Collapsible Dog Wheelchairs & Other Wheelchair Designs

K9 Carts is the original company in the USA that offered mobility wheelchairs for pets. They were first designed by a veterinary orthopedic surgeon as he realized that there was a need for a wheelchair to help mobility impaired pets remain active and healthy without creating further health issues.

Many paralyzed pets were not candidates for surgery and since there was nothing available 55 years ago the alternative was for owners to watch their pet drag around and do more damage to itself incurring sores and leg and spinal deformities. There needed to be a means of mobility for a pet to enable it to be active and up on all four legs as of course being a pet they were not content to lie still or confined to a cage. And so the first K9 cart was designed and manufactured.

In the 1970’s I realized that there were many pets that could still partially use either one or both of their hind legs or were recovering and coming back to walking on their own while using our carts and therefore we needed to incorporate a walking option into the K9 cart. This would allow the pet to rehabilitate slowly by placing one or both hind paws while giving it total rear support.

We have redesigned and improved our K9 Carts several times over the years as needs arose. For the past few years we have been offering a two wheeled cart that formerly only supported the rear legs into an extra supportive cart which will give 70% support to the front legs and from there can be turned into a fully supportive cart giving 100% support. The fully supportive 4 wheeled cart cart can be used two ways as it can be for the dog with progressive mobility loss or for the pet that has for example severe cervical problems and is recovering from surgery, dogs with coon paralysis or temporary front and rear paralysis that may be reversed with rehabilitation and a K9 cart.

K9 carts are orthopedically designed to keep the spine and limbs in alignment as this is paramount to helping a pet make a recovery to mobility which happens in many cases and with our extensive orthopedic knowledge we are able to adapt and make up a cart for any type of case while encouraging rehabilitation. Single amputees, double amputees, deformed spines, front limb problems, and species other than cats and dogs. We are now making carts for Chickens, Turkeys, Rabbits, Goats, Skunks and with a 3D printer we made up one for a Guinea Pig.

When selecting a mobility support for your pet. it is vital that you choose a wheelchair that gives the correct support and does not cause further damage to your pet. It makes sense to buy a pet wheelchair from a company with years of veterinary experience and knowledge which K9 Carts has. Unfortunately there are many wheelchair companies out there now who have wheelchairs that are heavy and out of balance and will not keep you pet’s spine and limbs in alignment and aid in recovery. Many pets recover their mobility after using our carts and the sooner you place your pet in a cart after loss of mobility, provided that they are not in pain, then the better the chance of them coming back to mobility. If your pet has a condition where the paralysis is not going to be reversed, pets can live long and happy lives in our K9 Carts. The longest living dog to my knowledge that used a cart was a little chihuahua named Wheely Willy who was in a K9 cart for 18 years. Scooter was a wonderful cat who was found paralyzed along the highway and he lived in a cart for 16 years- he used to try and catch mice in his cart!

There is actually a copy of our cart being made in China. Of course, it is less expensive but it is poorly made, not well balanced and there is zero customer service. When deciding to order a pet wheelchair you need to take into consideration that you want a company with excellent customer service and who understands and will advise as to what is needed for your pet at this particular time in its life with regard to its current mobility issues. We have the background and knowledge and have been complimented again and again on our customer service. We are here to help and give advice not just to sell you a wheelchair but to ensure that you understand both before the sale and after the sale what is needed to help ensure that your pet will be mobile and happy again. We will not suggest a cart if we feel it is not indicated and if we feel your pet needs a cart and you are doubtful about it we will advise you as to what is best for your pet.

There are a large number of companies now making wheelchairs for pets however the majority of them do not keep the pet in alignment and are heavy and not supportive where they need to be.

Do not make up a cart out of PVC tubing and sling supports. Yes it is cheap and may help your pet be up and mobile but it is not going to be beneficial for your pet and will inevitably cause other problems to the spine and limbs.

Do not put your pet in a collapsible cart. It could severely damage its spine and limbs. If your dog is young and strong and a small breed it will usually lie down on its bed with its legs out in front of it and will be perfectly comfortable doing so and then it will bounce back up and take off. If a large dog lies down in a cart it is indicative of extreme weakness in the front legs

We started a rent to own program several years ago so that if owners are doubtful if their pet will take to a wheelchair they can try it out for 2 weeks at a third of the cost of a new cart. The cart may be returned after the initial 2 weeks if they wish or with 2 additional payments they own the cart.

Your pet is is an important member of your family. We understand that and are committed to providing the best supportive wheelchair and follow up care for the important member of the family!

Barbara Parkes