Is a two-wheel dog wheelchair safe for a paralyzed dog's back legs?

Yes, it is absolutely fine if you carry Bruno to grass. That would be better than putting him on concrete because he could injure his legs on the concrete due to propelling himself around on his front legs as you previously described.

Poor Bruno!! Distemper is terrible disease and he is lucky to have survived. The best way to prevent pressure sores and scratches is to keep him on soft surfaces and make sure he is rotating every two hours. One effective way to do this is to have a sand pit on the property. You can enclose the sandy area, which will give him enough room move around. Another option is to bandage over the hips and other areas that tend to get scratched. You can bandage with extra padding (like roll cotton) to help keep him from getting pressure sores. You can also put a t-shirt over the hind end to help protect it. However, you would need to change the bandages everyday and they can be difficult to keep from slipping. I hope that helps and all is well with Bruno.

Without a full physical exam it is impossible for us to guess if this would be appropriate for Throttle - you should discuss this with the vet that examined him. It would be important to know if he has feeling and reflexes in the feet and along his spine as this helps to estimate the severity of any possible spinal injury. If the spine may be unstable then moving in and out of a wheelchair may make things worse. Antiinflammatory medications, acupuncture and chiropractic care may all help where specialist spinal surgery is not an option

The lifting aid will help both the front and rear legs. Not all dogs will take to a wheel chair and it’s difficult to get them in it. If he’s strong on the front legs then the wheelchair will work. If he’s weak in the front legs he won’t be able to stand. I would start with the harness and then if he’s gets to walking normally in the front legs then consider adding a wheelchair. Dogs can only be put in the wheelchair for about five to ten minutes at a time, several times a day, since it’s very tiring when they are out of shape. Also you need to be strong to get his rear legs lifted in and out of it. Work with the standing and walking with assistance in the harness. If he improves slowly then hopefully he won’t need the wheelchair. Also if you are able to purchase a real Help em Up harness, by Blue Dog designs, they are easier to use that what you’ve shown in the photograph. Thanks and good luck with Toby.

Without knowing the exact diagnosis and why she is not able to walk now , it would be very dangerous to recommend physiotherapy. If you have not done so yet, Lucy needs to be seen by a veterinarian and the cause of the paralysis needs to be found, whether it is a fracture or pinched or damaged nerves or a slipped disk caused by the accident. This exam by your vet will also determine if there is any hope at all for your dog to be able to regain movement in his hind legs. Physical therapy can actually damage your dog more, if there are certain nerves or fractures involved.

I'm sorry that Bruno suffered from distemper! Your vet was right that there is no cure for distemper, and about 50% of dogs who come down with it pass away. It's fortunately that Bruno was one of the lucky ones to survive, but dogs who do survive often have lasting effects such as the paralysis you are seeing. I would recommend speaking to your vet about seeing if a doggie wheelchair can be made or purchased for Bruno. Dragging his legs on the ground can easily lead to wounds on his legs which can then get infected. A wheelchair will support him and make it easier for him to get around safely. Dogs with distemper typically do not have normal life spans due to the lasting effects of the disease, so to answer your question, Bruno will survive but for how long is truly unknown. I'm sorry I don't have a more definitive answer for you :-(

Wheelchairs are generally indicated when a pet has trouble walking and can no longer use the back legs very well. If this is the case for Sara, then a wheelchair may be beneficial. Otherwise focus on providing pain medication and joint supplements. Also focus on daily, low impact exercise such as a daily walk and swimming which will help to maintain muscle mass and stability. If you have additional questions, please feel free to post.