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Wheeled Carts Keep Disabled Pets Active
áEddie's Wheels give dog owners an option when their pets have spinal injuries or diseases that cause weakened hips and legs.
That was the case when Ed and Leslie Grinnell's Doberman was diagnosed with spondylosis and disc disease at age 10. Ed, a mechanical engineer, analyzed the dog's skeleton and designed a
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Wheeled Carts Keep Disabled Pets Active AG WORLD 34-4-23 áEddie's Wheels give dog owners an option when their pets have spinal injuries or diseases that cause weakened hips and legs.
That was the case when Ed and Leslie Grinnell's Doberman was diagnosed with spondylosis and disc disease at age 10. Ed, a mechanical engineer, analyzed the dog's skeleton and designed a cart that would support her pelvis with a yoke over her shoulders. It gave her spine the support it needed to heal.
Twenty years later, Ed is still designing carts to support dogs and other animals, including alpacas, goats, deer, cats, rabbits and even a pot-bellied pig. He's also come out with the first cart for dogs with missing, amputated or disabled front legs.
"We'll work on carts for any animal that is meant to walk on four legs," Leslie says. "Every cart is individually made. We talk to each customer and talk about lifestyle and terrain."
The padded saddle that holds the dog's pelvis allows complete motion and doesn't chafe the skin like some carts can. The couple knows that from experience. That's important, Leslie says, because anything that causes the skin to breakdown can result in a lethal infection.
The staff at Eddie's Wheels helps customers get the correct measurements for their pet and determine the best size wheel for the terrain and activity level of the dog. Cobblestone streets in Brooklyn are actually harder on carts than meadows and fields, Leslie says.
Made out of aluminum and stainless steel, the carts are designed to last the animal's lifetime.
Carts start at $300. Eddie's Wheels also offers other equipment for animals with disabilities. Photos and videos on the website show the remarkable feats animals can accomplish with Eddie's Wheels. The company has made carts for customers in the U.S., Canada and overseas.
"I want people to know that this is a happy option," Leslie says. "The dogs like the attention. They become local celebrities."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Eddie's Wheels, 140 State St., Shelburne, Mass. 01370 (ph 413 625-0033; www.eddieswheels.com).
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