ASSEMBLY & FITTING GUIDE. Best Friend Mobility Dog Wheelchair Assembly Guide

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "ASSEMBLY & FITTING GUIDE. Best Friend Mobility Dog Wheelchair Assembly Guide"

Jasmine Melton
6 years ago
Views:

1 Best Friend Mobility Dog Wheelchair Assembly Guide No matter what the reason, an injury or an illness, it is difficult when your pet becomes paralyzed or lose its ability to walk or move on its own.

1 1 Best Friend Mobility Dog Wheelchair Assembly Guide No matter what the reason, an injury or an illness, it is difficult when your pet becomes paralyzed or lose its ability to walk or move on its own. Much as you don t like to see them suffer, it does not mean you want them euthanized just because they re not mobile anymore. What we have here is an alternative. A solution that will surely improve your beloved pet s quality of life; something that will play a part in ensuring that it leads an active and happy existence, and make caring for it easier for you as well as well. Mobility affects animals in physical and psychological way just as it does, humans. It might be hard to believe but yes, it is as important to them as it is to us; to some animals, maybe even more so. Try to keep this in mind when dealing with a pet in such a predicament. Pet wheelchairs are beneficial to rehabilitation! For sick or injured pets who have a chance of regaining their mobility, using a pet wheelchair will help it not only maintain its strength but also add to it and build muscle as well. With the aid of our wheelchairs, a pet can gently work certain limbs while keeping the body properly aligned, allowing the spine and the affected parts to recover. Keeping pets happy and mobile will keep their spirits up and motivate them to recover faster. A degenerative condition requires immediate assistance. This is more common in aging pets. If yours has it, get help it some help. When a pet loses strength in its hind legs, most of its weight shifts forward. This puts a lot of stress on the fore legs and throws the spine out of alignment and may lead to further problems. A wheelchair will take the brunt of the stress that goes to spine and the fore legs. It will also let your pet move about and get the exercise it needs and keep its fore legs strong. Pet wheelchairs are not habit forming. A pet does not become dependent on them and a wheelchair cannot prevent your pet from going back to full use of its limbs. If able to walk without support, your pet will let you know that they don t want to use the wheelchair. As it is with a human, the instinct is stronger; it will take over when the right time comes. When a pet is all healed and need the wheelchair no longer, it just won t go on it.

2 2 The Standard Two-Wheel Cart (for rear-limb weakness) Use of this cart requires that you pet have normal strength in its front legs, no pain, and a desire to remain active. For pets with some use of their rear legs, including those that can still take step (but with difficulty), pets with only one rear limb, pets with uneven rear limb strength, the wheelchair can be used as a walking cart like a walker but for our four-legged counterparts with their rear paws on the ground. For pets with rear limb paralysis, the wheelchair can be used as a non-walking cart with the rear legs held up and protected in slings. Advantages of Pet Wheelchair Use Exceptional rehabilitation aid, it will encourage you pet to return to regular, unaided walking. Convenient for your pet s bodily functions. Your pet can easily urinate and defecate even while in the wheelchair, making the everyday care of your pet easier for you. Great leg and pelvic support that keeps the spine and limbs aligned and promotes healing and recovery. Mobility keeps your pet mentally and emotionally healthy as well, allowing it to join in with family activities and not become isolated. Wheelchair use encourages movement even of paralyzed limbs when legs are fully supported in slings. Design Features Sturdy. This wheelchair designed and made to take the daily grind that goes with the needs of a handicapped pet in mind. Lightweight. What use is a sturdy wheelchair if our disabled pet has to labor to drag it around? A wheelchair has to be light, balanced, and easy to maneuver. Easily Adjustable. Each pet is different and our is not a customized wheelchair, but, a custom-like fit can be achieved with it s easily adjustable frame. Modify the height, length, or width for balance and perfect fit. Comfort Straps. All the straps are made of nylon webbing and lined with soft padding. Leg Slings. The rehabilitative leg slings allow your pet to move its legs while keeping them protected. Made of padded webbing, these protect the legs and paws and are standards in every wheelchair. Folds Flat. Each wheelchair folds flat to save on shipping cost and for ease of handling. They are easy to assemble with the basic instructions manual and simple tools provided. We also have qualified staff available to answer your questions.

3 Assembly Instructions Step 1 Your page will contain the parts seen below.

Step 2 To start assembly, make sure you can tell which is the wheelchair frame s

To determine this, with the main frame s rear against you, the sidebars will be

Step 3 For shipping purposes, the sidebar screws may have been loosened to allow for

Turn wheelchair frame right side down, move each side bar so that the black end cap

3 3 Assembly Instructions Step 1 Your page will contain the parts seen below. Please note that the Allen wrenches will also be provided. Step 2 To start assembly, make sure you can tell which is the wheelchair frame s correct side up. To determine this, with the main frame s rear against you, the sidebars will be positioned noticeably higher. Mark it with a piece of masking tape if needed. Step 3 For shipping purposes, the sidebar screws may have been loosened to allow for easier packing. Turn wheelchair frame right side down, move each side bar so that the black end cap is one and a half inches off from the metal rectangular block. Use the Allen wrench to lightly tighten the screw on top of the rectangular block. This is also how you will adjust the sidebars later on as you start the fitting process. Keep the wheelchair in this position.

ASSEMBLY & FITTING GUIDE Step 4 Remove black end cap from wheel blades.

wheel blade into the slot provided in the rectangular metal block, use scored lines

Tighten the thumbscrew to lock in the wheel blade s position; this is just the

4 ASSEMBLY & FITTING GUIDE Step 4 Remove black end cap from wheel blades. Step 5 While the wheelchair frame is still in the right side down position, insert wheel blade into the slot provided in the rectangular metal block, use scored lines on the wheel blade as guides. Tighten the thumbscrew to lock in the wheel blade s position; this is just the starting height, later on you will learn how to adjust this through the ﬁtting guide. Put back the end caps. Step 6 The ﬁnished, fully assembled wheelchair. 4

5 5 Fitting Instructions Part 1: Placing Your Pet In Its Wheelchair a. Position the wheelchair behind your pet. b. Unclip the short top girth strap on one side and lower the front of the wheelchair; let it rest on the ground. c. Leave your pet s front legs and paws be and keep them on the ground, lift the rear legs gently and guide them straight down through the padded leg rings. d. Raise the front of the wheelchair. f. Clip the short top girth strap over the shoulders. g. Your pet s tail can be positioned over or under the main bar. Part 2: Correctly Fitting The Wheelchair To Your Pet a. Checking For Correct Height For pets without the use of their rear legs: while standing still on a level surface, the height of the wheelchair should be set so that the shoulders and hips are even. Please note that when your pet walks or runs, their backs will not stay even or level due to their movement. For pets still able to use one or both its hind legs, the wheelchair needs to be set so that their paws just touch the ground and your pet can get enough traction to push off with their rear paws. Often, a pet experiencing weakness in the rear legs is affected on one side more than the other. While on a wheelchair, their paw might knuckle over, they might depend on their stronger leg more often, or lean on that side of the wheelchair. These are some things to watch out for. They can all be corrected and countered. A paw that gets knuckled over can be protected by a bootie and while we cannot stop them from depending on their stronger leg, we can help our pets from not leaning against the wheelchair and possibly injuring themselves by placing padding in the form of foam or a folded towel between their legs and the side they are leaning against. b. Raising and lowering the height The wheelchair s height can be adjusted even while your pet is on it. Just follow these simple steps: 1. Loosen the thumbscrew on the metal block 2. Slide the wheel blade up or down as need so that the shoulders and hips are at a level height. 3. Double check your pet from various angles, especially from the side, and see if its back is level.

6 c. Adjusting the length The wheelchair s side bars have to be positioned in such a way that when your pet is standing still, with its legs straight down from the shoulders, the bars are right

Proper balancing of wheelchair It s easy to tell when your pet s wheelchair is properly balanced, while your pet s in it, standing still, with its front legs straight down, the side bars should be

6 6 c. Adjusting the length The wheelchair s side bars have to be positioned in such a way that when your pet is standing still, with its legs straight down from the shoulders, the bars are right behind the front legs. To make the wheelchair longer or shorter through the side bars, loosen the Allen screws on top of the metal block, reposition side bar to correct length and retighten screws. d. Proper balancing of wheelchair It s easy to tell when your pet s wheelchair is properly balanced, while your pet s in it, standing still, with its front legs straight down, the side bars should be parallel to the ground. The wheelchair s side bars are pointing downward. Your straps may not be evenly distributed 1. Loosen the lower girth strap. 2. Tighten the top girth strap enough to hold the side bars parallel to the ground. 3. Re-tighten the lower girth strap enough so that both straps are snug but comfortable. The wheelchair s side bars are pointing upward. The same problem, uneven distribution of the straps, this time favoring the opposite side. 1. Loosen the top girth strap. 2. Tighten the lower girth strap to pull the side bars down parallel to the ground. 3. Re-tighten the top girth strap. Make sure both straps are snug but comfortable. e. Adjusting the width In general, the width of the wheelchair is set to fit most pets based of the weight classification they fall under. If you re convinced that a width adjustment is necessary, you can do so with this wheelchair by adjusting the leg rings. 1. Loosen the Allen screw located at the bottom of the metal block. 2. Push (to widen leg rings) or (pull to make them narrower) the black cables as necessary. 3. Retighten the screws. Thank you for purchasing a Best Friend Mobility Dog Wheelchair. We know that this is a new phase in yours and your pet s life. It can be a time both filled with some challenges and hope. We, at Best Friend Mobility aim to be a source of information and assistance. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for questions, comments, and news. We love hearing about your pets in their in their new wheelchair. Send us a photo or video soon!

FITTING and ADJUSTING The Free n Easy SADDLE

FITTING and ADJUSTING The Free n Easy SADDLE By Les Spark Free n Easy Saddle Company www.free-and-easy-saddles.co.uk Updated by Marlene Moss Moss Rock Endurance www.mossrockendurance.com FITTING and ADJUSTING