Lisa Murray is the Marketing & PR Director at Walkin’ Pets by HandicappedPets.com.
The website is a great resource for owners who care for special needs pets.
They sell products from dog wheelchairs to dog harnesses, as well as offering advice on how to deal with an injured or disabled pet.
In our Lisa Murray interview, you will learn more about the challenges and motivation involved in taking care of special needs animals.
1. What are the most challenging parts of dealing with special needs pets?
From what the pet owners say, I would have to say dealing with incontinence.
Older dogs may start “leaking,” which doggie diapers can help with.
Some, not all, of the pets who become paralyzed in the rear legs also need to be “expressed.”
This usually takes a bit of a learning curve to deal with until the pet owner gets into a comfortable rhythm with his/her dog.
From an emotional point of view, it can be very challenging to see a beloved pet become less active, bored, or depressed due to mobility challenges.
Happily, putting a dog in a wheelchair usually solves those problems.
2. How do you find motivation in doing your work?
Everyone at Walkin’ Pets by HandicappedPets.com is an animal lover!
We rejoice with the victories pet owners experience with their pets, and we cry when dogs or other animals we’ve come to love come to the end of their time. It’s a labor of love.
3. Bits of advice for people who own injured or disabled pets?
Take it slow and one step at a time.
Take advantage of all the resources that are available these days (wheelchairs, splints, harnesses, supplements, doggie diapers).
A mobility challenge no longer needs to be the end of life (assuming the animal is not in pain).
Always consult with your vet, but know that ultimately YOU are the best judge of your pet.
I know myself that my vet, whom I think VERY highly of, told me that one of my dogs had no more than a week to live due to a kidney disease, and she lived for another 10 months with a good quality of life filled with the sweetest times ever.
Lisa Murray, Marketing & PR Director, HandicappedPets.com
If you are the owner of an injured or disabled pet, and you want to learn more about what the responsibility means and what products can make your pet’s life easier, find Walkin’ Pets by HandicappedPets.com on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
Do you have any tips on caring for special needs pets? Share them down below!
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