A Visual Guide to Measuring Your Pet
PRINTABLE VERSION OF MEASURING GUIDE
** After measuring your pet, please go to the ordering section of our website to place your order **
Support the pet in a healthy, normal, standing position using a support sling, if needed. All paws should be flat on the ground and the top line of the dog should be straight and level. Have another person keep the pet's attention so that the head is facing forward.
All measurements must be taken with the pet held in a normal, healthy, standing position.
Use a metal tape measure or yardstick and provide us with straight-line measurements. No cloth tape measures allowed.
Rear wheel carts require measurements A through and including E
Quads and front wheel carts require measurements A through and including J
*** C and E determine the size and shape of the frame and saddle. They are welded dimensions and cannot be adjusted, therefore double (and triple) check these measurements. **
Watch us measure a dog for a quad cart
Watch us measure a paralyzed dog
Measurement A
Make sure that the pet's front legs are set squarely beneath the shoulders, not bracing forward or back or splayed to the sides.
Using a metal tape measure, ruler or yardstick, follow the front legs up to the top of the back at the shoulder blades (see photo) and measure A.
While you are measuring A, please take a side profile photo using our photo cheat sheet. The photo allows us to verify a majority of your measurements.
Measurement B
Measurement B is taken from the center of the front leg to the beginning of the rear leg. This measurement tells us how long the side rails need to be in front of the saddle.
Measurement C*
Placing one hand gently against the inside of the rear leg, measure straight across the widest part of the pet’s thigh, being careful not to compress the muscle, for measurement C.
Check both legs and provide us with the largest measurement.
Measurement D
Placing your hand between the pet's legs, and gently pushing upward, measure from the pet's pelvic floor (bone) to the ground for measurement D – “floor to groin.
Measurement E*
It is critical to use or make your own caliper since cart width is NOT adjustable
Downloadable template and instructions can be found here
Use your homemade caliper to measure straight across the widest parts of the pet’s body at the shoulders, ribs, and rump.
You should be able to comfortably pass the caliper over each widest point, without pressing into the pet's skin or coat. Leave 1/4" between the arms of the caliper and the pet's body on smooth coated pets.
Measurement E is three separate measurements.
Medial-to-Lateral Measurement (only required for rear leg amputees)
If your pet is a rear limb amputee, we will need a medial to lateral measurement of the remaining leg. This is a measurement of the thickness of the thigh from the inside to the outside.
The following additional measurements (F through J) are required for Front Wheel and Quad Carts. They are not needed if ordering a rear wheel cart.
Measurement F
Measure the distance between the pet's front legs. If your pet is a front limb amputee, then imagine where the leg/legs would have been and measure the space between them.
Measurement G
Measure from the center of the shoulder to the point of the chest. This is a straight line measurment. Do NOT wrap the tape measure around the chest.
Measurement H
Measure from the lowest point of the rib cage to the floor to get H.
Measurement I
Measure from the center of the shoulder to the center of the thigh to get I.
Measurement J
Measure from the floor to the top of the back at the thigh for measurement J.
