Need Some Input Please

[Charlies_Dad]

I know there are a number of single women on this forum and hope that some can chime in on a big concern that I have. As some will know, our Charlie has Osteo and I have had for a long time an underlying fear that he could experience a fracture of one of his remaining legs. My concern has been twofold, first how to deal with the pain he would experience and second how to move a pup with a broken leg. I know if I am at home, I can carry him to our car however I travel frequently for business and I know my wife would not be able to lift him (he's approx. 75lbs). What is the best method to move a pup that you cannot lift? Also how to get him into a car? Unfortunately we do not have a lot of neighbours close by as we live in the country and the one directly across from us is at work all day and there is another neighbour who works from home that we may be able to call on for help but I would prefer to be prepared. So not a good subject but again something I need to be prepared for and need to eventually discuss with DW even though she does not wish to.

 

And no, Charlie is fine being his regular self but he is a crazy boy and there is nothing stopping that (nor would I want to as he enjoys it too much). This has just been a fear I have had and wish I did not.

 

Tks.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Charlies_Dad

[Guest PiagetsMom]

I'll be watching this thread for suggestions.

 

I can tell you that when Piaget broke her leg (hers was a compound fracture with bone showing and heavy bleeding) one of the few things I can say I was greatful for was that it happened on a Saturday morning when my DH was home to help and carry her out. She would not lay down in the back of the Rover, and yet she was going quickly into shock, so he had to ride in back with her, holding her up.

 

I honestly don't know what I would have done if I'd been alone, which I often am as my DH travels. I'm not sure how one person, regardless of their size, would manage this type of situation, but logically I know that you do what you have to do, the best that you can, when there are no other choices. I'd like to think I won't ever face this situation again, but if someone has a plan that would make this do-able for someone like myself, or your wife should she be alone, I'd sure like to know what it is.

Edited March 14, 2012 by PiagetsMom

[mom2four]

Kyle, the night that Jamey passed away, he was immobile. We carefully moved him to the bottom part of a plastic crate and carried that into the SUV. This is something that a single person could drag to the vehicle if needed. A blanket may work also but it's not as sturdy. But...MUZZLE your Grey first, especially if they do have a broken limb. I hope it never happens to Charlie or anyone else for that matter.

[Batmom]

Blanket and a smooth-surfaced ramp into the car.

[MaryJane]

They have those dollys that in addition to being upright can go flat so they are about 6 inches off the ground. You would have to lift the front of the dog and then the back of him onto the dolly but it is not so high that it would be impossible. You would also need to get a piece of plywood so that you can attach it to the dolly with some blankets.

 

Getting to dog into the car can be done with a wheelchair ramp - I have one that I use for my mom and it's about 5 to 6 feet long so it works for my minivan. If you have an SUV, you would need to get a much longer one - maybe 10 or 12 feet - so it goes into the back of an SUV.

 

You could use the dolly to roll your dog right up into the vehicle and if needed, at that time remove the dolly.

 

You want to pick up adjustable strapping at the store so that you could harness your dog onto the plywood and dolly.

 

You could also use a piece of plywood and roll your dog onto it and then using a ramp, push the plywood up onto the dolly and then use the dolly with a ramp to get your dog into a car.

 

One of my most current ideas which I have not completely thought out yet is to get a piece of plywood and screw in heavy duty wheels on one end and put grommets on the other end so that it could be used for ropes to lift and pull or maybe even to attach another board that has wheels.

 

There are quite a few options but, they all require a ramp for the car, plywood, quilting material (like movers use), strapping, and dolly or something with wheels.

 

Right now my backup plan is to use my dolly, ramp, plywood, strapping all of which I have in the house but, I want to try and do the wheels with a piece of plywood because it would be much more maneuverable and it would have a dedicated purpose.

 

Hope that helps ...

 

 

I forgot to add - if your dog is on a second floor and you need to get him to the first floor - piece of plywood with cushioning and some strapping and one end of the plywood needs to have a board which is used as a stopper. the board needs to have holes because you'll have a rope which you use to slowly let the plywood slip down the stairs (which is why you needs the stopper and strapping - to keep your dog from sliding off).

 

They also make pulleys (mountain climbers use them) that you could put into a wall so you could use that to slowly have the plywood go down the stairs - they also have brakes.

Edited March 14, 2012 by MaryJane

[KF_in_Georgia]

Can you call your vet now and ask about options for at-home euthanasia? If you're in the country, there may be a large-animal vet used to being on call in your area. Ask any cow-owning or horse-owning neighbors what they do.

 

Also, Google pet euthanasia. One of the drop-down options I see is "pet euthanasia at home," and local (Atlanta-area) companies are listed.

 

This is based on the thought that a break for Charlie would be devastating and would require euthanasia.

 

For some other injury that immobilizes but isn't life threatening, the idea of a large-animal vet in the area may still be your best bet. (If nothing else, the vet can give pain meds and help move Charlie to the car.)

Edited March 14, 2012 by KF_in_Georgia

[Yamaha_gurl]

I honestly don't know Kyle. I know your DW is the sameish size as me, and I don't know how I'd lift Bella. I'm almost thinking if she had him on a blanket, and drove the car up to your berm in the backyard...I dunno. Maybe she could make (sew) a harness with a handle, make holes for his legs, stick em through and carry him like a suitcase? I know...sounds silly, but gosh I just don't know how else.

 

Edit: A mechanics rolling floor bed (I don't know what its called..you know that board on wheels), car driven up to the stairs, and then a large peice of plywood...so he can be rolled right into the car? You're handy, I bet you would do something like that.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Yamaha_gurl

[Guest PiagetsMom]

 

You want to pick up adjustable strapping at the store so that you could harness your dog onto the plywood and dolly.

 

 

From my experience, this would be a must, unless your pup is completely immobile. Piaget was not, she was frightened, and I don't see any way she would have been transported this way without being restrained.

[BauersMom]

I'm glad you are getting prepared - something I wish I had done, for sure. Let's hope you never have to use any of this information.

 

Here's what I ended up figuring out "in the moment"...

 

I wish I had my cell phone handy with me when I ran out to him, because then I could have called for help and also held him down - he tried repeatedly to get up... even though the leg was completely shattered. So instead, I held him down and yelled for help - thankfully someone was in earshot. So #1 - keep a cell phone around and have someone (or two people) in the neighborhood you can call in an emergency situation who are able bodied enough to carry a heavy dog. Be prepared for the dog to not cooperate in this situation... if I could have run back into the house for the cell phone, I would have - but I was very afraid of leaving him as he was struggling to get himself into an upright position.

 

After the initial fall, he went into shock pretty quickly. I thought about how I could help ease his pain, but it was clear that he was "out of it"... I'm not sure what options there are in that case, but maybe someone has a suggestion there.

 

Once I had help, we were able to lift him pretty easily - my neighbor picked his front end up, and I held his back legs. We have a hatch back, and again, it was easier than I thought it would be - without a hatch back, I'm not sure. The bigger problem was once I got him into the back, he again kept trying to get up. I wish I had asked my neighbor to get in the back with him, but instead I drove and tried to hold him down from the front seat...the whole thing really would have been better as a two person job and this goes back to point #1.

 

We ended up going to the closest vet, not our regular vet, since it cut the drive time by half almost - so I would suggest you get set up at the closest vet available and know the hours the vets are open around town. It was after 5 and I had no idea if this closer vet was open - they were, but the information that would have helped in the moment, rather than taking a shot in the dark. Also, pre-program their addresses into your GPS if you aren't totally familiar with how to get there, especially in a moment of panic.

 

That's all I can think of right now, if I come up with anything else, I will add it.

[revamp]

I used to work at a vet hospital and in answer to this thread went online to look for the kind of dog stretchers we used at the hospital to move large dogs. They were pvc-ish frames with tightly-woven nylon webbing and came with tie-down straps. Well, in a quick search I found this:

 

http://www.bellaspainrelief.com/dog-stretcher-2471-prd1.htm which looks even better. (stretcher with wheels--think rolling luggage.

 

You might still have to come up with a ramp strategy to deal with any stairs or getting into the car, but this looks like quite a nifty tool.

[racindog]

Do you have a large animal mobile vet in your county? When Minny- a BIG guy- was down I just called the mobile county farm vet. They respond to e-calls and they could treat and lift him on the spot. Check with the local vets that provide mobile service for the farms.

[BauersMom]

 

You want to pick up adjustable strapping at the store so that you could harness your dog onto the plywood and dolly.

 

 

From my experience, this would be a must, unless your pup is completely immobile. Piaget was not, she was frightened, and I don't see any way she would have been transported this way without being restrained.

 

I think this depends on the dog. Berkeley would have freaked out being strapped down. Again, hard to say what he would do in his shocky state - but I wouldn't have put that on my list of potential options for him because I know how, in normal situations, he would react. For some dogs, though, this might be the perfect situation.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

Batmom is right, using a blanket and a smooth ramp should work.

 

You could build a travois so she could load him onto it, strap him down, and drag the whole thing to the vehicle. As long as the car she's using isn't a 2-door, she should be able to scoot the whole thing into it so he would be safely strapped down for the ride.

 

I'm kind of imagining a stretcher made of a sturdy sled or something.

[oldrunners]

I too can say that this is a valid concern, as I am an elderly woman living alone. I have always had big boys, and I really do love them. Last Fall, when it was time for my last big boy to go to the bridge, I had to make an appointment with my neighbor to put Beggar into the car before I made the appointment with the vet. Had he not been available, I would've had to call on a friend from another town. I could've dragged Beggar to the car on a bed, but never could I have gotten him into the car alone. I have two little girls now, who, if something unforseen happens, I can at least get into the car one half at a time. That is, give a bear hug from above and lift the front end in, then boost the back end in behind.

[vjgrey]

No advice, but I'll be watching the replies carefully. I hope I never need it in the future, but this scenario was my biggest worry with Gabe. DH works long hours, travels a lot, and there's no way I could've lifted Gabe's 85+ pounds on my own.

 

Just one more thing that makes Osteo a complete and total nightmare.

[MaryJane]

You might also want to check with the AC in your area and the police - sometimes the AC can come with a stretcher and help and ... occasionally the police might give you a hand but, that is not really very likely (and you might not want the help they would provide). If your town does provide services, they are not going to be quick - you might have to wait hours ....

[MP_the4pack]

I'm a 50+ yr old single woman. I'm rural and live alone.

 

I already made a ramp years ago for my dogs to use to get in and out of the car. It's smooth wood that anything can slide up.

 

I have a small plastic pool that I've cut away the sides on half of it. This allows me to get the dog onto the pool bottom. I use the half that I did not remove the sides on to pull the dog. The plastic slides easily over almost anything. If you need extra help for sliding simply put down bath towels where you need to drag the pool.

 

If they can handle the small lift onto a dolly (still in the pool) that's a plus. It goes up the ramp more easily.

 

My car is a 4Runner. Sits very high. SO the dog must be able to be slid up. So I would try to get the pool and dog onto the furniture dolly.

 

You can add slits around the entire pool and get wide nylon straps if you think you'll need to secure him.

[greytpups]

We have a bike trailer, one that people use to attach to their bike while their kids sit in the "trailer". I wonder if you could fabricate some sort of stretcher out of it. I'd use this in a pinch with a strap(s) to hold down our grey in a pinch. I don't think a blanket would work unless our grey was unconscious or strapped in so he/she couldn'tmove. I can carry our greys, but I imagine a stretcher would be more comfortable, relatively speaking, depending on the injury.

Edited March 14, 2012 by greytpups

[Time4ANap]

I've worried about the same thing in the event that Rocket would be injured. Fortunately, we could probably find someone to help in most cases. One of the things I like about living in a small town is that people are often more willing to help when needed.

 

I would check to see if your vet was willing to respond out to the house in an absolute emergency, or if it's possible for them to send a vet tech to help move him if you have no other help.

 

If you have anyone in the area who does pet sitting or dog walking locally, they may be available in an emergency as well. Most will charge their normal rates, which usually isn't that much, especially if they are in the area anyway.

 

If you have a local Volunteer Fire Department, check in advance to see if there's anyone there who does "odd jobs." Our local firehouse is a great source for finding help of various kinds. Many of the people there do seasonal work and are always looking for a way to make a few extra dollars. If you can find someone there to be "on-call" you can agree on a rate of pay in advance if you need them to come on short notice.

 

 

[sweetdogs]

I used to work at a vet hospital and in answer to this thread went online to look for the kind of dog stretchers we used at the hospital to move large dogs. They were pvc-ish frames with tightly-woven nylon webbing and came with tie-down straps. Well, in a quick search I found this:

 

http://www.bellaspai...r-2471-prd1.htm which looks even better. (stretcher with wheels--think rolling luggage.

 

You might still have to come up with a ramp strategy to deal with any stairs or getting into the car, but this looks like quite a nifty tool.

 

I've seen these in person & they would be what I'd get. What I should get.

[MaryJane]

Just a brief note that blankets for dragging DON'T work very well when used alone. Out of the many incidents that I have had -- one was with my shepherd (110+ lbs)and getting him out of an SUV after he had x-rays and anesthesia and he wasn't walking. An 8ft piece of plywood for a ramp worked OK but dragging using a blanket didn't - it got caught more often than not and was not "heavy-duty" enough going over cement and grass and just didn't have enough cushioning - I would not count on using that unless it was an absolutely last resort because I think you can do better if you have time to plan.

 

Someone mentioned using the plastic from a pool - that sounds like it has great potential as it would slide over surfaces.

[Trihounds]

First - call us! It would be a bit of a drive but we work from home and could be there within an hour.

 

Second - we brought Bumper home from the vet after his dental on a flat pet stretcher. It had wheels on it that could be used if there was only one person doing the lifting. That could be a good investment and I can ask the vet for their source if you are interested. It is similar to the one shown in the link above except it has smaller wheels.

[BauersMom]

I used to work at a vet hospital and in answer to this thread went online to look for the kind of dog stretchers we used at the hospital to move large dogs. They were pvc-ish frames with tightly-woven nylon webbing and came with tie-down straps. Well, in a quick search I found this:

 

http://www.bellaspai...r-2471-prd1.htm which looks even better. (stretcher with wheels--think rolling luggage.

 

You might still have to come up with a ramp strategy to deal with any stairs or getting into the car, but this looks like quite a nifty tool.

 

I've seen these in person & they would be what I'd get. What I should get.

 

I like this better than just straps - the 'envelope' looks like it would be more secure, if the dog was freaked by being strapped down.

[Guest snakes]

Good idea for a thread. This of course is one of my (and all osteo families) greatest fear. I keep a muzzle in the house now just for this reason. I often thought that a crib mattress (with dog strapped in) would be a good method as it is padded to absorb any bumps on the way.

Someone in the osteo thread said their vet gave them a dose of buprenex to have at home in such an emergency. This would render the dog a bit more chilled out as they loose a lot of coordination.

I'm lucky i have a local friend who works from home and is almost always available at the drop of a hat. My vet could also do an emergency call to my house (of course during 'normal' hours.

 

I am not sure what i would do "off hours", if anyone has advice how to safely get a dog (and me)down two flights of stairs, any suggestions are welcome. I can carry him. I always assumed I would just muzzle, wrap the leg in towels, then get down to the car...

 

How I wish I could have a euthanasia shot at home to give him....

[carronstar]

I used to work at a vet hospital and in answer to this thread went online to look for the kind of dog stretchers we used at the hospital to move large dogs. They were pvc-ish frames with tightly-woven nylon webbing and came with tie-down straps. Well, in a quick search I found this:

 

http://www.bellaspainrelief.com/dog-stretcher-2471-prd1.htm which looks even better. (stretcher with wheels--think rolling luggage.

 

You might still have to come up with a ramp strategy to deal with any stairs or getting into the car, but this looks like quite a nifty tool.

 

Thank you for this info. I will be ordering one. Where I will store it is another question.

 

I worry about this topic a lot. I am single and live in an apartment in NYC. I know that at night or on a weekend, I can beg my direct upstairs neighbors to load Aquitaine in a car...assuming they are home. Pet Taxi isn't 24 hours and you have to wait. Regular taxis can be iffy - some will stop happily, many won't.

 

When Morgaine was in status my walker and I were faced with trying to get a large (close to 90 lbs) girl on something to move her, and into her friend's van -- he was another walker but he had a van to transport multiple dogs and he kindly came to my house to get us to the vet. We had a heck of a time trying to figure out how we were going to get this large, flying/flailing dog out of the house, into an elevator, a van and then the vet. In desperation I had her find my building handyman who broughth the luggage cart. We double folded a fake fur blanket (thank you Pottery Barn) that is quite strong, slid her across the apartment, into the hall and onto the luggage/grocery wheelie thing. The vet techs were outside waiting for us when we got to the hospital. I never want to go through that again.

 

I know my friend Tina once said that one of her fears was being alone in New Hampshire and having to get her big boy ReRun into the truck by herself and then to the hospital. Thoughts/fears like this make Morkies attractive...for about 10 seconds.