Over the last two years, Peanut's physical health has been declining. This is to be expected for a 12 1/2 year old mix of two large breed dogs, right? Of course. Humans expect their old dog to stop running but what about when their dog can't walk anymore?
Through the summer of 2008 as Peanut aged her gait grew to resemble a newborn horse. Not so much on the front end, but on the back end which is afflicted with hip dysplasia and a lumbar-sacral spinal lesion that is causing progressive neuro deficits.
In the early part of fall 2008, Peanut could no longer walk back after going outside. She had enough strength and endurance to get outside and walk around some, but could not get back in the house. I carried her a few times and even used my coat to support her back-end while peeing (yes she peed on my coat a couple of times). My dog is not one to accept limits so she continued to walk as far as she could before finally succumbing to exhaustion - regardless to how far away from home we were! I eventually stumbled upon the idea of getting a wagon to handle the to and fro of transporting Peanut to her favorite spots. After I transported her, I'd lift her out of the wagon to let her wander as she wished. Then I'd lift her back in the wagon and transport her back home.
Even with global climate changes, we still get a lot of snow in Minnesota. I worried how I was going to handle a wagon with snow. The logical solution seemed to be to get a sled. The sled was easier on my back because through the winter of '08-'09, Peanut was able to step into and out of the sled herself. As the snow disappeared we resumed the use of the wagon and continued with the same methods of loading, transporting, and unloading I described earlier.
I should mention how well Peanut does with both of her pieces of assistive technology. From the day I brought her home, she has loved, loved, loved to travel. It doesn't matter where we are or where we're going... she wants to go! She immediately adapted to her new human-powered methods of transportation and seems to understand they are essential for her mobility. The only time she tries to disembark is when she feels compelled to chase something - she forgets she can't anymore but the drive is still there!
One morning in the spring of 2009, Peanut could not walk. Undeterred she drug her backend around as needed to get around inside. But what about outside? I had a wagon but how would she pee and poop if she couldn't walk. Thus began a couple days of drama that reached an apex when Peanut was 3 1/2 hours away from euthanasia. The appointment was made and a last effort to toilet a bloated dog who couldn't walk started her current phase of assisted mobility.
Peanut in her Radio Flyer and resting after walking. January 2009
