DOG BLOG
Musings
Emergency Mobility For Giant Breeds
Preparation is critical, and we all have our moments of oversight. Even I, being detail-orientated and organized, have been caught off guard. Doing so is particularly crucial while owning giant breeds, as their sheer mass and size can pose significant challenges in times of crisis.
Preparation is critical, and we all have our moments of oversight. Even I, being detail-orientated and organized, have been caught off guard. Doing so is particularly crucial while owning giant breeds, as their sheer mass and size can pose significant challenges in times of crisis.
The loss of a giant breed dog is a profoundly emotional experience, as we recently lost our beloved Wolfhound, Kellyanne, several weeks ago at 10 years of age. Then, unexpectedly, we lost her brother, our dearest stallion wolfhound, SBIS Ballyhara Ki, two weeks later. A towering male, standing approximately 36 inches at the shoulder and during the prime of his life, was 175 lbs.
How do you solve the dilemma of moving an injured, sick, or dying giant breed dog when you are alone? There are various animal stretchers and options on the Internet and Amazon. But most are well-suited for average-sized dogs and not giants. I researched as many options as possible and settled on a particular stretcher I could use by myself.
Some giant breeder owners use the black two-wheel animal stretcher from Amazon, which is 45 inches long and great for medium to large breeds. I decided against this option as a long-backed giant breed is much more elongated than 45 inches, and you must lift the stretcher up only on one end to haul the dog. I was concerned about stuffing an injured or sick IW into this small space and then having them slide down, despite the webbed restraints, and bumping or dragging along the ground when hauling this stretcher. In my experience, the mesh barrier could not possibly hold the weight of a wolfhound whose body is sliding from gravity as the stretcher is tipped up to move.
I chose a medical stretcher, which is an excellent alternative. Pricer than the typical animal stretcher, this is a human-size stretcher. The criteria were simple. I needed a long stretcher that my Wolfhounds could lie on (this one is 72 inches long) that was low to the ground so that I alone would be able to drag a massive wolfhound onto it one section at a time, such as the hindquarters then the front-end and head and so forth. The other criteria were that it had 4 wheels for motion and a handle and would be narrow enough to fit through a typical doorway. The dimensions of this medical stretcher are 72.8 inches long, 19.6 inches wide, and 7.8 inches high. It has thickened Oxford cloth that can carry up to 350 pounds, has two web belt restraints, and is foldable.
As seen here, the Amazon animal stretcher is 45" long by 22 inches wide and 6 inches high. It has only 2 wheels, and the animal must be tipped up to move it. A model made with 4 wheels was previously available. Still, it has been out of stock, and there have not been any updates on when it will be available again.
Unfortunately, and heartbreakingly, we had to use our new stretcher shortly after receiving it. As I mentioned, we lost our beautiful hound and had to transport Ki from the backyard to the vehicle. Though my husband was here to assist, after using the medical stretcher, I was comfortable knowing that I would have the ability to at least move my injured, sick, or dying hound by myself to get them to the Emergency Clinic. Getting them to the vehicle safely without causing further harm to them is paramount.
Getting them into our van is another issue. We have always used a telescoping dog ramp with side rails for the hounds' access to our vehicles. Our new stretcher can fit on our wide dog ramp, but it is a tight fit, as the dog ramp is 20 inches wide with side rails. Our ramp telescopes up to 82 inches and can hold 300 pounds. Still, I would move the van so its rear access doors are adjacent to higher ground to minimize the slope to a comfortable 25 to 30-degree incline and then haul the stretcher up the dog ramp. Even better, in the future, after we get done with our construction here, as we are going to be building a new house and dog lounge, I will construct a permanent, gradually sloped earthen ramp for such emergencies where I find myself alone having to move an injured or very ill wolfhound.
If you need to purchase a dog ramp, the one below is an acceptable choice. I'm glad to share my experience with everyone.
Kennel Emergency & Disaster Planning – Keeping Your Dogs & Facility Safe
Here is a good article from AKC “Kennel Emergency & Disaster Planning - Keeping Your Dogs & Facility Safe” on the basics behind prepping for emergencies and disasters. Perhaps you already have a plan in place but read on in case you may have missed something!
Here is a good article from AKC “Kennel Emergency & Disaster Planning - Keeping Your Dogs & Facility Safe” on the basics behind prepping for emergencies and disasters. Perhaps you already have a plan in place but read on in case you may have missed something!
By Stacy Mason
Once again, April showers have brought May and June flowers along with severe weather across the United States. All over the weather channels and news stations, I am seeing very vivid reminders of severe weather and natural disasters that have unfortunately damaged millions of dollars’ worth of property and taken far too many lives.
What defines an “emergency” or a “disaster?” Oxford dictionary says an “emergency” is a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action. It continues by saying “Your quick response in an emergency could be a lifesaver.” Oxford also says a “disaster” is a sudden event, such as an accident or a natural catastrophe, that causes great damage or loss of life.
Both are particularly good definitions of an “emergency” and of a “disaster,” however, neither definition says it is exclusive to people. Have you ever thought about all the things that could be an “emergency” or a “disaster” around your home and/or kennel? These events don’t have to involve wind, rain, sleet, snow, or tornados.
In this article, lets focus on what could be an “emergency” or a “disaster” for you and/or your dog(s) or other animals. Most of my emergencies happen after business hours, in the evenings, on the weekends or over the holidays. This leads to my next questions, which hopefully will help you plan for when an emergency or disaster happens.
Question: Who is helping you or taking care of your dogs and animals if:
You go on vacation?
You become incapacitated and end up in the hospital?
You are unexpectedly detained, arrested, or unable to return to your home/kennel?
There is a train derailment or a traffic accident and you are evacuated or prohibitedfrom coming back to your home/kennel or neighborhood?
There is an explosion or gas leak which causes a hazardous or toxic waste spill or fumes near your home/kennel?
Your home/kennel has a fire?
You are killed in a traffic or other transportation incident?
You suddenly die of natural causes?
You have an animal disease outbreak?
An unknown person turns your dogs loose from the yard/kennel/primary enclosure/crates?
The 10 things listed above are much more likely to happen to you and your animals, than your home/kennel being struck by a natural disaster, like a hurricane, tornado, wildfire, or earthquake.
Create Plan of Action & Detailed Contact List: Do you have a written plan of action for your dog sitter should one of your dogs get hurt while you are away on vacation? What if a dog has a challenging time whelping in the middle of the night on a long holiday weekend? Do you have your first, second and third choice veterinarian telephone numbers posted in an obvious place?
What happens should the power or the air conditioning go out on a sizzling hot summer day? Do you have the telephone number posted for your electrician, plumber and heat and air repair persons? If you have a well, do not forget to list a contact number for that repair if needed!
Do you have a list of fellow dog friends and their telephone numbers posted to help you in an emergency or a disaster? Could your friends help you round up dogs if a “animal extremist” turned all your animals loose?
The greatest emergency or disaster risk any dog/kennel owner will face is the threat of a disease outbreak. This will be devastating to your animals, and you will have a loss of life, if not acted upon quickly, efficiently and with a plan of action before it happens. With the number of cases of Canine Influenza on the rise across the United States, you CANNOT wait to make a disaster preparedness plan for this scenario.
Think about the 10 items above. Chances are you will be able to think of more scenarios that may be a potential risk for an “emergency or a disaster” in your home. A disaster preparedness plan should be unique to you and your animals. There are no right or wrong answers. Just remember the most important rule is “Health and human safety first!” Call 9-1-1 if necessary, and then set your written plan into action. If you do not have a written plan that you have outlined and practiced, you will lose valuable time, time that can save lives. Make a difference in your dogs lives and the people’s lives they touch. Make your plan today!
For more information on developing an emergency/disaster plan go to: Developing an Emergency or Disaster Preparedness Plan
Stacy Mason is an AKC Senior Breeder Relations Field Representative.