Cane Corso Dolce Loves her Pink Walkin’ Wheels

The aptly named Dolce is a sweet 7-year old Cane Corso that was born paralyzed. She eventually learned to walk on her own thanks to the determination of her dedicated owner, Julia. Dolce was only 8 weeks old when she was destined to be euthanized at the local animal shelter. But, Julia stepped in through what she describes as the “magic of grand larceny” to acquire Dolce. Julia’s intent was to give Dolce a chance to learn how to walk again.

Dolce the Cane Corso Stays Active

Dolce successfully learned to walk with a lot of hopping steps in between. Over the years, she had worked her way up to mile long hikes. There was plenty of time spent strengthening her legs with swimming as well. A couple of years ago, her hikes were down to about a half mile, but Dolce was still going strong for her age and level of disability. As the snow began to fall and the ice formed on the roadways and sidewalks, Julia knew that it was time to explore dog wheelchairs.

Julia recently purchased a pink Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair for Dolce. The results have been very impressive!  Dolce is back to enjoying her daily walks. She shows her fashion forward sensibility with a warm jacket that matches her new wheels.

Below is a video clip of Dolces’ first walks in her Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair.

If you have a dog that is partially paralyzed and continuing to lose his or her mobility, it is best to introduce a dog wheelchair sooner rather than later. The Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair can be used as an assistive walking and weight supporting device that allows the dog’s rear legs to continue moving while also maintaining muscle mass. As the paralysis progresses and a dog can no longer walk on his or her own, then the rear stirrups can be used to suspend the legs safely above the ground.

Cane Corso Mobility Issues

Sweet Dolce isn’t alone, mobility problems are not uncommon among the Cane Corso breed. Even Cane Corso puppies need to be careful. Since the breed goes quickly, Cane Corso owners need to monitor their dog’s activity closely. Bones can grow faster than they can grow strongly, this puts active puppies at risk for joint issues even at a young age.

Hip Dysplasia

Although generally a healthy breed, the Cane Corso is at risk for hip dysplasia. Generally the bigger the dog, the higher the risk for hip dysplasia, and Cane Corsos are a giant breed. Knowing the hereditary risk of dysplasia, responsible breeders routinely check and test their dogs for signs of the condition. Every Cane Corso puppy should have their hips checked regularly.

Elbow Dysplasia

Similar to the breed’s risk for hip dysplasia, the Cane Corso’s elbows can also be impacted. 10% of Cane Corsos develop elbow dysplasia. Elbow dysplasia weakens the dog’s front legs making it harder for them to support their full weight on their front limb.

Patellar Luxation

Luxating patellas occur when a Cane Corso’s kneecap pops out of place and can arise in one or both knees. Patellar luxation can range in severity and the amount of impact it has on a dog’s mobility. Left untreated, this can cause joint disease and pain.

There are simple choices that you can make to help improve the joint health of a Cane Corso:

1. See the vet regularly and don’t skip an annual exam
2. Keep your Corso at a healthy weight – added pound places stress on a dog’s joints, this can increase their likelihood of arthritis, joint disease, and elbow or hip dysplasia.
3. Don’t over exercise your Cane Corso puppy. Avoid high impact activity, like jogging until your Corso’s bones have had a chance to grow strong.

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