Need A Better Way To Carry Riley Upstairs/downstairs

[Guest EmilyAnne]

My eskie who has cancer, is 54 lbs, more than half my weight. I've been carrying him up and down for quite a while now, but lately it is getting harder as I know I have been losing strength lately. This morning, he did a long yelp as I carried him down. He has multiple tumors on his chest area. I used to be strong enough to carry him a better way but I just cant do it now. Going up the last few nights I usually have to set him down a couple steps from the top and then really guide him the rest of the way. It's actually a front leg that is the biggest problem, not rear leg weakness which is more common. And going down the stairs is harder on him than going up. I really, really, really want to be able to continue to help Riley up the stairs because with me and my soon to be ex, the upstairs is my sort of sanctuary.

 

Could I take a sweatshirt, make a sling type deal? Any ideas? Cant be a sling that just supports back legs, but helps take weight off all his legs. Something that puts even pressure on the whole chest/belly area, as opposed to my hands digging into one localized place on his chest.

[mom2four]

Would putting him in the bottom half of a dog crate (the top off) be a way to do this? You could drag it up and down the stairs, or someone could help you? This is our plan with Jamey when he comes home.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

Would putting him in the bottom half of a dog crate (the top off) be a way to do this? You could drag it up and down the stairs, or someone could help you? This is our plan with Jamey when he comes home.

Ah!!! I do have a plastic crate, that I bought for putting 2 cats in, would be just the right size for this kind of thing! I am going to try this!!!

[Guest greytful4]

This is so sad,but is he able to just stay downstairs at night? I had to do that for my Kylie during her illness, I just couldn't carry her and I was afraid she would fall down the stairs.She got to a point where she didn't even try to come up. Hugs to you...

[Guest MorganKonaAlex]

Perhaps a harness so you can assist without carrying? I bought this one for a tripod Life and Assist harness but noticed this one too. Total Dog Harness

[Guest EmilyAnne]

This is so sad,but is he able to just stay downstairs at night? I had to do that for my Kylie during her illness, I just couldn't carry her and I was afraid she would fall down the stairs.She got to a point where she didn't even try to come up. Hugs to you...

Tony did offer to let Riley sleep in his room downstairs at night. But that would bum me out not having him upstairs with me.

 

Perhaps a harness so you can assist without carrying? I bought this one for a tripod Life and Assist harness but noticed this one too. Total Dog Harness

I was hoping for something that covers all of chest and belly uniformly so as not to localize pressure on the tumors.

[GreyPoopon]

Perhaps a harness so you can assist without carrying? I bought this one for a tripod Life and Assist harness but noticed this one too. Total Dog Harness

 

The first of these two looks like the Ruffwear Web Master. I got one for Cora when she came home with her repaired femur. I thought it did a better job supporting the front than the back. I'm not sure whether you could position it to avoid Riley's tumours.