Wheeled mobility devices have transformed the quality of life for dogs with paralysis, severe arthritis, or limb loss, enabling exercise, independence, and positive welfare for animals who would otherwise be sedentary.
For dogs with paralysis or severe mobility limitation, wheeled carts represent a transformative welfare intervention. A dog confined to lying or dragging itself has severely restricted agency and cannot engage in fundamental canine behaviours — running, exploring, play. Cart access restores these behaviours dramatically. Studies and clinical observation consistently show that dogs with carts are more engaged, less frustrated, and show more positive affect than similarly affected dogs without mobility assistance. The welfare calculation requires individual assessment: some dogs with painful progressive conditions may find cart use uncomfortable, and for dogs with absent deep pain and no chance of recovery, quality of life must be honestly evaluated. But for many dogs — particularly those with IVDD who retain sensation — a well-fitted cart enables years of good welfare.