User Experience of Canine Assistive Mobility Aids

Abstract

Assistive mobility aids play an important role in the overall well-being, mobility, and activity of animals with neurological and/or orthopaedic impairments. The user experience relates not only to the pet owner, but also to the animal using it. Animals cannot express how they feel when using an assistive mobility aid, so the owner's observation of the animal is of great importance in this case. In this study the experiences of users of mobility aids for dogs were investigated using a questionnaire. All pet owners invited to participate had received a mobility aid (orthosis, prosthesis, or wheelchair) made by us for their pets in the past year. Of fifteen pet owners invited, eight dog owners responded to the questionnaire. The aids used were orthosis (25%), prosthesis (50%) and wheelchair (25%). Our survey shows that most owners (5/8) believe that assistive devices have a very positive impact on their dog’s life. To improve the use of mobility aids in animals, future research should focus on making them more accessible. To restore normal limb function after injury, chronic disease or amputation, good collaboration between veterinarians, technicians (orthotists/prosthetists) and owners based on scientific evidence should be encouraged. Keywords: Orthotics; Prosthetics; Wheelchair; Animal; Pet; Dog