FuzzyBear....new problem with Skyway

Oldman · March 13, 2005, 06:50:49 PM

A couple of weeks back I changed out my carpet to an impermiable rug so to insure Skyway did not get an infection due to something I missed.... I never gave thought to the lost of padding and the cushing of a regular cut pile.

Well this new rug has taken a toll on his legs. He is not just rug burned... his left leg many times will go 90 degrees under his belly and stays there. So as he hops around it has just tore up the flesh and his joints when he lands on that leg.

This is what I've come up with today. It is not the total answer, but I think I'm on the correct track. I took two carpet skidders and re-shapped them in boiling water. Next I use velcro strips as the fasteners. I also remove the padding from the skidders and place them on top of his legs to help protect that sharp edges of the velco.

Tomarrow we are going to rework what we did today. If that still does not get-er-done I'm going to call K9-Carts and see if they will make me a second custom wheel chair. One where the harness will allow him to lay down or sit up but his back end is only 3-5 inches off of the ground. I know he is strong enough to do this as when we are in the park and he gets hot playing he just plogs down with his butt still in the chair two feet up... damnest funnyest thing you ever saw!

Here is a picture of what I did today.

Wish us luck! BTW How are your darlings doing in the cold snow?? Have you had to get them snow boots yet? A lot of studies out there about bring warm weather dogs into snow and how they cannot handle it.

BTW I don't remember telling you but there is a cure for him today. However, it must be giving within the first 48 hours. It is just 27 months to late for us. [:(]

Olds

http://rminor.com

Oldman · March 16, 2005, 10:04:40 PM

Fuzzy when you get to seeing this I understand why you do not checking the boards as often.

We are now in a battle now to save Skyway's left leg. I've done all I know how to. Our Vet says I have to stop this soon or it will be to late. I've created everything I can think of. Spent too many nights awake trying to come up with a solution. So many hours drawing out ideas only to see them fail....

K9 Carts and myself are working on a new style cart for the house in effort to save this leg. It will be a lower unit that will be only 3-5 inches tall under his butt. This will allow him to sit and to lay down while keeping his legs off of the floor...and yet he will be able to move without restriction....wish us luck.

Damn the price...Susan and I just don't have the heart to see him go through anything else.

While my last idea works in protecting the area, due to the large blood vessel in that area no matter how loose I wrap his leg in foam bandage the heart pumps blood into the foot, but because he is not able to move that foot the blood does not leave due to the wrap... so in two hours his foot is almost 3X to 5x larger than normal... chit it is like I cannot win no matter what I do...what a #$%^$&* mess...
Olds

http://rminor.com

Chez Bubba · March 17, 2005, 01:22:12 AM

[:(]

Good Luck Olds. If anybody can figure it out for him, you can![:)]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

hinny · March 17, 2005, 02:03:44 AM

second time i've read this post-tears- nothing worse than seeing a good friend(best) suffer-the best to you and skyway----hinny

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · March 17, 2005, 02:54:11 AM

Olds sorry to hear that about Skyway,[:(] if you beed or are looking for anything just ask!!!!!!!!!!

Oldman · March 17, 2005, 06:53:48 PM

This is my idea that K9 carts and I'm working on.

Last night Sauce was kind enough to send me information about wheelchairs for dogs. He did not realize that Skyway has a regular wheelchair. In fact the first 11 months we had it Skyway walked me about 1600 miles!! I was replacing those tires every two month...However I could not replace my feet~~! For those who have not seen him in his outside chair this is his Christmas picture of 2004:

Again Sauce, thank you very much for you kind letter and thoughts behind it.... [:)] During this tough time it is comforting that you took the time to send to those articles. I also thank all who have express their thoughts in this thread. It does help to have real friends.

Olds

http://rminor.com

whitetailfan · March 18, 2005, 02:24:31 AM

Hey there Olds,
My 2 cents is that I hate castors. I'm thinking mostly of the problems associated with office furniture on carpet, but I would not base my design around front mobile castors. Skyway is obviously strong in the front end, but have you ever noticed kids if there are in some kind of car on wheels, or in a new style plastic wagon? It's terrible when the rotational wheels are sideways, or don't want to turn at just the right angle.

I am impressed with the "chariot" style chair you have now, and I wonder if you cannot keep that style with a lower platform. Forgive my childish drawing, I only have "paint" the program, but this is what I'm thinking of:

Now the hubs are going to be at 3 to 4 inches on a 6 to 8 inch diameter wheel, and I think it will roll way better, and still be in line with your design above.

Also you could look at a wheel that is even bigger, but that the axle could bend and be below the centre of the wheel.

JMHO

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · March 18, 2005, 03:01:02 AM

JUST a thought, yes biger castors like a 4" like you see on a tool box, i think instead of 4 wheels i would try 3 . two fixed in the back and 1 swivel in the front but set back a bit so his weight is over the front swivel , now on your platform take the front corners and cut them off like a 45 so he dosent get it stuck on something and play tugawar, still thinking about this so will report back later,

Oldman · March 18, 2005, 04:29:20 AM

Thanks for your ideas. We have a mechanics cart (the type that you use to roll under a car)and on this type of rug we have it rolls just about like it is on VCT. It is his day bed. As far as seeing them turn sideways with him that would not a problem.

As far as the same style of cart but lower it is the harness that holds his rear legs to the cart that is the problem. After a extend period of time if he is not moving the blood flow gets cut off from the legs. Next the cart cannot be high enough to be tipped over unless you are there with him to make sure this does not happen. Also the wheels have to inside the outside of the platform or he will get his wheels hung up on a table leg etc..

As far as having two fixed wheels in the back and 1 swivel in the front but set back a bit so his weight is over the front swivel and the platform corners 45 degree angle that was talked about today and we are considering goint that route. Not for the reason you mentioned, but because when he really want to move in the house he goes totally airborn... think of a frog jumping. At "lift-off" his front feet go up to his knees as you see in that picture of him sitting. Thus if it is not cut at an angle he paws would hit the platform.

Next the platform has to be tied to his back end. In his outside cart his back end is held by the hooped harness. If the cart is not tied to him even with the front harness and bars going down his sides we feel he could come out of it when turning too fast. This is the reason for the side railing. We are giving thought as to using a couple of bunji cords from railing to railing.

I also have to consider the clean ups and how a cart of this type can be cleaned several times per day. At this point it is hard to admit this but as of now most of the times he no long knows when he has to go outside. Sometimes he still knows and will come and get me, but those times are fading.

This weekend I will be making the cart itself. The adjustable bars and front harness should be here later next week. I'm going to go with 3/4 of not 1" of marine plywood. The lining will be carpet tiles. These are easy to remove and just hose off.

Monday I will go down to GoodYear Rubber Company and see what type of markless rubber they have so I can add bumbers to it. As to the railings I have not yet decided yet what to make them out of.

Again thank you for your ideas!

Olds

http://rminor.com

jaeger · March 19, 2005, 03:25:40 AM

Olds,
Sounds like you have some good ideas for Skyway. I liked the braces made out of plastic. They would have given him the most mobility, to bad they didn't work out. I have an idea for you to think about.
Do you remember those plastic snow sleds that were made out of a heavy plastic that would coil up if you were not on the sled? I was thinking that if he was on something flat like this type of plastic, with his upper body strength, he would be able to pull himself around in the house, especially on carpet. It would have to be hooked up with his harness, and folded up on the sides a bit and probably attached at his waist as well. With this sled, it would act like the braces only it would offer support to his entire hind end.
Just a thought.
Give Skyway a good scratch for me. [:)]

Doug

Kummok · March 19, 2005, 05:46:29 PM

Olds:
I grew up on a ranch with LOTS of critters of all kinds....it grips my heart to see Skyway in that condition.[:(] He sure looks like a trooper though! If you'll private me with a mailing address, I'll send some special Wild Alaskan King Salmon treats down to Skyway.....it won't cure his disability, but it'll sure make him forget about it for a moment[:p][:p]
RC

35 years of extinguishing smoking stuff and now I'm wondering WHY!
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

whitetailfan · March 19, 2005, 07:06:36 PM

Hey Kummok,
Woof Woof[:p][:p][:p][:D]

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

Oldman · March 20, 2005, 12:44:23 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">snow sleds <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> We have tried carpet skidders under a platform. However, he would seem alway get off of them no matter how I tied them to him. The problem is he was two ways of "walking" in the house. One is the hop, the other is the snake movement. It is the snake that killed that idea as he would some how wiggle his butt off.

I picked up all but one part today for his next "sled." Instead of having K9 carts do the bars and harness I've got that worked out too! The people were out of what I wanted but will have in tomarrow. This time I think we are going to win this one. If I'm correct he will be flying around this house big time tomarrow afternoon.

If I'm correct then all I have left to do is build a small ramp from the family room floor to the main house.

Olds

http://rminor.com

jaeger · March 20, 2005, 03:49:17 AM

Good luck Olds and keep us posted!!!!

Doug

simmy · March 24, 2005, 03:27:06 AM

Hi Old's,,,

Curious if the "sled" you created worked for Skyway? I sure do hope you got it figured out. Your story has touched both my son and I. Thank you for sharing it with the forum. Good Luck!!!!

Steve