bring a range of awesome animal mobility aids to Australia.
HandcappedPets Australia continues with the PNALT goal to support pet owners improve the happiness of their pets’ lives through behavioural enrichment but can now also help to potentially extend their lives by offering a range of mobility aids to suit most situations. The goal of HandicappedPets Australia is to offer you and your veterinary team a range of solutions so you can now say to your clients “Euthanasia is NOT the only option.”
In this first post in our series on mobility aids and support, we’ll explore one of the most common conditions seen in the Veterinary Industry and the options we have available to assist your patients suffering from Hip Dysplasia.
The Walkin’ Up-n-Go Leash is the solution for owners who need to assist their pets upstairs and for a quick toilet break. It provides a fast way to help a dog to get up from a lying down position and to steady them on their feet
Walkin’ Up-n-Go Leash
Rear Harness and Slings: At HandicappedPets Australia we offer a variety of Rear Support Harnesses and Slings to provide lifting support which includes mid-body, rear, front or full-body support.
Rear Harness & Slings
For ambulatory pets with mild to moderate hip dysplasia, a hip support brace can be beneficial and work nicely for a wide range of dogs – from young dogs showing early signs of hip problems up to senior dogs suffering from arthritis.
The Walkin’ Hip-EEZ is the first interchangeable system of its kind to aid in keeping pets comfortable and mobile and allows pets to continue with their normal daily activities while promoting an active range of motion. The Hip Brace alleviates pain by combining compression and lifts while supporting the hip joint to keep the dog active.
The Walkin’ Hip-EEZ
The Walkin’ Hip-EEZ is a mobility aide that is fully customisable with optional attachments and designed to provide support to the hip joint of pets. Veterinary-inspired, the Hip-EEZ support system benefits many hip conditions by combining the use of compression and support to the hip joint.
Walkin’ Hip-EEZ is also the only hip support system that can accommodate rear-leg amputees. The Hip-EEZ system works by providing a feeling of lift to the leg by applying leg panels above the knee and securing overtop of the pelvis. This provides comfort to a pet while walking, running and moving. Compression and lift are the keys to making the Hip-EEZ a premier product for ambulatory pets suffering from hip pain.
Rather than thinking of wheelchairs as a last resort, recommending your patients utilise a wheelchair much earlier during exercise will help them to maintain muscle tone and keep them active for longer.
The Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair is designed to get senior and disabled pets back on their feet so they can get the exercise they need and also encourage them back to what is important, enjoying their family!
It really is never too early to consider recommending a wheelchair and if you have a patient that is stumbling, losing their balance or tiring easily, it could be the right time to consider a wheelchair.
Although it’s true that many animals using wheelchairs are paralysed or have suffered a traumatic injury, it’s not the case with every patient. Many are still able to walk on all four paws and even stand on their own, however, Walkin’ Wheels provides support, allowing the patient to stand upright and get the exercise they so desperately need. Even patients that can still move their back legs can benefit from using a wheelchair!
Older dogs who tire easily on long walks or whose joints ache from arthritis or hip dysplasia can greatly benefit from a wheelchair. The wheelchair supports them from underneath, relieving the stress on their joints which allows a dog to walk with ease. How your clients use their wheelchairs with their dogs is up to them! Many dogs use wheelchairs every day, while others use them only on days when they need a little extra help.
For dogs recovering from injury or surgery, the Walkin’ Wheels can help them get back on their feet faster. A wheelchair can even be a wonderful addition to a dog’s rehabilitation program.
The Walkin’ Wheels Wheelchair is the only fully adjustable wheelchair available on the market, with the ability to adjust to the needs of the patient as their condition changes – it can even change from a rear-only wheelchair into a full support quad wheelchair with a simple attachment.
Brodie and Bruce
Jimmy James and Kobie
Roqui in his (1) rear wheelchair and (2) using the full support wheelchair as his condition deteriorated
In 2019, after 25 years as a Nursing Practice Manager with Dr Michael Burke in Adelaide, my wonderful boss decided the time was right for him to retire and so I also moved on. Since 2006, whilst working full time in the practice, I had also been running my online business Pets Need A Life Too dedicated to enriching the lives of pets by educating pet owners on behaviour enrichment ideas and helping prevent boredom-related behaviour problems.
In 2013, Pets Need A Life Too branched out to also include mobility aids from HandicappedPets USA after my own dog Cole, required a wheelchair when he started to have problems with Degenerative Myelopathy.
In 2020 I decided to take on the role of Australian distributor for HandicappedPets USA and started HandicappedPets Australia and I’m very excited to be able to share information about our range of mobility aids now available in Australia.
Over a series of posts, I’ll be highlighting the amazing products available to help your clients and their pets retain their mobility for a lot longer and in many cases, allow you to be able to say to your clients “Euthanasia is NOT the only option”.
Find out more..Please email me or call on 0419 824 937 if you are interested in knowing more about the range of mobility aids available at HandicappedPets Australia products or if you would like to receive a catalogue.
Happy Roqui in his wheelchair
Over a 35-year veterinary nursing career, Gillian Shippen developed a special interest in animal behaviour enrichment and in 2006 began her business Pets Need A Life Too, dedicated to behaviour enrichment. In 2012 after recognising a growing need in the pet industry, she incorporated mobility aids and in 2020, established HandicappedPets Australia. She believes that pets are family and whether disabled, injured and/or elderly, they deserve to live a happy and healthy life. HandicappedPets Australia offers the largest online selection of products to improve animal mobility. Gillian works with veterinary teams and pet owners to help keep pets mobile, safe, healthy, and ready to enjoy life! Be Happy. Be Together. Be Amazed. Be Moving. Be the Next Miracle.
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