Your beloved Chihuahua has suffered an injury or illness that affected her previously healthy legs, and she’s limited to being lifted and moved from room to room by you or she stays on her doggy bed most of the time. With help she can move around again.
Dog Wheelchair Information
Your Chihuahua used to get around easily on her four legs, and now you can give that ability back to her with a specially sized wheelchair. The wheelchair you ultimately select should make it easy for her to move around. The materials used for her chair should be sturdy and lightweight.
Your pooch will power herself and her wheelchair with her front or back legs, so she needs to be slipped into a harness that tightens around her belly and back. The wheels should lift her a bit higher than she used to stand, so her affected paws don’t drag on the ground. The first few days your dog is in her wheelchair, she will get used to this new form of locomotion. Once she gets used to it, all you’ll need to do is strap her in and let her go.
Walkin’ Wheels Mini
Walkin’ Wheels makes wheelchairs for small, medium and large dogs. Your Chihuahua probably weighs 6 to 10 pounds, so she’ll need a Walkin’ Wheels mini to fit her tiny frame. This company custom-builds chairs based on a dog’s width and height. This small cart doesn’t fold or fit into a tote bag. Because it is so small, you’ll be able to put it away without needing to fold it into a smaller size.
Ruff Rollin’ Wheelchairs
The Ruff Rollin’ wheelchair sized for your Chihuahua can be either front-supporting or rear-supporting, depending upon your dog’s condition. To enable her to get around more easily, her chair will have a harness with two straps that go around her chest and a third strap that goes over her back. A sling holds her lower belly so her rear legs are suspended just off the ground. Two large wheels allow your dog to roll her wheelchair so she can move around easily. Once she has learned how to move herself using her wheelchair, she will have almost unlimited mobility once again.
If her front legs were affected, a front-support chair holds your pup’s chest, keeping her front legs off the ground. Should she have weakness in all four limbs, but limited mobility with either the front or back legs, a full-support chair can help her regain her mobility.
Wheelchairs for Small Dogs
The owners of Wheelchairs for Small Dogs found that they could make their own wheelchairs for smaller dogs and toy breeds. These chairs are made using ball-bearing wheels, which make it easier for your dog to move around. In addition, these dog wheelchairs are lightweight, weighing about three pounds. If your dog’s rear legs are paralyzed, her chair will have a fabric strap to provide belly support. Should her front legs be paralyzed, she will have support under her chest.
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Writer Bio
Genevieve Van Wyden began writing in 2007. She has written for “Tu Revista Latina” and owns three blogs. She has worked as a CPS social worker, gaining experience in the mental-health system. Van Wyden earned her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from New Mexico State University in 2006.