The damage caused to Fulu’s spine was irreparable and he was left paralysed from the waist down.

This week, Fulu was welcomed by his new family in Germany. Fulu is an eight-month-old Pharaoh Hound puppy. A couple of months ago, Fulu was hit by a passing car. The damage caused to his spine was irreparable and he was left paralysed from the waist down. Unable to cope with the enormous consequences, and facing the prospect of caring for a semi-paralysed dog, his owners took him to the Island Sanctuary in Delimara. It was there, within the safe confines of the Sanctuary, that Fulu started to build a new life thanks to the dedication of the volunteers.

When he arrived at the Sanctuary, Fulu could move about only by using his forelegs to claw at the ground and drag his limp rear behind him. The sanctuary started by procuring a dog wheelchair that they could attach to his hind legs, and held secure by means of a harness around his chest. The wheels would function as his hind legs and give him the opportunity to move about.

Gradually, Fulu started to walk upright again, using his forelegs as the driving force and building powerful chest muscles in the process. He learnt to scuttle along the dog runs, negotiate awkward corners and even ‘reverse’, all the while strapped into his little blue chariot.

Although not incontinent, Fulu had lost the ability to crouch to poo and pee, but he quickly developed a way of indicating to the dog carers at the sanctuary that he needed to relieve himself. Slowly but surely, Fulu became stronger and more confident, and this week a good family from Germany took on the enormous task of adopting and caring for him.

It is no mean feat looking after a mobility-challenged pet, so the determination of Fulu’s new owners is truly admirable. For those pet owners who are willing to take on such a commitment, and provided that quality of life remains decent, there is much nowadays that can be done for disabled pets.

Being mobility-challenged means that your pet’s physical movements are limited or curtailed. Your pet may have been born with the disability, it may have come about due to old age, degenerative illness or as a result of trauma as happened with Fulu.

Having diagnosed your pet as mobility-challenged, your vet will advise you as to the various options available. Many old-age disabilities can be treated with medication that alleviate the symptoms. Some degenerative illnesses, however, cannot be stemmed and you might have to consider humanely euthanising your pet if its quality of life becomes poor. With small dogs or cats, lifting and moving them without aid is achievable if you are strong enough. With large dogs, the situation becomes more complicated.

If your dog’s disability involves one or more missing limbs, prosthetics such as lifts or wheelchairs may provide some movement, though this very much depends on the extent and location of the disability.

It is no mean feat looking after a mobility-challenged pet, so the determination of Fulu’s new owners is truly admirable

Indeed, prosthetics such as Fulu’s chariot are an excellent option to consider if the reason for your pet’s disability is a spinal problem and there are no missing limbs. However, with the option to keep a mobility-challenged pet, you need to be aware of other issues besides prosthetics.

If you have more than one dog or cat at home, pack instinct could be a problem and you would need to give your pet additional ‘protection’. Sometimes, owners of independent-minded pets find that their animal companion initially resists the unnatural presence of mobility equipment and tries to get away from it. However this tends to be a temporary phase won over with love and patience. Other owners find that their pets are so intelligent that they will attempt to assist getting into harnesses or slings by wriggling and writhing, which instead unwittingly hampers the process. This too is a temporary phase that quickly passes once they learn the routine and are able to pre-empt the sequence.

Stool and urinary incontinence is a condition that often accompanies paralysis, and cleanliness could become an issue. Depending upon the extent of disability, your dog or cat might not be able to groom itself, so you need to be prepared to bathe it frequently – both for its well-being as well as yours and that of your family.  The issue of incontinence is particularly important with large dogs since it is that much harder to bathe them effectively.

In between baths, your vet can prescribe wet wipes that are suitable for animals. Because of the frequent bathing, dry skin could develop. Your vet will advise you as to which products are best to combat this problem. Longhaired pets should have the area around their genitalia and anus shaved. This will not only reduce odour but help prevent the skin becoming sore from contact with urine.

Nappies in various sizes are available for both cats and dogs, but it is essential that you bathe your pet because of the constant skin contact with urine. Do not apply baby rash creams or balms without consulting your vet as these may be toxic to animals.

One very important reason for frequently washing your pet is because of blow-flies that are attracted to the smell of urine or faeces.

Blow-flies or bottle-flies are those flies with a metallic blue, green, bronze or black body that we start to see in the warmer weather. They love to feed upon anything that smells pungent, rotten or putrid, and will lay their eggs on animal faeces.

The warmer the weather the sooner the eggs will hatch in maggots that start to burrow into living tissue. The problem will start out as an irritation, but can become serious within hours. Your pet will go into shock caused by the enzymes and toxins produced by the maggots and by this stage, your pet will need emergency veterinary care. Left untreated, it will be fatal.

Bed sores are a problem that dogs with paralysis will suffer from if they spend too much time in one position, or lying on hard surfaces such as floor tiles.  You can help by frequently turning your pet over during the hours that it spends lying down.  Arthritis often develops in the joints as a consequence. If you are interested in offering your pet rehabilitation therapy, your vet is best positioned to explain your pet’s condition, so do ask for a referral.

It may sound like a huge commitment, but it’s good to know that disabled pets will not be consciously aware of being different to others, so they won’t feel depressed because they are disabled and will often be happy simply for being loved as they are.

However, mobility-challenged pets do need to adapt, and if you are committed to caring for one, so do you.  The photos of Fulu in his new home say it all.

Dr Martin Debattista is a veterinary surgeon.

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