Shoes for Noddy

Life Pets & Domestic Animals
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We have in our care a very friendly young dog called Noddy. He’s called Noddy because his head is constantly nodding; he suffers from constant, whole-body spasms due to a degenerative spinal disease that is pinching his spinal chord. It also prevents him from being able to use his hind legs properly. But it doesn’t stop him scampering about, loving his food, and enjoying attention.

Watch Noddy here

AnimalsTaiwan is researching alternative methods to alleviate Noddy’s symptoms and, who knows, maybe even cure his condition; in the meantime, we would like Noddy to be as mobile as possible, as he really enjoys getting out and about in spite of his disability. Currently he is living in a smooth-tiled area, but he also likes to waddle off and explore along any roads or streets that he encounters. But, because he drags his back feet behind him, rough surfaces give him nasty abrasions.

Noddy needs some shoes specially made to offer protection to the top of his toes. :s

If anyone has any idea how we can do this, or has the required skills to run Noddy up a snazzy pair of loafers, please let me know. We really want to help this lovable pup fight back against his handicap. If his condition deteriorates, we’ll consider making him a trolley for his back legs, but he can be far more mobile for now with protective boots.

Any ideas?

Sean

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seriously, I reckon shoes wouldn’t be that effective.

What I have seen before is a cradle with 2 wheels. Worked really well.
Like a U shaped thing with a strap ovet the top to hold the dog in. Mesh is good for peeing through.

I so wish I had a garage here and I’d have one for you by tomorrow.

Edit: Sorry, just re-read your post and I see you are going to give rehabilitation a try.
Some leather boots with velcro bands to hold them on should do the trick.

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The shoes would drag on the floor and would need to be replaced soon, no?

I’m thinking a Tonka dump truck secured to his hips. I’ve seen it on 20/20 before. Let me find a picture.

I found this instead. Wheelchairs for Pets!

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I agree that the trolley may be the better idea which is what both 914 and Truant have said. Edit: I’ve now watched the video a few times more and re-read the original post and it does look like rehabilitation might be possible. The video reminded of my parents’ dog which had arthritis and used to rub her belly against carpet while walking possibly for the purpose of pleasure.

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Yeah, I just took a look at the link 914 posted, and I think you’re all right.

So, it looks like we need to have a special fundraiser for Noddy’s wheels! :slight_smile:

According to the pricing, we’re looking at around US$450 to US$500, which I’m estimating based on the cart, stirrups, perhaps the belly support, plus shipping.

That’s about NT$16,000. :astonished:

Any ideas for a fundraiser? Preferably something that will get in the papers to raise awareness?

Well? :wink:

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A Fun Run would be a great fundraising in the Fall. Runners can bring their dogs, strollers, rollerblades, etc. Make it a parade! Raise awareness, running=feet=mobility. It’s something easier to do in the West, though. Streets would need to be closed off in Taibei, and I reckon there would be a lot of red tape surrounding that.

Buddy Masin Ramblers benefit concert?

Stray Dog, would you like to email that site first and ask Ed if he’s willing to waive the shipping fee or give us a discount? He might be interested in cooperating with AnimalsTaiwan.org.

Thanks, everyone.

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I think you should check out the shoes option too, Maybe it could help strengthen his legs. I believe that they make shoes for sled dogs, although you probably won’t find any of them is Taiwan.

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gearfordogs.com/pages/Dog_booties.shtml, here is a website with dogs shoes on it, it may give you a good idea how to make some

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greyhoundmanor.com/pat/boot/bootpat.html here is a site that shows you how to make doggie boots

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Thanks for the links! :slight_smile:

Dragonbones is going to rustle some up for him today, but it’s clear that, for mobility, this guy needs a wheelchair.

He can use the boots at home and when in ‘small’ areas, and the wheelchair for long walks, etc.

OK, I’m putting my fundraising head on …

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I met Noddy, and he is, despite his disability, SUCH an active dog! I can’t believe how fast he moves:)

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There’s a tie-in there somewhere, I just know it! Plus, “Cripples for Cripples” – MBR are all emotional cripples if not physical ones. :wink:
Let me talk to the chaps – we have a show next Saturday night at Witches House. How about if we ask the boss if we can have an AnimalsTaiwan table set up with the donation box? This is off the top of my head – I’d need to clear it with the rest of them, and with the Witches people, too.
Sean or 914, I’ll be in touch when I’ve spoken to David.
Noddy’s a nice dog, even with his drooling!
Check out some of the hiking websites – REI.com, eg. There are boots for hiking dogs and sled dogs. Pretty common. Possibly they’d do, with a bit of customizing – they’re designed more to protect the pads rather than the tops of the feet.

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Regarding shoes, best to do a test run with cheap jerry-rigged shoes to see if he’ll tolerate them. He may be inclined to chew them off.

On the plus side, i did meet a woman at the vets Friday night who mentioned to me that she built a roll-around rear-support wagon for her dog after he lost his rear legs in an accident. She said it worked swimmingly. I can try to track her down if need be…

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yeah, $450-$500 USD might be the easy solution but geez that’s expensive :astonished:

Reminds me of the 200USD dog catching poles :sunglasses:

I am sure Noddy won’t be the last dog AT.org finds that needs some wheels. Anyone seen these in the larger pet stores? I’ll check our big 24hr warehouse thing out here.

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For sure, if we can get something (done) cheaper, then let’s go for it.

The design looks simple enough; the inclined wheels I’m guessing give greater balance.

Well, I’m going to write to the makers and mention what we do, and that this migth be the first in Taiwan, and that we could promote them, etc. etc. :wink:

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I have some good leather sides and tools, and can try to rig up some custom shoes for him. At a minimum, I can rig something temporary up for him to see how he tolerates it. If he doesn’t mind them we can probably make a second set to attach to a wooden base with wheels, if anyone has the skills to rig that up. (I’m limited to cutting leather, stitching with heavy nylon/kevlar threads, copper rivets, craftsman glue, punching lacing holes, running lacing, and velcro, in terms of technology.)

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I saw on a TV show called “Campus Vets” a puppy that had contracted Parvo. The puppy ended up surviving, but it was thought that it would never walk again…it just kind of scooted around, exactly like Noddy does.

The one nurse on the show made him his own “walker”. It was like a sling that went under his belly and helped to hold up his back weight a little bit. Of course, it had wheels on it, too, so then this little puppy could learn to gradually use his back legs more and more, slowly putting more weight on them. He eventually became fully rehabilitated!

I tried to find a picture of something like this but couldn’t. I also tried contacting the show people through email and they were useless, too. I hope something works out for Noddy!

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You know, TD, I think your suggestion could work for Noddy. He was running around like any normal dog last night (on the grass), but I’ve noticed that the muscle in his legs is wasted. If we can make a wheeled support as you suggested, I really think we’ll see at least some improvement in his gait.

Buddy, the dog tha was lucky enough to be adopted by smerf, had a wasted right shoulder muscle; smerf refused to treat her like a disbaled dog, put her on a high-quality-protein diet, and made her use the stairs instead of the elevator. Watching her now, you’d have no idea that she was once lame.

Noddy is getting the very best diet there is right now, and he gets taken for two walks a day. I’ll also take him swimming when I have the chance, so his back legs can get maximum exercise with minimum stress, but the support idea sounds great.

Also, get this: I did some online research that indicated his spasms could be alleviated or even cured with magnetic therapy. It looked like Noddy would have to go abroad for such treatment, though. But, on Sunday, at Grandma Nitti’s, I got talking to a really nice guy who had dogs, and he mentioned that he brought over a magnetic system worth NT$1m to treat his dog’s arthristis. Of all the people I could met with Noddy, I met probably the only man in Taiwan with the meachine that could help this dog - and he said if it will help Noddy, we can try it. :astonished:

Needless to say, we’ll be doing all we can to give Noddy the best quality of life we can.

Thanks for all the suggestions - keep 'em coming! :notworthy: :bravo:

Sean

**OOPS! Mods, these two posts should go in the ‘Shoes for Noddy’ thread! :blush:

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I hate to be the skeptic here but magnetic therapy!? There is no proof that that works whatsoever. The idea of helping Noddy with some physio therapy is great, wheels, shoes, exercise and diet, but stick to something that isn’t really expensive and that is proven to work. I know you guys work hard to rehabilitate dogs that otherwise wouldn’t have a chance, but I think you might want to do it the smurf way :sunglasses: Make him work that back end. Also time might be a wonderful healer. My dog suffered a back injury after a moose stomped on him. He had trouble for about a year but is running around all over the woods now:) Anyway good luck with Noddy, is there anyway you guys might be able to make him some leg braces that will help him straighten out his gait and keep his body in the correct posture?

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"Iron atoms in a magnet are crammed together in a solid state about one atom apart from one another. In your blood only four iron atoms are allocated to each hemoglobin molecule, and they are separated by distances too great to form a magnet. This is easily tested by pricking your finger and placing a drop of your blood next to a magnet. " --Michael Shermer*