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As a veterinarian or pet health professional, recommending a pet wheelchair earlier rather than later can make all the difference in an animal’s recovery and quality of life.
Waiting too long can lead to unnecessary muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, and a decline in mental well-being. However, recommending a pet wheelchair earlier can yield significant long-term benefits.
Key Benefits of Early Wheelchair Use
1. Preserve Muscle Tone and Prevent Atrophy
Limited mobility leads to rapid muscle loss, and once atrophy sets in, regaining strength becomes increasingly difficult, especially for aging pets.
A pet wheelchair allows animals to continue engaging in low-impact movement, helping them maintain muscle tone and avoid the downward spiral of disuse. This level of activity can be crucial for pets recovering from surgery or injury or living with chronic conditions like arthritis or degenerative myelopathy.
2. Promote Joint Mobility and Prevent Stiffness
Joints require regular movement to stay functional. In immobile pets, joint stiffness can develop quickly, limiting their range of motion and causing discomfort.
Early wheelchair use supports natural movements like walking, running, or playing, preventing joint deterioration and encouraging better long-term outcomes. Animal and even human rehabbers recognise it is essential to keep moving when things begin to deteriorate.
3. Safeguard Mental Health and Well-being
Inactivity can take a toll on a pet’s mental health. Pets that become isolated or unable to explore their surroundings are more prone to anxiety, frustration, and depression.
Mobility aids help pets maintain their routines and independence, promoting mental stimulation and keeping them socially engaged with their families and environments.
4. Improve Long-Term Prognosis and Quality of Life
The earlier mobility aids are introduced into a pet’s life, the more effectively they can adapt and thrive. In cases of progressive conditions like intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) or neurological disorders, proactive use of a wheelchair ensures a higher quality of life for both the pet and its owners. Pets can remain active participants in family life, and the emotional burden on clients is reduced when their animals continue to enjoy meaningful activities.
Encourage Early Adoption for Better Outcomes
Many people may view a wheelchair for their pet as a last resort, but waiting too long to introduce mobility aids often results in reduced physical and mental health.
However, encouraging your clients to adopt a pet wheelchair early ensures their pet stays healthier and happier throughout the recovery process or chronic condition. The earlier it’s introduced, the more effective it is in maintaining the animal’s overall well-being.
Your clients will also appreciate the proactive approach, knowing their pet is getting the best chance at a healthier, happier life.
Common comments and reactions from pet owners
When I speak to my clients about wheelchairs for their pets or when I am fitting them, there are several common threads in our conversation:
1. I wish I had known about / or done this earlier
2. My Vet didn’t tell me / didn’t know anything about this option, or / my vet is against it
3. I wish more Vets and Pet Health professionals knew about this option
And there are the inevitable tears when the owners see their pet take those first steps in the wheelchair.
It is a light switch moment – you can see the pet’s whole demeanour change. Its face relaxes, its ears perk up, the body relaxes, tails wag, and there is a “smile” on the faces of both the pet and the owners.
It is a remarkable and precious moment.
The beauty of the Walkin’ Pets wheelchair I recommend and use is its simplicity and adjustability. The Walkin’ Pets Wheelchair adjusts to the user’s needs in width, length, and height. It can even convert from a rear-only wheelchair to full support with the optional extra front attachment and back again if required for rehabilitation purposes.
We can accommodate pets from as little as 1kg up to 82kg. The Walkin’ Pets Wheelchair is not just for dogs; we have also fitted wheelchairs on cats, rabbits, lambs, goats, sheep, and foals.
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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