tvpjournal.com | January/February 2016 | Today's VeTerinary PracTice
PracTice To PracTice Peer reviewed
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The shank and feet are created from aluminum,
steel, carbon fber, or wood, depending on the
size and activity level of the animal. a "rocker
bottom" foot is very commonly used to mimic the
normal gait cycle (see Figure 14). The shank/foot
is aligned under the weight line and abducted 5°
for contralateral limb clearance. a toe out of about
5° to 7° is also added for stability and to allow for
lateral movement.
Fitting
When the prosthesis arrives, schedule a ftting
appointment to show the client how to put on and
remove the device. The device should be kept snug
because a loose ft will result in friction and skin
irritation.
Prosthetic devices should be worn in short,
increasing increments in order to build up a
tolerance to them. Both the length of the break-in
period and the time of each increment depends
on the patient's diagnosis. For best results, it
is recommended to place the prosthesis on the
patient for only 30 minutes the frst day, increasing
by 30 minutes each day.
a short, but variable, period of time is often
required before the patient accepts and becomes
accustomed to the device. To help facilitate
acceptance, the device should be associated with
positive reinforcement.
Follow-Up
a re-evaluation appointment is recommended 2 weeks
after the ftting appointment to ensure that there are
no problems or concerns. it is not uncommon to
see minor problems within the frst few weeks.
either the veterinarian or orthotist, depending
on the needed modifcations, can easily adapt the
prosthesis to relieve any areas of irritation. it is also
important to inspect the device regularly for any
cracks or tears. Padding and Velcro can be replaced
at re-evaluation appointments as needed.
Care
1. Cleaning: it is important to keep both the
orthosis/prosthesis and the skin in contact with
the device clean; this reduces the risk for contact
dermatitis or other skin conditions. The device
should be cleaned regularly using a 1:1 mix of
TABLe.
Orthopedic devices: Uses, suppliers, and Cost
CO nditiOn t Ype OF deviCe
ManUFaCtUrers
(partial List)
averaGe COst
( prices May vary by
Manufacturer)
Cranial cruciate
ligament
insuffciency
Custom stife brace Animal Orthocare
(animalorthocare.com)
K-9 Orthotics (k-9orthotics.com)
Ortho Pets (orthopets.com)
Hero (goherogo.com)
$500–$1,000
(depending on size)
Medial shoulder
instability
Shoulder stabilization
system
Shoulder spica
stabilization vest
Velpeau sling
DogLeggs (dogleggs.com) $200–$300
Carpal and tarsal
injuries
Support wrap (+/-
thermoplastics)
Custom brace
Hinged brace
Prefabricated orthotics:
• Thera-Paw (therapaw.com)
• Jorgenson Labs (jor-vet.com)
• DogLeggs (dogleggs.com)
Custom/hinged braces:
• Animal Orthocare
(animalorthocare.com)
• K-9 Orthotics (k-9orthotics
.com)
Prefabricated orthotics:
$50–$100
Custom/hinged braces:
$350–$750
Hip luxation Vest with Ehmer sling DogLeggs (dogleggs.com) $200–$300
Limb salvage Prosthesis Animal Orthocare
(animalorthocare.com)
K-9 Orthotics (k-9orthotics.com)
Ortho Pets (orthopets.com)
$500–$1,000
(depending on size)