How Snickers’ Medical Horror Story Inspired the Snuggy Boots Suspender System
Every invention has a story. The Snuggy Boots Suspender System came about because of a very special Sheltie named “Snickers”.
A Tick Medication Gone Wrong
Like many of you, Snickers owner used an anti-topical tick medication. You know the kind. It goes on the back between the shoulder blades.
It turns out, this brand had a series of dire warnings as it had killed several thousand dogs but we didn’t know that yet. The medication was still on the store shelves.
By the time Snickers received a 2nd application, the product had been forced off the market.
By the 3rd monthly application, Snickers experienced a mysterious blood clot that paralyzed his back legs. He was rushed to the University of Florida Small Animal Veterinary Hospital in Gainesville, Florida at 2:00 a.m. The prognosis was grim. The blood clot could be expanding and other problems surfaced. In fact, the doctors were unsure of the full extent of the problems.
It took three weeks of round the clock intensive care to save Snickers.
Through good fortune and terrific medical care, he pulled through. However he’d nearly lost the use of his back legs. The doctors recommended regular and frequent walks to rebuild the muscles. That presented one challenge, however, as Snickers’ began to walk across the room, two paw pads peeled off from his hind legs which left raw bare flesh. Dragging his rear legs tore toe nails off. Due to heavy doses of blood thinner the toes bled profusely and could not heal.
The doctors said Snickers needed several walks a day to rebuild the strength in his legs. However, with the missing paw pads, toenails and muscle weakness, it was a catch-22. His legs couldn’t heal without frequent walks, but his paws couldn’t heal with the frequent walks.
What could we do?
The hospital tried different types of bandages and gave us boots to protect his feet but they kept coming off. Plus, the boots made walking more difficult. The hospital put a cone around his neck so he couldn’t lick his paws when he was resting. You can imagine how much he enjoyed that!
The inspiration for Snuggy Boots
A Desperate Attempt to Help
Snickers’ owner wasn’t sure what to do. He knew Snickers’ paws needed to be covered and that Snickers’ would benefit from help walking.
So, he did what any loving pet owner would do, he invented the help he needed.
He took a pair of men’s suspenders and fashioned a device with clips on four ends of the elastic straps. One clip attached to his collar and the other four attached to socks covering Snicker’s paws and held them in place. This was an improvement but it took several tries of different types of baby socks and dog boots to find the right formula. Finally, a combination of a loose band-aid covered by soft booties seemed to work.
The suspender system and booties covered Snicker’s paws for three weeks. The booties prevented Snickers from licking his paws and helped the bandages stay in place while the suspender system kept the booties on his paws. Slowly, he was able to walk without re injuring his paw pads or toenails.
After a few weeks, Snickers was able to walk two or more miles every day. He continued to wear the booties and suspender system anytime he would be walking over gravel or hot pavement as protection.
Could This Help Your Pet?
Searching for answers on the internet Snickers’ owner was shocked to learn how many dogs lose paw pads, toe nails, and cut the bottom of their feet. It is a surprisingly common problem and a difficult one for pet owners.
For many dogs, the healing process can be a challenge. As in Snickers’ case, he needed the support of the elastic straps to walk easier. The booties protected his paw pads so they could heal.
The hospital staff was fascinated by the suspenders and dog boot combination. They saw how valuable it was in helping Snickers heal.
That’s why we invented the Snuggy Boots Suspender System.
Based on those men’s suspenders, we developed a suspender system made especially for dogs. You can see it here. It’s perfect for all dogs healing from stiches, cracked paw pads or dragging toenails. In fact, since the suspender system supports your pet’s joints, it’s excellent for dogs with arthritis and other mobility issues too.
You can use the suspender system with any type of dog boots or socks or you can order them as a bundle.
