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Thread: Lifting harness

  1. #1
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    Lifting harness

    Hi everyone,

    I'm looking for a helping harness for Cilek. Her rear legs are getting worse.
    Most of the time she wants me to help her for standing up. She also has difficulties in walking, her rear legs are slipping and she falls down.
    I'm considering to buy either Help em up Harness or Ruffwear doubleback Harness. Do you have any ideas about these two or maybe something different?
    Both are very expensive for me because of the customs fees and shipment. I don't want to end up with something that I can't use.

    I prefer putting it on for long hours, at least during the day.
    By the way Cilek is 12 yrs old and has arthritis.
    Can you also suggest a good non slip socks? I have some but they are not strong enough.

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    Georgia (03-12-2017)

  3. #2
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    I have the help 'em up harness. It's been a life saver already. He has back end issues as well and I use it for stairs or to navigate outside when there is a lot of snow or ice. I also used one for Penny during her TPLO recovery (luckily I was able to borrow one for that as it wasn't something i needed long term and she was not the same size as Rocky).

    Poor Cilek

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    capra (03-09-2017)

  5. #3
    Senior Dog SamsonsMom's Avatar
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    Help em up Harness. Samson had TTA and it was very useful. I still use the front part during walks. I love the handle on the harness. Very sturdy and durable. Ruff Wear makes great socks and snow boots. I have used both successfully. Best wishes for you and Cilek!

  6. #4
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    I’ve owned both, and for a dog with rear end issues, I think the help em up is better, as it provides more support for the rear. We used the Ruffwear on Scully, whose elbows were the problem and it worked well, but with Mulder and Jolie whose rear was the issue the support wasn’t quite in the right place ... I mean, it could work, but wasn’t ideal.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

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    capra (03-09-2017)

  8. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanya View Post
    I have the help 'em up harness. It's been a life saver already.
    Quote Originally Posted by SamsonsMom View Post
    Help em up Harness.
    Quote Originally Posted by Annette47 View Post
    I’ve owned both, and for a dog with rear end issues, I think the help em up is better, as it provides more support for the rear.
    Thank you so much. After reading your replies I've ordered one for Cilek

  9. #6
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    Oh no....I hate hearing this. I hope Tilya and Momo (and you) are doing well.

    The Help em up harness is the one I have bookmarked for potential future purchase. So far I'm not needing anything for either of mine but I suspect at least Sunnie might get there one day. When my Hershey's back end went up on him, I had a plain Sherpa lined handled sling that I used to take on walks "just in case". (it was too big for Sunnie and I gave it to neighbors with a Husky) Anyway....It's rough when you get to the point of having to provide mobility assistance.

    I hope this will do the trick for Cilek.

  10. #7
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    Hi Barb, it's nice to hear from you
    It is sad to see Cilek like this. I hope this harness will help us. I also increased her glucosamine dosage in the hope it will help. Tilya and Momo are doing good. Momo is much nicer but still very very active.
    Maybe Sunnie will never need mobility assistance. My friend's dog was 16 years old and was still walking with no problem. Cilek is not that lucky.

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    SunDance (03-11-2017)

  12. #8
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    Hi! I'm so sorry Cilek is having such trouble! Unfortunately, my precious Molly is, too. We had a terribly icy, snowy winter for here, & Molly slipped a few times & couldn't seem to get her hind legs back under her & she just gave up & laid down in the snow. Her hind legs have been getting weak for some time. Took her to the vet, thinking it might be her hips, but the vet laid her down & felt her hips & knees & didn't feel any problems, so maybe it is her muscles atrophying or something. I ended up ordering a lifting harness from Solvit, which seems to work pretty well for what I need it for. I usually put it on Molly for our walks outside, & then I take it off while I go to work. Late afternoon, I put it on again & leave it on for the evening, because we have another outside walk, & then in the evening is when Molly seems to have more trouble getting up on her own. She doesn't really like the harness, but has gotten pretty well used to it. I let her get up on her own if she can, as she doesn't like being pulled up. But usually at least once in the evening, she tries to haul herself up on her front end, but her back end just doesn't seem to come up--her legs don't seem to go back under her. So I try to gently raise her up so she can get the hind legs under her. I try to get her to stand still a minute to let the circulation get going again in her legs. After we are done with our walks & everything, & I'm ready to settle down on the couch to read & watch T.V, I take the harness off her so she can relax & sleep on her bed without the straps bothering her. Molly will soon be 13--it is so hard when they get old! Sending along hugs & prayers for you & for Cilek!

    Here is Molly's Lifting Harness from Solvit--the Help 'Em Up Harness looked like a really good one & I almost ordered it, but then I saw this one from Solvit & it was much more affordable for me. Seems to work fine for now, but as you can see, Molly is not impressed with it!




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    capra (03-14-2017)

  14. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mollysmomma View Post
    Hi! I'm so sorry Cilek is having such trouble! Unfortunately, my precious Molly is, too. We had a terribly icy, snowy winter for here, & Molly slipped a few times & couldn't seem to get her hind legs back under her & she just gave up & laid down in the snow. Her hind legs have been getting weak for some time. Took her to the vet, thinking it might be her hips, but the vet laid her down & felt her hips & knees & didn't feel any problems, so maybe it is her muscles atrophying or something. I ended up ordering a lifting harness from Solvit, which seems to work pretty well for what I need it for. I usually put it on Molly for our walks outside, & then I take it off while I go to work. Late afternoon, I put it on again & leave it on for the evening, because we have another outside walk, & then in the evening is when Molly seems to have more trouble getting up on her own. She doesn't really like the harness, but has gotten pretty well used to it. I let her get up on her own if she can, as she doesn't like being pulled up. But usually at least once in the evening, she tries to haul herself up on her front end, but her back end just doesn't seem to come up--her legs don't seem to go back under her. So I try to gently raise her up so she can get the hind legs under her. I try to get her to stand still a minute to let the circulation get going again in her legs. After we are done with our walks & everything, & I'm ready to settle down on the couch to read & watch T.V, I take the harness off her so she can relax & sleep on her bed without the straps bothering her. Molly will soon be 13--it is so hard when they get old! Sending along hugs & prayers for you & for Cilek!

    Here is Molly's Lifting Harness from Solvit--the Help 'Em Up Harness looked like a really good one & I almost ordered it, but then I saw this one from Solvit & it was much more affordable for me. Seems to work fine for now, but as you can see, Molly is not impressed with it!
    Hi

    I think Çilek also has some muscle problems. I don't think it is just arthritis. I'll take her to the vet for a check-up but I don't think it will help her joint problems. Age is the problem here.
    I'll try another brand of glucosamine and also green lipped mussel and turmeric. I don't know what else I can do.
    Molly looks so sweet on those photos. Her harness also looks very good.
    I saw Solvit harness on amazon and thought to buy it. It looks very similar to help em up and much more affordable. My concern was whether I can leave it on her for long hours. If I read your comment before I bought help em up I would probably buy Solvit. I'm considering to use the harness similar to yours. Taking it off when I go to work and leaving it on in the evening. She needs help at home too so I will leave it on her when I'm home and not sleeping. I hope she will accept to wear it. She may just stand still when I put it on
    Sending hugs and positive thoughts to you and Molly.

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    Mollysmomma (03-14-2017)

  16. #10
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    Sending hugs to you, Cilek, & Tilya, too! I have been getting the Cosequin DS from Wal Mart for Molly's arthritis--it has Glucosamine, Chondroitin, & MSM, but doesn't have green lipped mussel or turmeric in it.....I've been thinking of trying something else, too, in case something else might work better.....If I give turmeric, I don't know how much to give. Guess I could look it up, though......My vet usually puts arthritic dogs on Rimadyl, but Molly already has something going on with her liver which is making her ALT level higher than it should be, so the vet doesn't want to put her on the Rimadyl. My last 2 Pugs both were on it during their last few years. The vet did put Molly on Dasuquin for the arthritis before, but it was expensive, & when Molly had to go on another expensive medicine (Denamarin for her liver issue) I thought I'd try to switch her to something a little less expensive for the arthritis. I can't really tell any difference in how they work. I just wish our precious babies didn't have to hurt! It's too hard when they get old! I wish they could stay young forever.




 



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