My dog (chihuahua) gave birth to two puppies with no front limbs. I don't know how to help them survive. Honestly, I didn't expect them to last a week but they're a month old now.

They're trying so hard to move and it just breaks my heart whenever i see them try to "stand"

Any tips on how i can train them to have stronger back legs? Or just any general tips that may help me help them

So obviously dogs dream and move around the same way humans do when they dream… however, since he’s gone blind from old age, when he dreams he moves around like crazy. I’m thinking that he’s dreaming about times when he was younger and able to run and see the way he used to. Is that what is happening ? He never used to move or twitch in his sleep like that. It may be a dumb question, but I’m very intrigued if someone has the same experience with their blind dog.

i have a 16 year old shi tzu, who has lost use of his back legs over the last 2ish years. in may however, i lost my job and have been caring for him every day since. he can barely walk by himself (even in his wheelchair) and i constantly have to move him around. he barks constantly when he needs me to help him or even when he doesn’t. i don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t get a job because the rest of my family works and no one would be able to take care of the dog if i didn’t stay home. It’s seriously taking a toll on me and i don’t even know if he’s happy anymore either. We have talked about having to put him down but i feel so guilty because he’s generally healthy for a 16 year old dog, other than his mobility issues and arthritis. He still eats and drinks, and even occasionally wags his tail. He does sometimes have accidents in his bed though. Has anyone else gone through something similar? I’ve tried talking to friends for advice but no one else understands what we are going through. Thanks in advance I don’t know where else to talk about this :/

So glad to see this community exists! My dog recently had a rapid onset of MUE (think multiple sclerosis for dogs) and has lost use of his back legs. He's undergoing a treatment that seems to be making some progress, but for the time being, we have to manually express his bladder and manually evacuate his poops. This isn't a big deal when his poops are solid, but if he's having soft poops or diarrhea, it's hard to actually evacuate him. He sleeps on our bed and even though we have him sleep on a pee pad, but there's still risk of smearing if he happens to "leak". My wife has tried incontinence diapers before (she cared for two elderly dogs in the past) and says they don't actually work that well.

So for anyone who has experience in manual evacuation, how do you deal with diarrhea? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Hi, my dog (5y/o) had cataracts surgery two days ago and today we found out that the surgery went well but there was too much pressure in the eyes afterwards and she’s gone blind.

This is of course devastating as she’s my everything. I think I haven’t really come to terms with it yet….I just want some tips on how to care for her these upcoming days and what I can do to help her. Please!

The doctors also said that her vision may come back, or well some of it, if we’re lucky. But it’s a 50/50 chance and if it’s not better in max a week then it’s permanent. Do you guys know anything about this?

Meet Lily: our handi-capable Frenchie who will roll right into your heart (and over your toes)! Lily is a lovable gal who was brought in from a cat rescue in California. Her paralysis story is unknown, but what we do know about her is that she has the most joyful spirit and is the most loyal dog we've ever met! Lily loves to play fetch, has mastered using a wheelchair and a ramp, and is the ultimate cuddle bug. She is a social butterfly in progress and can be skittish when meeting new people. She loves all dogs and falls in love quickly when she feels she can trust you. She is comically goofy, fun to play with and loves trying new things. She's an ASMRtist in progress! We've never met a dog with more zest for life than Lily. She does need incontinent care, but a changing schedule makes that a simple task. Check out her adoption profile at freedomfrenchierescue.org or message for more information!

https://preview.redd.it/uapgelf1ba2e1.jpg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e1fc03d45ed45c80f1e430d2c2f0e8f6a83268f1

My boxer lab mix (male) is unable to use his back legs. We have to use towels as slings to carry him around outside. Well as is the nature of this disease his bladder control is weakening. I'm ready to invest in diapers and I need some brand recommendations. I still plan on taking him outside but he will definitely need to wear a diaper a majority of the day and night. He does have sensitive skin so I need recommendations on any doggy diaper creams as well. I prefer disposable diapers.

Hi all I adopted a disabled pup to join our house but her appears to actually have a lot of aggressive tendencies. He attacked our other dog this morning and latched to her muzzle- I was right there since we never leave them unaccompanied. It was a really scary couple of seconds. I reached out to the shelter we adopted him from for advice but was wondering if your disabled dog has had this issue. (He came from a shelter so he wasn’t in foster before we adopted him)

He is 4 and has nerve damage resulting in very limited to almost no use of his back legs. This is the fastest tornado 🌪️ with only the use of two legs I have ever witnessed. He also steals blankets off the couch and becomes a burrito. 🌯 We hope you have a great day. ✨

I’ve been wanting to adopt a dog for a while now and finally have it narrowed down to 2 dogs from 2 different rescues. One of the dogs is an almost 1 year old Aussie shepherd who was born deaf and has some vision impairment. I’m nervous about his impairments as I’ve never been around a dog that is blind or deaf. I feel like the things I’m worrying about are irrational and are only coming from my lack of experience with dogs with disabilities. I’m worried that I won’t be able to bond with him because he can’t hear me and he might not be able to see me as clearly either. I’m worried about training especially because his eyes are bad too so idk if I can rely solely on sign language/ hand signals. Will he be ok if I have to leave him home alone? I’ve been trying to read as much as I can about owning a dog that is deaf, and whose eyesight is not 100%, but I’m still feeling unprepared. How do I make sure I’m giving him a fulfilling life? How do I keep him stimulated and from being bored? Anybody who has adopted a dog with disabilities can you share your experience and how you adapted.

Hi! I foster dogs for my local Humane Society. Today I'm picking up my first foster dog on wheels! He is one year old with paralyzed hind legs. The medical staff is going to show me how to express his bladder and put him in his wheelchair. They also provide all medical supplies. The shelter staff thought my home would be good because I work from home and I have big open spaces for this cutie to zoom around in his wheelchair (much better than the shelter environment). I'm looking for advice/input from owners with dogs in similar situations. Any words of wisdom? Thank you!! 😊

Hi! Everyone! Our team is conducting a research project focused on designing pet products that cater specifically to the unique needs of senior and disabled cats and dogs. To better understand the specific challenges these pets face—beyond dietary requirements—I am seeking input from pet owners on issues such as mobility, pain management, grooming, comfort, and mental stimulation for their animals. 

Your input will help us better understand the specific needs of senior and disabled cats and dogs, so we can explore ways to improve their quality of life. I would really appreciate it if you could spare 10 minutes to fill out the questionnaire and share your thoughts with pet products. Thank you so much! Here’s the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDB1cVm_twFyt4M8hYOGN8OmEHQZ8sEn5UnU9Xehjb5hYORA/viewform?usp=pp_url

My disabled Pomeranian doesn’t really have the use of her back legs. She is a rescue who was abused and her back leg was broken and never set so it healed backwards towards her butt. It doesn’t really hurt her I don’t think, but the other leg atrophied from just leaving her lying for years probably. She is housebroken now, thank god, and kinda scoots to go potty. However when she pees she has pee running down her leg as she really can’t lift it. It also gets on her belly and her side if she lays down. With poop she is usually fine unless she loses her balance and falls in it I have been giving her butt baths, she’s only six lbs so it’s not hard but her skin is getting dry, and as it gets colder I don’t want her sitting here cold. Any suggestions for a spray I can just use to eliminate the smell from the fur that ends up with stuff on it I can’t see? I do wipe her down with baby wipes but it’s not enough. Thanks in advance and I’m sorry this is so long!