[Dailydrool] Dog with back problems

[dpmcquade at juno.com]

Someone asked about dealing with a dog who cannot do stairs, jump on the couch, and so on.

When our Abner went down in back due to a disk problem, we ended up having a ramp built to get him in and out of the house. It's been a real blessing, since the other hounds love it too. Our only problem has been keeping people from using it. We did not build railings, since that would be a space problem, but it's built so sturdily, a delivery guy and one of our relatives seem to think they should use it. If the town ever sees that, I'm sure we're going to get in trouble. So take that into account if you build one. The child in all of us wants to play on a ramp.

Only once in the time we've had him has Abner gone on the couch. I agree with others that if it hurts they are less likely to do it. But we have a really cushy bed for him that seems to suit him just fine. The other hounds even like to steal it from him, because it's so nice. I don't think he feels he's missing out on anything.

We have gated off all our stairs, so Abner cannot get at them. Even so, he once squeezed through the tiny cat door to get upstairs--his favorite spot when the terrors of a thunderstorm overtake him. Make certain there is no way for the hound to get around, under, or through the gate.

The worst problem for us has been making sure that the places we go are accessible to Abner. But since we have a ramp with which he can access his crate in the car, we have been able to go most places without too much trouble. You can always use the ramp for the car to get a dog indoors, if necessary. But buy the least bulky ramp possible. Even those tend to be large and heavy. If you have a lower car, you may be able to use one of the smaller ramps that don't need to be folded up. Ideally, I think it would be a good idea to have one of each, so you can access just about any place.
Pam, with Drew, food slave to the Dashing Bassets









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