Dog Wheels by Jim Colla have plastic fittings and vinyl wheels
It’s said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery and we’re seeing a proliferation of dog wheelchairs that, on first glance, look just like Eddie’s Wheels. We’ve heard from a number of people in the United Kingdom that Jim Colla’s dog wheels are purported to be the same as genuine Eddie’s Wheels. While it is true that Mr. Colla was our UK rep and was taught the basics of construction of our carts, he is not a mechanical engineer by trade or training, and he produces only the most basic standard carts, with no possibility of upgrades or customization to address forelimb weakness.
A inspection of Jim Colla’s Dog Wheels show a dog wheelchair that mirrors the biomechanics of Eddie’s Wheels, supporting dogs on their pelvic floor with an opening yoke resting on the scapula. Closer inspection shows that the fittings are plastic, instead of machined aluminum, and the wheels are heavy vinyl wheelchair wheels. The saddle, on the cart pictured here, is too large, which affects the balance of the cart and puts too much weight on the shoulders. The siderails are too long and need to be trimmed.
We understand that Europeans faced with a disabled dog may opt for Colla’s DogWheels because of the price of shipping and the possibility of personal service. These are good reasons and we would rather see dogs being helped by Colla’s wheels rather than some of the other carts on the market that do not support dogs on their skeletons and whose bio-mechanics can actually do harm to disabled dogs.
In a similar vein, we’ve heard from folks who have purchased a cart by J-Carts – which on first glance looks alot like an Eddie’s Wheels, but on closer inspection supports dogs on a simple cloth sling on their bellies, instead of the padded welded saddle that is the essence of our support system. Apparently there are other imitators out there, but for the most professional service and the upgrades, there is only one source: Eddie’s Wheels.
Kaiser's contented smile speaks to the great workout he just had in his Eddie''s Wheels
hi
the picture you have shown is of my 6year old boxer Tilly.
We made the mistake of getting involved with Jim Colla…
As anyone in our position will know how distressing it is to watch your beloved pet suddenly go off its back legs.
When i found Jim Colla’s website i thought this is the answer, how wrong i was .
I will not go into detail but PLEASE anyone considering seeking help from this man for your beloved pet DO NOT get involved with him
Dear Sue
I run Greyfriars Rehabilitation Referral Centre, Surrey in the UK.
I fully understand your comments regarding Jim Colla and his carts. His customer service when things go wrong is unbelievably bad. Please could you contact me direct as I have a client who needs help at the moment and details of your experience would be useful.
We have had a number of people contact us after problems with Jim Colla and poorly fitting carts or completely incorrect carts for the dog concerned. We have found ourselves having to provide a service to give advice, help rectify problems and where possible use our own spare parts to alter carts so they work correctly for the dog – so they can have a good quality of life.
INFO FOR UK RESIDENTS:
We are happy to provide a measurement only service so you can be confident when you order direct from Eddies Wheels. The charge is £50.00 including VAT – we do not sell carts and charge at cost only as we provide this service because we care and want to help. If necessary you can return to us for advice re using the cart, fitting and fine tuning when your cart is delivered by Eddies.
Angela