There are a number of factors to consider before deciding whether or not your pet is a good candidate for a cart. As well as considering your pets overall health and any medical conditions they may have, you will also want to look at its forelimb strength. Forelimb strength is very important. Please see Evaluating Your Pet and Medical Conditions for more details.

If your pet has strong forelimb strength, a Standard Two-Wheel Cart is recommended. If your pet has moderate forelimb strength, the Front Extension Cart is recommended. And, if your pet has minimal or no forelimb strength, a Quad Cart (Four wheel, fully supportive) is recommended. Often, when weakness starts in the front legs, it signals a progressively worsening condition and your pet may be a better candidate for a Quad Cart (Four wheel, fully supportive), rather than a Front-Extension Cart. Please see Evaluating Your Pet.

Pet wheelchairs, with completed orders (owner information, pet information, payment, etc.), normally take 2-3 working days plus UPS transit time. Transit time varies with the shipping method chosen. Many of our cart orders are shipped within 1-2 working days.
Accessory orders will normally ship the same day.

Yes. All pets improve with use of our pet wheelchairs. Much depends on the medical condition of your pet. Some pets gain only reflexive action, some return to ataxic walking, and many will return to full function. Please see Rehabilitation for more details.

Most pets take to carts immediately. We suggest you leash walk your pet in its cart, slowly at first, until it becomes adjusted to the feel of the cart. If you have a pet that has been down for some time it may take longer as your pet has become used to dragging itself around and now, suddenly, it can run again. If you have a nervous pet, a tiny dog, or a cat, start it out indoors, on a carpet, where the wheels will not make a noise. Call if you have any questions, we’ll be glad to help.

Small pets take only moments to lift in and out of carts. You will need to lift the rear of your pet and slip its legs down through the leg ring supports, then fasten a strap over the shoulders. With larger pets, in a Standard Two-Wheel Cart, it may be a bit harder depending on the weight of your pet, your strength, and how much your pet is inclined to wiggle around. Your pet will soon realize the benefits of the cart and will cooperate with you as it begins to look forward to running around in its new set of wheels!
Our large Quad Cart (Four wheel, fully supportive) pet wheelchairs, for pets over 41 pounds, have removable leg rings that make it easier to lift larger dogs in and out of their carts. Please see Placing Your Pet in Its Cart for more details.

Our carts are extremely adjustable and our pet wheelchairs are guaranteed to fit. If the wheelchair does not fit, please contact us immediately. We will request photos of your pet in its cart so that we can identify and correct the problem.
We also offer a 15-day trial period for our Standard Two-Wheel Carts and Amputee Carts. This will give you ample time to see how your pet adjusts to its cart.

Small pets, yes. We do not recommend large pets use their cart indoors as there is not usually enough room for a large dog to move around in its cart.

Small pets, yes, with their chests resting on the ground or a cushion. This position will not injure your pet. Large pets, no. Lying down in their cart could be an indication of forelimb weakness. Please call us for advice.

Yes. Pets quickly get used to urinating while in their cart. Although, sometimes it may take a day or two for a pet to become accustomed to defecating in a standing position.
You might also find that expressing your pet’s bladder is easier when your pet is in its cart.

Absolutely not! Pets do not become dependent on their carts. If a pet regains mobility its natural inclination is to walk on its own two legs.

No, our carts are well padded and balanced. If your pet does get a sore, the cart is not fitted properly. Please send us photos of your pet in its cart for our evaluation and keep your pet out of its cart until we call you with advice.

To keep the spine and limbs in alignment, and for possible return to mobility, we suggest placing a young animal in a cart as soon as it has problems. Very often deformities can occur in growing animals.
We charge full price for the first cart, then give discounts for subsequent carts until the pet reaches maturity.

Downstairs, yes. They are able to go down two or three shallow steps. Upstairs, no. The wheels will catch if your pet attempts to go upstairs. There are many excellent ramps on the market to assist your pet.

No. A pet should be kept in sight when in its cart.

No. It will not be able to climb into a litter box but it can litter on paper on the floor.

Yes! We have excellent wheels on our carts and dogs plough through all types of terrain. Our wheels allow them to go where they want to go!

Please contact us. We have the knowledge and experience in pet mobility to support you. So we can usually advise you as to what will work best for your pet.

If your order is placed before 12 noon, Pacific Standard Time, it will be shipped the same day. If your order is placed after 12 noon it will be shipped the next day. To ensure that your order is processed and shipped without delays, and to avoid sizing errors, please complete all pet information. If there is a problem with your order we will call and email you right away. Delays in shipping orders usually occur when pet information is incomplete or the item, or color, you ordered is temporarily out-of-stock.

Yes. Returns, exchanges, and refunds can be made up to fifteen (15) days from the date you received your order. K9 Carts™ will not accept any accessory or nursing care product back for refund or exchange unless the item can be sold, as new, (clean and free of hair). Shipping charges are non-refundable. Once we receive your return, refunds are processed within 2-3 business days.

No, the handles are not long enough if you have a small dog with short legs. We recommend looping a pet leash through the handles on the sling to give you more length and to avoid having to bend over when walking your pet.

We offer three types of slings, Front Slings, Belly Slings, and Rear Slings. The Front and Rear slings have Velcro and straps with buckles to keep the slings on your pet. Rear Slings are recommended for pets that are weak in their front limbs. The sling provides temporary support to get the pet up off of the ground, use the bathroom, or navigate the stairs. We recommend Front Slings for pets that are weak in their front limbs. The sling provides temporary support to get the pet up off of the ground, use the bathroom, or to navigate stairs. Belly Slings provide temporary support for pets with equal weakness in all four limbs. The sling provides assistance getting up or going to the bathroom and can be left on the pet. All slings are meant as temporary assistance; you will have to support your pet’s weight. If your pet needs more then temporary support to move around, we recommend one of our pet wheelchairs (link to All Wheelchairs).

The diapers have a stretchy elastic waistband and fasten around the waist with Velcro. The fabric is absorbent, anti- microbial and odor resistant. The diapers are machine washable and reusable. They are meant for urine, only, and are designed with a hole for the tail to go through which also allows feces to escape when bowels are moved.

The wraps go around the pet’s waist and cover the penis. They have a stretchy elastic waist band and fasten with Velcro. The material is soft flannel, has a plastic liner, is hand washable and air dries. Male wraps are intended for pet’s who are incontinent and dribble. A feminine hygiene pad can be placed in the male wraps to help absorb the urine and provide a disposable layer. We recommend purchasing two wraps so you always have one on hand while the other one is being washed and dried.

Yes, all of our nursing care products are washable. Below is a chart showing recommendations for cleaning your nursing care product.

Yes, your pet can walk in the boots, they are not stiff or rigid. Your pet may need a day or two to get used to them. It is normal to see your pet trying to shake the boots off when it walks in them. To put the boot on, we recommend rolling the top of the boot down like a sock and slipping the paw into the boot. Then roll the boot up and secure the Velcro straps around the legs. The boot may be a little snug at the opening but will stretch to allow your pet’s paw to slip through. The boots have one or two Velcro straps (depending on the size of the boot) that wrap around your pet’s legs to keep the boots on.

The Protect-A-Pet is a nylon bag for small pets (40lbs and under). Its purpose is to have a as a safe place to put your pet when he/she is out of their wheelchair. The Protect-A-Pet is not designed as a substitute for a wheelchair. It allows your pet to drag itself over floors and other surfaces and prevents scrapes, sores, and pressure sores. It can also be used to keep your pet’s bedding dry at night. Your pet can urinate in the bag and it will not leak - though you will need to place a sanitary pad or feminine hygiene pad in the bottom of the bag to absorb the urine. Place the rear half of your pet into the bag, with rear legs under the belly, as if it were lying down. Zip the side up, slip the harness over the head and around the neck and buckle the harness in place. The bottom of the Protect-A-Pet is made of sturdy, Rip-Stop nylon.

Yes, the cooler bed can be filled with water or just used with air. The bed itself will fill with air automatically when you open the nozzle on it. This will create a comfortable air barrier between your pet and a hot floor in the summer or a cold floor in the winter. If it is a really hot summer then the bed can be filled with cold water to provide a cooler place to lie.

Most pets adapt to their cart right away. However, some pets take longer depending on age, weight, breed and over-all health. We suggest you gradually condition your pet to its cart by leash walking your pet until it becomes adjusted to the feel of the cart. If you have a nervous pet, a tiny dog, or a cat, start it out indoors, on a carpet, where the wheels will not make a lot of noise. When your pet starts to slow down in its cart or is feeling tired, it is best to take it out and let it rest.

Yes. The amount of improvement and speed of progress or recovery depends on the medical condition and age of your pet. Some pets may gain only reflex reaction (involuntary or uncontrolled response to touching the leg, paws, or pinching between the toes. This is also known as deep pain sensation.) Some pets return to ataxic walking (ataxic walking is uncoordinated steps, such as walking cross legged or with a wobbly gait.) Some pets return to full function and are able to walk normally. For more in depth information and suggestions on how to improve your pet’s rehabilitation; please see Rehabilitation and Medical Conditions.
Video: Badger’s Rehab
Video: Weezer’s Quest
Both of the pets in these videos experienced improved mobility with the help of a pet wheelchair. In Badger’s case, his recovery was complete and he was able to return to walking on his own. Weezer’s, wheelchair allows him to walk normally, get the exercise he needs to retain and build muscle mass, and keeps his spine in alignment.

Our wheelchairs ship in 1-2 business days of receiving a completed order (owner information, pet information, payment)! Specialty carts ship within 2-3 days of receiving a completed order. Transit time varies with the shipping method chosen (ground, 3-day, 2-day, and 1-day). We ship via UPS.

Video: Gingers Flight
Small pets, yes. Large pets, no. Most of our clients with small pets (Dachshunds, Corgis, Chihuahuas, Terriers, etc.) do use the carts indoors. For larger pets the wheelchairs are designed for outdoor use, only. If you do want to consider using the wheelchair indoors with a larger pet, we suggest looking around your house to see if there will be enough space for your pet in its cart. Your pet’s cart may catch on or run into the following: stairs, corners of walls, tables, chairs, boxes, and doorways. If you would like to know if your pet’s cart will fit in your house, please contact us for an estimate on the width of the wheel base.

Small pets, yes. Large pets, no. Most small pets (Dachshunds, Corgis, Chihuahuas, Terriers, etc.) using our Two-Wheel Cart can lie on their chest in what is called a “Play Bow” (chest on the ground and rear end in the air). This position will not work for pets in Front Extension or Quad Carts. This position should not cause any pain or injury to your pet unless they have disc injuries in the Cervical or Thoracic region.
Place a cushion, footstool, or pillow that is tall enough, under your pet’s front end to support it and allow it to rest while keeping the back level with the cart.
Frequent lying down may be an indication of front leg weakness. You may need to look into a Front Extension Cart.

Our Standard Two-Wheel Cart has excellent all terrain handling. Our clients have taken them through grass, mud, water, snow, gravel, sand, and dirt. (Caution: thorns or cactus can deflate our larger tires).
Our Front Extension Carts and Quad Carts have caster wheels on the front for support and to allow for steering. They are not designed for rugged terrain and work best on smooth surfaces (wood, cement, pavement, carpet) and very short grass.
Video: Hanna

Yes. Pets quickly adapt to urinating while in their cart, defecating may take a little longer since your pet will have to get used to not being able to squat.
Indoors, another option for smaller pets (40lbs and under) is the Catch-It-All which attaches to the back of the cart to catch feces, and with female pets, urine, to help reduce accidents in the house. For incontinent male pets we offer a Male Wrap to catch urine.
If it is necessary for you to express your pet’s bladder, you may find it easier to do when your pet is in its cart. For more information on expressing your pet’s bladder, please visit Nursing Care.
Felines and rabbits are not be able to use their litter box while in their carts.

No. We do not recommend leaving your pet in its cart when you are not home. Your pet could get stuck under tables, hung up on the corners of walls, knock something down with the cart, or fall down stairs. A pet should be kept in sight when in its cart.

Video: Placing Your Pet into a Two Wheel Cart
It is easy to lift small pets in and out of our Two-Wheel Cart. First, unfasten the top girth strap, then lift your pet’s rear end and slip both rear legs down through the leg rings. Refasten the girth strap over the shoulders. Larger pets can be a bit harder depending on the weight of your pet, your strength, and how much your pet is inclined to wiggle around.
Placing your pet in our Front Extension Cart is as easy as placing it in the Two-Wheel Cart. You can either lift the rear end over the girth straps then place the rear legs into the leg rings, or unbuckle the girth straps and pull the cart up to your pet, then fasten the girth strap over the shoulders. Placing your pet in our Quad Cart will require lifting the entire pet by guiding both the front and rear legs into the front and rear leg rings of the cart.
We do not recommend purchasing this wheelchair if you cannot lift your pet, unassisted, or you have no one to help you.

If your cart does not fit please Contact Us right away. All of our cart models are adjustable and most fitting issues are simple adjustments that can be done in minutes. When you contact us for help, we will often ask you to mail photographs, email digital photos (front, side, back, and a top view) or a video of your pet in its cart to us. The photos give us the information we need to better advise you on adjusting the cart.
If your cart still does not fit your pet, or you pet refuses to use the cart, the cart can be returned. Please call us for to authorize your return. See Refund Policy for details.

No. Your pet will not become dependent on its wheelchair. If your pet is able to walk without support, it will. Its natural inclination is to walk on its own and it will let you know when it no longer needs the wheelchair.

If your pet gets sores from using its cart it’s because the cart is not adjusted or balanced properly. If your pet is getting sores or is moving around uncomfortably in its cart Contact Us so we can advise you on how to adjust your cart. Most of the sores are caused by the leg ring support chaffing the groin area. The easiest way to correct this is to make sure the girth straps are adjusted properly.
We recommend keeping your pet out of the cart until the sores heal and the cart has been adjusted.

Yes. We recommend placing a young pet in a wheelchair as soon as it shows signs of mobility problems. This is to keep the spine and limbs in alignment and to facilitate a possible return to mobility. Very often deformities can be corrected by placing a pet in a wheelchair at an early age.
We offer a series of carts to accommodate your young pet as it grows up. We charge full price for the first cart, then offer discounts for subsequent carts until your pet reaches maturity.

Your pet will be able to go down 2-3 steps if the steps are not too deep. While possible for your pet to go down a few steps in a Two-Wheel Cart we do not recommend that any pet should do this in a Front Extension or Quad Cart. Our carts are not designed to go up stairs. The wheels and wheel blades are prone to catching on the steps. There are many companies that provide excellent ramps for wheelchair access.

Several different circumstances can cause a pet to move backwards in its cart. If your pet is moving backwards in a Two-Wheel Cart it can be because the cart is either not balanced properly, or it is set too high.
If the cart is properly balanced, walking backwards can be an indication that your pet is getting weaker in the front legs, and may need a Front Extension Cart.
If your pet is in a Front Extension or Quad Cart, you may need to lower the front of the cart to provide better traction for their front legs. If your pet continues to walk backwards, please Contact Us. We will most likely ask you to mail photographs, or email digital photos (front, side, back, and a top view), or a video, of your pet in its cart to us so we can visually check the adjustment of the cart.

We are often asked this question. Your pet is leaning because it is learning how to compensate for its immobility. They learn to put all of their weight on one side or the other. To help correct this place a folded towel between your pet’s thigh and the side of the cart that it is leaning against. This will help shift the balance of your pet’s body to a more central alignment.
You will have to keep this temporary padding in place until your pet has realized that it can put its weight in the center again. If your pet continues to lean to one side of the cart, please Contact Us. We will most likely ask you to mail photographs, or email digital photos (front, side, back, and a top view), or a video, of your pet in its cart to us so we can visually check the adjustment of the cart.

One thing to keep in mind if your pet does not want to move in its cart is that your pet has been used to being immobile or mobility-impaired for some time. Your pet has learned certain walking habits, or is not used to being completely upright in its cart. Your pet may simply need a few days to adjust to the cart or the feeling of being upright again. Or, in some cases, the height of the cart may need to be adjusted as it is too high/low for the pet.
This is rare, but in some cases, with highly independent breeds, the pet does not want to use the cart at all. A few suggestions to get your pet move: calling them to you in a happy voice, using treats, using a favorite toy, or taking them to a favorite place to play. It is important to surround your pet with positive influence to help motivate them to walk in the cart. If your pet still refuses to move in the cart, please Contact Us. We will most likely ask you to mail photographs, or email digital photos (front, side, back, and a top view), or a video, of your pet in its cart to us so we can visually check the adjustment of the cart.

This is not a common problem, but can happen with really short breeds (Corgis in particular). The best way to alleviate this problem is to make the leg rings smaller. This helps raise your pet’s hips and move its legs out of the way of the wheels.
If adjusting the leg rings did not help, you may have to widen the cart to the next setting. If you have a male pet that is not neutered, remove the spacer between the leg rings. Often times if you remove this spacer and Velcro the leg rings together again it will alleviate the problem.
If your pet is still running over its back paws, please Contact Us. We may need to send you specially bent wheel blades. We will most likely ask you to mail photographs, or email digital photos (front, side, back, and a top view), or a video, of your pet in its cart to us so we can visually check the adjustment of the cart.

Often times the belly band on our Front Extension and Quad Carts slides over the penis of male pets and causes them to urinate on it. A few suggestions for alleviating this include: 1) placing clips on the sidebars (one on each side of the belly band) to help keep the belly band in place, 2) sliding the belly band further up under the chest away from the penis. 3) Cutting a half circle to allow space for urination.
If your male pet continues to urinate on the belly band, please Contact Us. We will most likely ask you to mail photographs, or email digital photos (front, side, back, and a top view), or a video, of your pet in its cart to us so we can visually check the adjustment of the cart.

If your pet is tipping over in its cart please Contact Us immediately.
This is usually seen only with our Two-Wheel Cart. Tipping over normally indicates that the height of the wheel blades is set too high, your pet’s front leg strength is getting weaker, or there may be a neurological issue affecting your pets balance.
If adjusting the height of the wheel blades doesn’t solve the problem, the usual course of action is to provide your pet with additional support. We now offer Conversion Kits for our wheelchairs so if you pet is needing to move from a Two-Wheel Cart to a Front Extension or Quad Cart it is no longer necessary to purchase an entirely new wheelchair.

If the screws on the cart are not tightening it means that the threads have been stripped by overtightening the screws. You’ll need to contact us (link?) and request a replacement part. If the part has stripped out within 30 days of receiving the cart, the part will be shipped to you free of charge. If the part has stripped after 30 days, a shipping fee will be charged.

What we recommend is to use Locktite on the screws once all the adjustments on your cart have been made. Until you are done adjusting your cart, we recommend checking the screws once a day until adjustments have been made. The thumbscrew and locking set screw for the wheel blades are the most common screws to work loose.

This usually indicates that only the thumbscrews have been tightened. The thumbscrews will only lock the cart at a chosen height temporarily. You will need to tighten the locking set screw as well to keep the cart at the height you want. The locking set screw on small carts is on the inside of the cart, and for the larger carts it is right above the thumbscrew on the black plastic block.

Please contact us if you are missing screws. Often times the screws can back out of the cart due to the shipping process and they will often be in the packing paper or lying on the bottom of the box. However, if they are missing, contact us and we will send replacements free of charge. If you are missing Allen wrenches we can send replacements for free as well. If you would rather not wait for a replacement, we use standard Allen wrenches that can be found in most hardware stores and tool kits.

All of our carts come with labels on them with our brand name. If the label is right side up then your cart is right side up.

Most of our small and medium carts use solid rubber tires and will never deflate. Our larger carts do use inner tubes inside the wheels. We can send you replacement inner tubes if they are going flat (contact us), or any bicycle shop should have them in stock. We recommend checking your pet’s tires to make sure they stay inflated to promote walking and reduce any dragging weight on your pet.

Simply contact us and we will be happy to send you the parts needed to keep your cart working as it should.

We have run into this issue with really active, large chest, or really tiny chest pets. We recommend applying a dab or two of super glue on the Velcro tab that keeps coming loose. That should hold the Velcro in place. If you need replacement Velcro at any time, contact us and we can send the strips you will need.