Health and Wellness: Prosthetics for Dogs

W R I T T E N B Y : L A U R E N D U F R A T , CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Emma the Dalmation has not had the greatest start to life. She was once a part of the meat trade in China before she was rescued and came to America with the Dalmation Rescue of South Florida and now being fostered in the Charleston area. Unfortunately, she has lost her two front legs and parts of her tail and ears.

Emma the Dalmatian was saved from the meat market in China and is awaiting her new legs in Charleston, SC

Years ago, one could only imagine that artificial limbs for dogs were even an option. Animal prosthetics is a relatively new field, but one that has made great strides in a short period of time. There are approximately ten people in the entire world who manufacture animal prosthetic limbs. In dogs, limb prostheses have not often been attempted in the past and when they were, they generally failed. Part of this may be because of the way limbs are amputated from animals. Front legs are generally amputated at or near the shoulder and rear legs are typically amputated at the hip or in the region of the mid thigh. According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, “The most common location for removing a damaged or diseased limb in dogs and cats is up high where the limb meets the body. This is so that any remaining portion of the leg does not become a problem for the pet. Any portion of a limb that remains may become traumatized during daily activities or interfere with movement.” In recent years some rehabilitation experts, including Dogs in Motion Canine Rehabilitation, have recognized that there are short and long term consequences to dogs functioning on three limbs, including: Emma the Dalmation

·Tissue breakdown ·Degenerative joint problems in remaining limbs ·This can shorten life in dogs missing a limb.

Therefore, materials and techniques developed in human prosthetic design have now been applied to many more animals.

One of these trailblazers is Derrick Campana, the owner of Animal Ortho Care in Sterling, Virginia. Derrick originally started out as a crafter of orthotics and prosthetics for humans. It was only after helping to create an artificial limb for a local veterinarian’s dog that Derrick discovered his true calling.

Derrick Campera of Animal Ortho Care

Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

11 cats, birds, horses, camels and even an elephant! Derrick’s devices usually sell around $500 for braces and prosthetic limbs cost approximately $1,000. These prices can seem quite substantial; however, this must be compared with the average cost of a surgery. As an example, the surgery to repair a dog’s torn ACL can cost approximately $3,300 as opposed to a brace for $500. One thing that is beyond a price are those animals whose lives have been restored using prosthetic limbs. Take for example the story of Derby, a husky mix who was born with a birth defect that left him with small forelegs and no front paws. As reported in The State newspaper, 3D Systems of Rock Hill, South Carolina was able to provide Derby with 3-D printed prosthetic limbs. These custom-made prosthetics allowed Derby to both enjoy a greater quality of life and eased the selection of his forever home. This is but one story among thousands showing the life changing impact that prosthetics can have on an animal’s life. That is why it is so important for the animal community to come together to help support the further growth of this technology. With patience and work, dogs can be taught to adapt to a new limb with a return to near normal function. Most dogs will tolerate an artificial limb but they do need to be somewhat malleable. Once comfortably fitted, it becomes only a matter of time before the dog learns to walk. This brings us back to Emma! Her rescue and foster are raising funds for her new legs. For those who are unaware of the situation in China, many dogs who are lost or stolen find themselves in dangerous meat-trade. Many of these dogs suffer abuse and neglect before they meet their horrible fate. There are various rescue networks working throughout the world who risk their own lives to help save dogs from these deplorable conditions. Once rescued they will match them with sponsoring organizations who can transport them to regions where they have a higher likelihood of adoption. About Dalmatian Rescue of South Florida: The Dalmatian Rescue of South Florida is a registered non-profit organization that specializes in the rescue and care of Dalmatian and Dalmatian-mix dogs. Based out of Florida, the Dalmatian Rescue fosters and adopts dogs out throughout the United States to their forever homes. More information can we found online at www.dalmatianrescue.com. ■

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