The Risks of Using a Towel to Support Your Dog’s Weight

Why Is Using a Towel Not Good Practice for Helping Your Dog Walk, Eliminate, and Assisting Their Daily Activities

If you’ve ever had to move a weak or non-ambulatory dog through your practice or at home, you know how difficult of a task this can be. Pets can require a little extra support for a variety of reasons whether they are suffering from the side effects of a neurological disease, are injured, overweight. aging, or in pain from arthritis.

As the dogs larger, the more difficult the task of ambulating your pet becomes. In the past, and sometimes still seen today, clinics utilized a towel underneath the abdomen to help move patients in practice and even advise pet parents to do at home after surgery or injury.

However, what is not as well-known, is that this technique can cause further damage to pets over time.

Risks of using a towel vs. a Body Lift Dog Brace

• Using a towel instead of a lifting device does not disperse pressure evenly, therefore, creating focus areas of pressure on the abdomen.
• Longer periods of time, or multiple days of use, can create internal bruising and potentially intestinal or bladder damage.
• In worse cases, and longer-term use, you also run the risk of other organ challenges from bruising and adhesions.

Using a supportive brace allows weight to be evenly dispersed, decreasing injury. The best option on the market by-far is the Balto Body Lift. Unlike using a towel, dogs can relieve themselves naturally without soiling the brace and it comes with adjustable handles, so as the pet-parent, you aren’t injuring yourself while supporting your pet’s weight. Key features in this brace that are necessary towards the stability of your pet’s body brace:

• Two removable rigid splints contained within the brace's side pockets to support the spinal column.
• two length adjustable handle straps and a padded grip, allowing even large dogs to be lifted with ease.
• made from soft, breathable fabric for maximum comfort, reducing risk of infection, and an easy clean.

In other words, it’s time for you to stop breaking your back and potentially injuring your dog further by using a towel or other “sling type” devices.