Dog wheelchairs and mobility aids allow dogs with degenerative myelopathy and other causes of hindlimb paralysis to maintain mobility, exercise, and quality of life for months to years.
Dog wheelchairs have transformed quality of life decisions for owners of dogs with progressive paralysis: rather than being forced to choose euthanasia at the point of hindlimb failure, owners can maintain meaningful, active lives for their dogs for extended periods. The welfare assessment of wheelchair life is broadly positive: dogs in well-fitted chairs can exercise, play, swim with floatation support, and engage in normal social behaviors. The psychological wellbeing of mobile dogs is visibly better than that of confined, immobile ones. However, wheelchair use does not halt disease progression in conditions like degenerative myelopathy - forelimb involvement eventually occurs, and the point where quality of life becomes unacceptably compromised requires ongoing honest assessment. Dogs also cannot be left unsupervised in wheelchairs for safety reasons, creating owner scheduling requirements.