Louis

@louis.on.wheels

This is Louis, a French Bulldog from Melbourne, Australia.

Louis has a condition called intervertibral disc disease (IVDD) which resulted in something similar to a slipped disc. It was a very sudden injury that occurred without any accident or falls that we know of. We noticed that he was wobbly in the hind legs and seemed uncomfortable, like he had a stomach ache. We took him to the emergency vet where he progressed very quickly (within 24hrs) to becoming completely paralysed in the hind legs. Many dogs make a full recovery from these injuries if treated quickly. Unfortunately the scans indicated that Louis would not benefit from surgery.

Despite the best efforts of some great specialists and six months of intense rehabilitation efforts his condition remained unchanged. Louis will be permanently paralysed but we've all adjusted to this new 'normal' and life is good!

Follow Louis' latest adventures on instagram @louis.on.wheels

Describe a regular day in your life.
On a weekday we get up at around 7:00 am. Louis is normally still in his bed downstairs. Because paralysed dogs (and people) lose the ability to empty their bladder we manually express his bladder. We head out into the back yard for our 5 minute routine - pee on a puppy pad or in the garden and encourage him to have a bowel movement. After that he's generally in the clear for the day ahead.

Sometimes there might be an accident overnight in his bed and we will need to change his bedding. We worked out that with a larger sized dog bed, he can shuffle over to a fresh spot during the night if need be. We cover his bed in a regular, single bed waterproof mattress protector and some old towels or cheap blankets. These all go straight in the wash on some days which has made life much easier to manage.

We put his wheels on and give him some breakfast while we get ready for work and have some breakfast ourselves. This gives Louis a chance to stretch his legs and sniff around the back yard.

By 8:00 or 8:30 am we're off to work and Louis is set up on his memory foam 'day bed' out in the lounge room where he spends the day dozing away. He’s not normally a morning dog so this suits him just fine.

At around midday our dog walker drops by to check on Louis, clean up the occasional accident and take him for a quick roll around the block in his wheels. He has always been a fairly low energy dog so it doesn't take much to tire him out. We have taught the dog walker to express his bladder, so he get's a quick squeeze which sorts him out until we're home from work at around 6pm.

In the evenings the wheels go on when we get home and we go about our normal night. This typically involves Louis patrolling the kitchen while we make dinner followed by a run around the back yard, a squirt with the hose on a hot day, or a trip to the dog park or beach before the sun sets.

How do you spend your weekends?
A quiet weekend would include a trip to the market or a cafe with Louis. We used to walk with him, but these days we drive and park nearby. He’s generally tired of his wheels after about 20min of walking.

A busy weekend might be a trip away to the country. Louis loves a road trip. The only difference now is that half the car is full of his supplies!

What products, tips or tricks would you recommend?
The basic supplies include: unscented baby wipes, paper towel, disposable gloves and bulk supply of puppy pads (online is much cheaper than pet stores). We tried nappies/diapers but found that it was easier to clean up the occasional accident rather than wash Louis. With regular bladder and bowel management we generally get through most days without accidents.

An elevated water and food bowl and some non-slip mats ensure that Louis can help himself when we are not home.

A good set of wheels is obviously one of the most important purchases. We got ours from WalkinWheels and have made our own sheepskin cover to give it a bit of extra padding. We also now use their Front Neoprene Harness which seems to be a lot more comfortable.

What advice would you offer someone with a dog in a similar situation?
If you're faced with the prospect of caring for a paralysed pet bladder management is the main concern. It will seem a bit daunting at first but it soon becomes second nature.

It’s a big task looking after a paralysed dog and you will need some support to make it work long term. We found that our local dog physiotherapist was a great resource offering recommendations for dog sitters, walkers and other services in the area who were experienced with special needs pets and could help make life easier.


Prepare yourself for all the extra attention that comes with a dog on wheels! While “so cute!” and “can I take a photo” would not normally be appropriate with a disabled person, it seems to be fine for a dog. Try not to let it get to you!

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