Betty's Wheels

I find it a bit ironic that Betty our retired therapy dog should spend the last of her life dependent on a set of wheels but then life is full of irony.

When our veterinarian told us that Miss Betty was falling victim to Degenerative Myelopathy, a painless but  eventual completely debilitating condition, she suggested that we look into getting her wheels as she was a very healthy dog in every other aspect.  My first reaction was to shake my head no and tell her that I would rather put her to sleep than burden her with that sort of future.

The next day at my office I got on the Internet and queried dog wheelchairs and like always the world wide web opened before my eyes giving me many options.  It was mind boggling when I started reading the bit that explained how to measure your dog for a proper fit.  I was just about to close it all up when I saw K9 Carts West, their website listed them on Whidbey Island and a phone number.  I called and got hold of the owner Barbara who was a delight to talk with.  I told her about Betty and asked if it was possible for us to come to her facility and have them fit her for a cart to which she replied yes. The island can be reached by bridge at the very north end or by ferry at the south end which of course is what we did.

 We left a day before our appointment and made reservations at the Langley Inn in the beautiful little village of Langley.

Our suite at the Inn was very nice and it also had a small kitchenette so we were able to prepare meals instead of relying on the few eateries that are available, and add to the fact that we would never leave Betty or any dog alone in a strange environment.  The next morning we drove out to K9 Carts where we were greeted by Barbara, her staff and two sweet little dachshunds.  Barbara has been perfecting these carts for a little over fifty years and is very used to dealing with all sorts of dogs and their owners.

The best part was I didn't have to do the measuring and left it to the professional. Actually the best part was the cost, $265.00

After the cart was built (20 minutes) Barbara slowly introduced Betty to the shiny red new set of wheels so that the whole process was slow and a positive experience for Betty.
On our return home we have started building her stamina back up with short walks but when we ask her if she wants walkies the excitement in her actions is rewarding in itself.  But the fact that she accepts the wheels now is a relief.


MeMa taking Betty for her first walk.

 

In this video you can see that she is able to move both of her back legs once again with the aid of the wheels, although she balks when she rolls over the bumpy thing in the pavement and the look she gives says it all.

Regardless if this gives her a couple of months or years we feel we made the right choice as she seems a happy little Corgi again thanks to Barbara at K9 Carts West, who by the way ships world wide.