Dog wheelchairs · Orthotics · Made in India Because dogs don't give up

Weakness in a dog's back legs usually starts in the spine rather than the legs. Your vet may call it intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), degenerative myelopathy (DM) or a spinal stroke. Whichever it is, the front half keeps its strength, and that is what a dog wheelchair runs on.

Early on, a belly support harness can be enough to steady them. As the back end takes less weight, a wheelchair keeps your dog walking, and nerves respond to repetition, so every step is practice. If the back paws turn under, a knuckling brace is worn with the chair so each step lands flat.

A road accident or a bad fall can injure the spine, or the nerves running down to the back legs. How much movement comes back varies enormously between dogs, and it often keeps improving for months rather than weeks.

Your vet leads the early days. A rear lift sling helps with the first short walks, and a wheelchair takes over once your dog can be upright for longer, because repeated stepping is how the nervous system relearns the pattern. A knuckling brace protects a paw that has lost its sense of position

A knuckling brace encourages you to hold the paw in position so each step can land flat, which protects the skin and teaches a better pattern than a paw that folds under. If both back legs are weakening as well, a wheelchair carries the weight so the practice can continue for longer. A tele-consult can tell you which you need.

A knuckling brace holds the paw in position so each step lands flat. That matters beyond protecting the skin. The nervous system learns the movement it repeats, so a paw that lands properly teaches a better pattern than one that folds under.

Older dogs lose strength in the back legs gradually, so it is easy to miss until the walks get shorter. Arthritis and hip dysplasia are the usual causes, and stiffness, slipping on smooth floors and hesitating at the stairs are the first signs.

Support does not have to mean a wheelchair straight away. A rear lift sling takes some of the weight on walks, and a belly support harness helps around the house. Muscle and balance are kept by being used, so the aim is to keep your dog walking on their own for as long as possible. A wheelchair comes later, if at all.

A dog that suddenly holds up one back leg, or puts the toe down and no more, has most often torn the cruciate ligament in the knee. It is the same injury as a human ACL, and it usually happens in an ordinary moment: a turn at speed, a jump off the sofa. Your vet can confirm it by checking the joint for movement.

Surgery is the usual route and it works well. Where surgery is not the right option, a stifle brace supports the joint so the leg can take weight while the muscle around it does more of the work. A rear lift sling helps with stairs and getting up in the meantime. The brace is also used after surgery, to protect the repair.

Struggling to rise is often the first thing owners notice, and it usually points to the hips and back legs rather than the paws. Hip dysplasia and arthritis are common causes, and smooth floors make it harder.

A rear lift sling gives you a handle to take some of the weight through the push up, and a belly support harness stays on for the day so help is always to hand. Getting up unaided is worth protecting: it is one of the movements dogs lose first and regain last. A tele-consult can tell you whether the cause is strength or pain.

Every dog's mobility problem is different, and the right answer depends on how much weight they can still carry themselves.

A 20-minute video consult with a qualified pet physiotherapist. They will watch how your dog moves, tell you honestly what will help, and recommend nothing if nothing is needed.