I knew the lovely Rani as a young dog running around on Sunrise beach when I would take my 2 kelpies down of the same age. Sadly Rani has developed a few issues in her latter years and I have had the pleasure to know her from a therapeutic level. Rani’s spirit like many shepherds is inspirational. She has taken to the wheels I lent them and is able to get around for her daily walks which makes me very happy. With such dedicated owners who are always looking out for what is best for Rani, she still has quality of life that we all want for our beloved pets and best friends.
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Here is a story on Rani in Noosa today:
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2 NEWS NOOSA TODAYn
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nRani “reigns” in dognwheelchair
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JIM FAGANn
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Eighteen months ago Rani,na German Shepherd ofnguard dog proportions,nloved to go for a swim innWeyba Creek, race alongnthe beach at Sunshinenandduck and dodge in thenAFL park with her mate,nBoxer x Staffy, Stella.n
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She was also getting ready tonwelcome the new baby, Charlotte,nto the family home in Noosa Heads.nLee and Melinda Roberts alreadynhad two daughters, Holly, 5, andnChloe, 3, whom the gentle giantnloved to bits and the future for nine-nyear-old Rani,whose name is Hindinfor Queen, was looking good.n
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And then came the day Leenhas some difficulty talking about.nRani started dragging her hindnlegs and later was diagnosed withndegenerative myelopathy, an in-ncurable crippling of the spinenwhich is common, but not exclu-nsive, to German Shepherds.n
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“I couldn’t believe it. Herenwas our beloved dog, so agilenand, seemingly, in the best ofnhealth and then suddenly her hindnlegs started to fail her,” Lee said.n
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All too quickly, Rani couldn’tnwalk, far less run. Lee tried tak-ning her out with a lifting strapnbeneath her back legs but whenna dog weighs 35 kilos it’s toughntrying to walk any distance.n
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Lee and Melinda Roberts with Holly, Chloe, baby Charlotte,nStella the Staffy and, of course, Ranin
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Then came the breakthrough.nHer physio, Brooke Marsh ofnNorth Coast Veterinary Special-nists, suggested a dog wheelchairnwhich would help Rani walk us-ning her forelegs and with wheelsnsupporting her rear legs. Itnworked and now Rani is back onnthe streets at Weyba Creek nearlynevery day, proudly walking withnLee while Stella lopes alongside.n
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Lee, 41, is a financial softwarendeveloper who works from home.n“When she woofs and needsnsomething then I’m here to helpnher. She’s eating well and she’snnot suffering. Her raw food dietnof BARF is supplemented withnChinese herbal medicine and hernvet, Dr Kaori Kim, at TewantinnVeterinary Surgery gives her acu-npuncture once a month,” he said.n
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“I definitely think this is mak-ning a huge difference to keepingn
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her stable. It’s a day by day thingnfor her now and Dr Kim has saidnshe’ll let me know when the dis-nease progresses too far.”n
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Rani and Stella were shelter-ning from the hot Noosa sun undernthe white canopy of the gazebonon the back lawn, as Noosa Todaynleft the Roberts’ home. Lee wasnholding Holly and Chloe by thenhand and baby Charlotte was gur-ngling. It was a happy family mo-nment and it wasn’t difficult to seenwhy Lee doesn’t want anything tonchange.n
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“Some may think I’m crazynand suggest putting her downnbut she’s alert, not in pain andnhas plenty of life left in her eyes.nMelinda and I love her as a mem-nber of our family. She’s not just andog. You would go the extra milenfor your kids.Why not do thensame for your pet?”n
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