Life Quality in Disabled Dog

[SundayCrepes]

Perhaps some of you have followed my thread about when to euthenize a dog. Well, it's looking like no time in our near future (now that we're past some infections that left me wondering what our timeline was.)

Emma is almost 15 years old. She looks like a black golden retriever. She's got a neurological issue so is having less and less control over her back legs. She needs help to stand up and when she goes down the ramp she needs a sling to help her walk without falling off. She also needs help standing after she has squatted. I recently put rug runners over our hardwood floors so she can walk from resting spot to resting spot. (I was dragging her on her bed since the floors are now too slippery for her to walk on.) We sometimes take her for walks by putting her in the wagon.

Are there other things we can do for her to make mobility easier or to improve the quality of her life? She has spent the last decade hanging out in our fireplace so a less active lifestyle shouldn't be a burden on her. She no longer wants to be outside by herself as she once did. So if we're going to be outside playing or eating we take her with us (though at 105 degrees out that's not happening much these days.)

The rugs made such a huge difference in our lives that I'm wondering if there are any other brilliant ideas out there I haven't considered.

Thanks.

[stardogs]

I've always had great success with holistic options like chiropractic and acupuncture - with neuro issues these could be especially useful.

A friend of mine has a dog with weak back legs and has had great success using rubber Pawz dog boots - I've used them with my foster dog who also has neuro deficits in his rear and on both dogs they seem to really help keep them surefooted on slick floors, though they don't hold up very well outside.

My foster eats on an elevated surface, don't know if that might help keep her up instead of laying down or not.