Dog Bracing Made Simple
Tips and tricks to help your dog succeed with added support
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Cecelia and Ozzie's Triumph Over a Volleyball Injury
Rising from a torn ACL and multiple surgeries, in the end a simple knee brace allowed Ozzie to return to comfort a Mom battling dementia.
Ozzie and Harriet...er...
Cecelia and Ozzie have been best friends for the past 11 years.
Not only is the 12-year-old, black Chow mix a lifelong companion to Cecelia, but he’s a great comfort to her mom, who has dementia.
"Sometimes my mom won't remember who I am, but she'll always recognize her dog,” says Cecelia of her mom’s love of Ozzie.
Cecelia moved back home in 1994 to help take care of her ailing mom. Dementia doesn’t just affect one family member — it can take its toll on the whole family. Cecelia says Ozzie has been a great help, with his calming and steadying presence, for all members of her family.
Cecelia found Ozzie back in 2004 on a pet-finding website. She drove from just outside of Lincoln, Nebraska all the way to St. Louis, Missouri that Memorial Day weekend. Ozzie was only about 1 1/2 years old then.
Adventure takes a turn
Besides having a therapeutic nature, Ozzie also has an adventurous spirit. On a recent visit to a friend’s house, Ozzie injured his leg playing sand volleyball with the other dogs. When he was trying to get back in the car after the visit, Ozzie whimpered.
While it occurred to Cecelia that it could be hip dysplasia, it turned out that Ozzie had actually torn the ligament in his knee.
Ozzie's veterinarian recommended surgery. Unfortunately, the first surgery was not successful. As a result, a second surgery was performed.
But Ozzie wasn’t out of the woods yet. While he was recovering from his second surgery, he tore the ligament in his other knee. Ozzie then underwent a third surgery to help repair the ligament in that knee.
Cecelia knew she had to do something to help Ozzie. After three surgeries, she had to find some additional support to help him heal properly and avoid further injury. She thought about what is available to humans for similar injuries. Humans often use leg braces. Was something like this an option for dogs?
The knee brace
After some research, she discovered Hero and its dog leg braces. After Cecelia connected Ozzie's veterinarian, Dr. Pat McInteer at Hillcrest Animal Clinic, with Hero Braces, the company sent a casting kit. Within a few weeks, Ozzie's brace arrived at the door.
After the brace was placed on Ozzie, he was able to stand up and bear weight on his leg immediately. Within a few hours, Ozzie was almost back to walking normally.
Ozzie is getting up there in years — but don't tell him that — and he is undergoing treatment for arthritis of his toes. He doesn't run as much as he used to, but he is able to go for short strolls and live pain-free.
He continues providing companionship and therapy to Cecelia and her mom. While Cecelia does all she can to help the dog that has given her family so much to live a full, happy life.
(Ozzie’s story was originally posted on June 12, 2015.)
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Bodhi is a survivor. She's a 14-year-old, lovable Cattledog and has been battling cancer for the last year and a half. She's been through two surgeries and two rounds of chemo, but nothing can keep her down. Literally.
A few months ago, Bodhi was playing in the backyard when she made a quick turn and immediately yelped, falling to the ground in pain. Doctors determined that she had completely torn her back left ACL. She was unable to put any weight on it at all, with all movement excruciating. Bodhi need to be carried around everywhere, even outside to relieve herself. This was another obstacle to a dog who has already gone through so much.
Because of Bodhi's cancer and her age, her oncologist recommended against surgery since it would require months of rehab. Out of options, the family considered putting Bodhi down. Then her chiropractor suggested a Hero Brace as an option. She had seen success for other clients and referred the family to Dr. Annette Richmond in Carmel, CA.
Dr. Richmond examined Bodhi and created the cast for the brace. After three weeks, the brace for the ACL tear arrived. It only took a day or so for Bodhi to get used to the brace. Now she wears the brace from morning until just before bedtime and has about 80% of her mobility back.
Bill, Bodhi's owner, reports that her attitude improved immediately, and her quality of life has returned. "Shortly after she started wearing her Hero Brace, she got her "silly" back and is thoroughly enjoying her golden years," Bill says. "I just wanted to say thank you for such a great product. I can't speak highly enough of the results."Bohdi has overcome so much in her dog life. We are happy to be a part of her survivor story. Go. Bohdi. Go
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Bionic Pickles - Dog ACL Success
When Alisha says "hold the pickles," she's not talking about a burger. She's talking about her almost three-year-old Great Pyrenees/Akbash-mix Pickles.
Alisha has been holding and snuggling Pickles since the rescue dog was six weeks old. Pickles had been battling a severe case of parvovirus and struggled with respiratory issues for months with a less than 50% chance of survival. After fighting back with a mix of medications, steroids and a whole lot of moxie, Pickles pulled through.
Just this spring, Pickles was playing with her sister Popcorn (I know. Adorable.) when she made a quick turn on the wet grass and let out a yelp. Alisha's father-in-law, a veterinarian, knew immediately that Pickles had torn a ligament.
The family's local vet recommended surgery, but Alisha was apprehensive. She was concerned about complications with the hardware required for the recommended surgery. She was worried about future injury after the surgery. She was also apprehensive about the 6 months recovery time and wondered how Pickles would be able to remain immobile with three other active dogs in the house. Alisha decided to look for other options.
Alisha's husband had torn his ACL a few years earlier (a similar injury to a dog's CCL tear). One of the options his doctor had recommended had been a non-surgical route with bracing. Alisha knew that if that was an option for humans, there would have to be something similar for dogs. That is when she found Hero Braces.
"The durability and the science behind the brace is pretty impeccable. Now Pickles and her dad have matching braces; it's crazy how much the braces function and resemble one another."
Since Pickles has received her ACL brace, the family is amazed at how active she has become again. She runs and is able to keep up with her pack. When Pickles is in her brace, she acts like a puppy again. Alisha says that Pickles gets excited to put it on and has never shown any discomfort, "We call her our little bionic pup."
Bionic Pickles. Sounds like a great superhero name to us.
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Wheeler Conquers The Great Outdoors With A Torn ACL
Yearning to return hiking and his camping lifestyle, Jason Darrah of the Primal Outdoors Channel needed to find a way to help his dog Wheeler avoid surgery for his torn ACL.
Looking for an alternative to surgery he found Dr. Lisa Plumb of Klamath Animal Hospital and Go Hero Braces.
Watch his journey below:
And if you are really in the mood, buy some of Wheeler's coffee here!
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Benson Battles Cushing's and ACL Tear: Wins!
Benson was born November 21, 2001. He is a parti-colored Cocker Spaniel that sat up and begged for Maria Lowe to take him home 13 years ago. Since then, he has been the joy of the Lowe family's lives. They love to dote on him and treat him like royalty. As a matter of fact, anyone who comes into contact with the family jokes about a desire to be reincarnated as a Lowe family pet.
As a young dog, Benson loved to play frisbee and seemed to fly through the air to catch it. As Benson aged, he slowed down, and although some of that had to do with the normal aging process, Benson has also had some tough times physically. During his 13 years, Benson has had several surgeries for tumor removal and is currently battling Cushing's Disease.
Two years ago, Benson became very sick, running a fever of 105. The family quickly brought him to the ICU, but the prospects seemed grim. After the tests and blood work, Benson's vet, Dr. Gordon Schmucker from Lisbon Vet Clinic in Lisbon, Ohio was unable to determine what was wrong. He suspected there were complications with the Cushing's Disease and Benson's immune system. Benson did make a recovery but lost some of his hearing and became sensitive to different medications.
A few months after he recovered, Benson tried to jump up on the bed and fell back crying with a limp. During a quick phone consultation, Dr. Schmucker recommended aspirin and monitoring. A few days later, the vet was able to examine Benson and made the official diagnosis of a torn ACL. Worried about what it could do to Benson's weakened body, Dr. Schmucker did not want to recommend anesthesia. Surgery was ruled out as a treatment option. He recommended seeing how Benson would do letting it heal on its own.
Maria's son, Eric is a local middle school assistant principal and athletic director. He knew that humans benefit from proper bracing when they injure their ACLs and thought he could find something similar for animals online. He found Ace Ortho Solutions, now known as Hero Braces.
Dr. Schmucker was unfamiliar with bracing for dogs but agreed to cast Benson. He did express concern that Benson would wind up just chewing the brace because of previous experiences with him but was interested in trying it as an option.
When the knee brace arrived, Benson never looked back. It almost seemed like he knew it made his leg feel better and totally accepted that fact. He never chewed or bothered his brace.
Nowadays, Benson doesn't play as much as he used to due to his age. He can still run along the fence and chase the mailman and the UPS man, who really get a kick out of him. All around, the family reports that he gets around very well. The veterinarians at the clinic are amazed, and Benson is a celebrity there.
Maria and her family would recommend Hero Braces to anyone who may be looking for options for their pet, "Thank you so much for creating them and for all of your compassion and help. Hero is an outstanding place to deal with, and Monica is so helpful. Cannot say enough about what this brace and Hero have done."
Dog Bracing Made Simple
A Christmas Tree Farm's Hero: Kuli's Inspiring Tale
For years, families would celebrate tradition and travel for miles to get their annual Christmas Tree at the Clapp Christmas Tree Farm off the coast of Maine. Waiting, with tail wagging to welcome them and help each family find the perfect fir, was Kuli.
Kuli is a beautiful 10 1/2 year old Black Labrador Retriever who for years has loved to run and play at the Clapp's Christmas Tree Farm, helping families pick out the perfect tree to celebrate the holidays. One December afternoon in 2008, she was out playing amid the trees when she somehow ruptured her Achilles tendon.
Her owners, Kathy and John panicked. Kuli is the 3rd member of the Clapp family, and they could not stand to see their dog in pain. Their veterinarian, Dr. Greg Thibodeau recommended surgery, so they drove almost three hours through a northeastern snowstorm to Norway, ME for the procedure. Unfortunately, the surgery did not work. The surgeon, Dr. Todd Gauger of Norway Veterinary Hospital stated that there was nothing more he could do surgically to help repair Kuli's leg. The situation looked grim.
Dr. Gauger had heard about something new that was being talked about in veterinary circles and thought it was worth a chance. He called Hero to request a casting kit to be sent to Dr. Thibodeau in Blue Hill. He sent the cast off and a short time later, Kuli received her ankle brace. This is the first time anyone at the veterinary clinic had ever heard of bracing for dogs, and Kuli was soon the poster child for the concept.
Proper fit is paramount when determining whether a brace will help or not. If a brace does not fit properly, it will not only fail to help a dog to recover, but it can also cause more physical problems. That is why having a custom dog leg brace and a good cast is so important. When Kathy and John sent the pictures of Kuli trying on her brace for the first time, Ben from Hero was not satisfied. He made another brace for her immediately in order to guarantee the perfect fit.
"We think the world of Ben," says Kathy. "The brace helped Kuli so much." Kuli was able to begin walking and playing again, even wearing out the brace's Velcro a few times during the past 5 years. She has gotten to the point where she doesn't need to wear it any more and continues swimming every day in warm weather.
The Clapps are so grateful for the second chance Hero has given Kuli that they send Ben and the team a Christmas card every year to keep them up to speed with what the family is doing.
It's been a joyous 10 1/2 years on the farm, but eventually all dogs get to the point when they need to slow it down just a bit. This year Kuli has decided to enjoy the season from a different perspective; underneath her very own Christmas tree with a warm blanket, twinkling lights and the comfort of the season.
Enjoy your break, Kuli. You deserve it.
Wherever your Holiday traditions take you this year, we hope your family pet can be with you.
From our pet to yours --
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Dog Bracing Made Simple
When you're a soccer star like Roxy, a little bump here and there is to be expected. In August 2013, Roxy received a little bit more than a bump.
Born to humble beginnings, Roxy was the runt of her litter. She has now grown to a 70 lb. playful Boxer/German Shepherd mix who is the star of Pete and Debbie's team and their hearts.
Roxy is an extremely playful and active dog who especially loves frisbee and soccer. One of her specialties is a twist move that she does when catching a toy mid-air. When she came down hopping around on only three legs, Pete was immediately concerned. He hoped she may have only strained her leg, but made sure to keep an eye on her.
A veterinarian confirmed that Roxy had completely torn her CCL and suggested a few options for the family: 1. Surgery on her knee to repair the injury or 2. A new Hero leg brace.
The family was hesitant to go the surgery route. Roxy just had surgery six months prior to remove a benign mast cell tumor from the same leg. Her vet had been hearing success stories of other dogs who had used a Hero Brace and suggested that as a primary option.
That's when the team got busy. The vet ordered and received the casting kit to make the cast of Roxy's leg. Pete studied the videos on the Hero website in order to best put the brace on Roxy's leg when it arrived. Roxy was very patient with Pete and he attempted to get the fit just right. Roxy and Pete went for a short walk as Roxy gingerly attempted to put some weight on her paw, but wasn't completely sure about her new device.
After a video evaluation from the Hero team and some tweaks to the fit, Roxy was so comfortable with her knee brace she began walking normally again. She never fought Pete when it was time to put it on, nor did she try to chew it off.
For the first few months of wearing her brace, they kept Roxy confined to the main floor of their house. She was able to walk normally, putting full weight on her leg. As Roxy became used to her brace, she was given free reign and immediately began to rebuild her strength. Her leg has now healed to the point that she only needs her brace for long walks, for runs and other rigorous playing.
Because she likes to have so much fun and is so athletic, Roxy's brace had to be returned recently to Hero to replace the Velcro. While the brace was being refurbished, Pete took Roxy for a walk without the brace and let her off-leash in the woods. Pete reports that after walking a couple miles, she broke out in full play mode, running full speed and jumping over ditches.
"She was playing super dog!" Pete smiled. "It has been 15 months since the vet diagnosed her with a full ACL tear. We got the brace back this week all spruced up. We are very grateful for Hero and their support. Thanks to them, Roxy is happy and enjoying life. In fact, she is looking at me right now asking if we can go for a walk."
We're glad to have been able to help. If we can help a dog score the winning goal, catch a frisbee, jump over a ditch or just feel like a super dog again, we know we've done our job.
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Boo Boo, Melts a Heart, Saves a Life
When it comes to Heroes, sometimes you wonder who saves who.
J.R. Griffith was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when he was only 33 years old. His disease presents itself in attacks. The first time he experienced one of these attacks, the entire right side of his body became numb, from his right toe to the top of his head. J.R. never knows when these attacks will happen or for how long. One attack left him bedridden for six weeks. These attacks leave J.R. dizzy, disoriented and depressed. They negatively affect his memory, the way his brain functions and overall quality of life. When J.R. turned 40, his symptoms became so severe that he had to discontinue working.
Wanting to do something to celebrate his 45th birthday, J.R.'s wife suggested getting a dog to keep him company. Thinking he already had enough to take care of, J.R. nixed the idea. J.R.'s wife is a nurse and was studying holistic healing at the time. She insisted the idea of canine companionship would be therapeutic and brought J.R. to the League of Animal Welfare, a no-kill organization.
That was where he met Boo Boo. The year-and-a-half-old Border Collie and Chow mix had black fur with white on his chest, two white back paws and soft brown eyes that could melt your heart. And it's hard to say no with a melted heart.
The responsibility of taking care of Boo forced J.R. to begin talking walks. The dog needed to walk, so he would as well. That bit of progress encouraged J.R. to do more, so he began lifting weights and building strength in the rest of his body. Little by little, J.R. began to feel better about himself and his future.
Boo and J.R. quickly became inseparable. Where J.R. would go, Boo would go, to the bank, to church and running errands. Boo was welcomed at every house in the neighborhood. It was rare to see one without the other.
In January of 2013 Boo and J.R. were taking a midnight walk around the neighborhood when Boo was hit by a car while crossing the street. Black dogs can be hard to see in the dark, and it took just a split second for the car to accidentally clip him. Boo's vet, Dr. Jack Shepherd contacted veterinary surgeon, Dr. Brian Ward immediately to help fix Boo's severed tendon. Dr. Ward suggested three options: 1. Amputate Boo's leg, 2. Perform surgery to connect the tendon back together using metal plates, 3. Put Boo down.
All day J.R. laid on the floor of Grady Animal Hospital next to his best friend, praying for guidance. He knew he couldn't let Boo suffer. J.R. had made up his mind to put Boo out of his misery the next day, but when they brought Boo into the room, everything changed. In that moment, J.R. realized that he would do anything for the dog who saved his life.
Dr. Ward performed the surgery and recommended using a Hero Carpal Brace as part of the recovery process. J.R. believes that the Hero Brace has been integral in getting Boo back on his feet again. With his brace, Boo has been able to rebuild strength in his limbs and regain mobility without worrying about re-injury. Boo has even learned when he should use the brace, whether going on walks or walking on slippery surfaces. He is back to his midnight walks with J.R. and isn't slowing down for a minute.
It has been almost two years since the accident and J.R. realizes their roles have been reversed. "If it wasn't for Boo helping to get me stronger," J.R. says, "I would never have been able to take care of him."
Just another story about a Hero saving the day. But who is really saving who, that is the question.
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Bowa's Comeback: From Injury to Obedience Champion
All dogs win a place in our hearts. Bowa actually wins in the arena. He is currently the #4 Australian Shepherd in the United States right now for upper level obedience trials. Bowa is named after the MLB baseball player and manager, Larry Bowa, and shares the shortstop's love of competition.
Bowa also competed successfully in herding trials but injured his CCL two years ago. He was put on the DL list for a month and turned his attention to competing in obedience trials only. Nine-year-old Bowa is part of an entire family of Australian Shepherds owned by Laura H., who treats each and every dog like they are her own children.
Recently Bowa was out playing with his siblings and accidentally re-injured the same leg. Laura knew to be concerned this time when Bowa wasn't able to just "walk off" his injury, and she contacted her vet immediately.
Joe Consigli, DVM works at Quakertown Veterinary Clinic in Pennsylvania. The clinic is a top-notch facility in the area helping animals for over 100 years with 24/7 care. Dr. Consigli originally recommended surgery for Bowa.
But Laura had reservations, "At Bowa's age, I couldn't see him going through the surgery and laying around in a crate for 10-12 weeks, watching the other dogs playing, going in and out, and going to shows. I just knew it would age him mentally." She was also apprehensive how Bowa would react to the anesthesia and was worried about complications. She did some research online and shared information about Hero Braces with her vet.
The concept of bracing is not new to the Quakertown Veterinary Clinic. They currently have four other dogs with braces for CCL tears, but Dr. Consigli was very impressed by the quality, craftsmanship and functionality of the Hero Brace. They decided to have Bowa serve as the trial dog for Hero Braces.
The casting process went smoothly. Dr. Consigli and Laura watched the Hero casting videos before casting Bowa. While some dogs may need some mild sedation, Bowa was able to just lay down still on the floor while Dr. Consigli and a vet assistant made the cast. Dr. Consigli was impressed with the the casting kit as a whole. The buffer strip and hook knife made the removal of the cast a simple process.
Bowa received his finished brace a few weeks later and was a little apprehensive when it was first put on. After faithfully following the adjustment process, he now knows he can trust it. Bowa is walking, running, swimming and using all four feet instead of three. "He can even jump up into the truck and on the bed," says Laura. "Which I really don't encourage but that's Bowa. At this point in his life, if that's what makes him happy, then it's OK. I love to see him happy."
Just eight weeks after Bowa's injury, Laura is now able to take him on two mile walks with the rest of her fur family. He does wear the brace faithfully all day and only has it off at night when he's in his crate.
"I hope he keeps getting better to the point where he won't have a limp at all and we'll be able to return to the show ring," Laura says. "But if not, at least I have my happy, sweet, mommy's-boy Bowa, and he's able to get along just fine with the brace on."
While he might not win the World Series, and his winning of show trophies may be put on hold for a while, Bowa definitely knows how to win hearts.
Dog Bracing Made Simple
From Roof Jump to Squirrel Chase: Farley's Inspiring Tale
We like to think of all of our Hero Dogs as superheroes. Their special powers include tennis ball-catching, squirrel-chasing, end-of-day snuggling and empathy. Their super powers do not include flying off a roof.
Farley is a 7-year-old Mini Pinscher/Poodle/Shitzu and has been Talena's best friend since he was just 8 weeks old. Farley and Talena were visiting family in Wisconsin this past July when Farley decided to try out his superhero skills. In a single bound, he tried leaping off a walk-out roof that was undergoing repair.
Talena was devastated. Farley fractured the carpal in his front right paw and hyper-extended both of his front paws so badly that he tore the ligaments and tendons. He was in so much pain that Talena knew she would do anything she could to help her little guy.
Farley's veterinarian recommended surgery, carpal arthrodesis, for both of his legs. But at an approximate cost of $6500, Talena knew it just wasn't in the budget. Farley's vet then recommended Hero Braces for both of Farley's legs.
So far the carpal fracture in Farley's right paw has healed, and his doctor is thrilled with the progress that he is making with his leg braces. He will be checking Farley again in November to see how well the scar tissue is forming around his joints.
Talena is very happy with her Hero Braces and the fact that Farley is getting around great in them. Farley is just happy that he can continue to play and have fun with Talena and continue to fight evil every day. Especially squirrels.
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Trina makes things happen. She has her entire life. She's driven a tractor, operated a grain elevator, coached volleyball and continually excels at the job of all jobs, motherhood.
In fact it's that sense of motherhood that fuels her purpose when working at Hero. Trina started working with Ben Blecha on orthotics and prosthetics for humans. When he started to explore the idea of helping animals as well, Trina was on board.
Trina firmly believes that dogs are an integral part of the family. She considers her job of making and fabricating Hero Dog Braces a way to keep the family together.
That's what moms do. They take care of their family. Trina's own son had a meniscus tear in his knee earlier this year, and she was able to witness first-hand how a brace helped him get through his injury. She knows what it is like to have a family member injured and the importance of having a quality tool to help get them back on their feet.
And when it comes to Hero Braces, Trina is all about the quality. Only the best will do for each brace that she manufactures. She refers to herself as "picky", but we like to think of it as particular. She never skimps or takes the easy route during the manufacturing process and becomes emotionally involved with each device she makes, constantly striving for perfection on the first fitting.
Because after all, when it comes to quality and getting your dog back on his feet, Mother knows best.
Dog Bracing Made Simple
They first saw her as a puppy at a shelter, six months old and full of puppy-ness, all licks and tail wags. They weren't sure but guesses were that Kepa was part Rottweiler, part German Shepherd, part grizzly/teddy bear.
Two years later, Kepa found her permanent home with Rich and Diane in Ashland, Oregon. One of the perks to living so close to the border of California and Oregon is the network of superior hiking with close proximity to three mountain ranges. Rich and Kepa have spent many hours over the past 10 years soaking in the gorgeous scenery on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Recently, Rich thought he noticed Kepa favoring one of her rear legs, but didn't know if maybe she just strained a muscle or had another minor issue.
Their family friend, who happens to be a mobile veterinarian, came to visit and diagnosed Kepa with a torn ligament in her knee. Because the vet also discovered some other physical issues, they agreed that surgery was not an option for Kepa.
Rich worked with his veterinarian to research options for Kepa and happened upon Hero Braces (formerly Ace Ortho Solution). He was particularly attracted to the fact that a dog can recover from their CCL injury and still remain mobile.
Rich didn't have to give up sharing his walks with his dogs. Since Kepa has gotten her brace, Rich has noticed no limping. The biggest difficulty she experiences is climbing over the other dogs in the rush to get out of the car and onto the trail.
Rich has become such a champion for Hero Braces that he tells everyone they run into on the trail, "It has worked out so well. You wouldn't even know she's had an injury. Monica and the crew at Hero have been so great to work with. It's so simple to put on and then, off we go!"
Rich and Kepa have been able to maintain their hour and a half walks, and while some days Rich feels like he could just keep going and going, enjoying all that Mother Nature has to offer, Kepa does eventually want to return to the house and her end-of-the-hike bone.
Well, who can blame her? Who doesn't love a little treat after a job well done?
Dog Bracing Made Simple
It was a cold January day in an already cold and snowy Illinois winter. Diane noticed that her 8 year old yellow lab, Chloe, had come limping back into the house after playing in the snow. Diane dismissed the idea of anything serious, thinking that maybe she had just slipped on some ice and would heal on her own.
A few months later, Chloe needed to have some teeth pulled. She did not do well with the anesthesia, and the experience was traumatic for Chloe and her owners. Her vet did get a chance to check her leg again at the appointment but, not noticing any obvious injury, wanted to monitor her condition.
A week later, Chloe was playing in the backyard. She took off running and returned to the house hobbling on only three legs. She was unable to put any weight on her right rear leg at all.
The vet confirmed that Chloe had torn her ACL and recommended surgery. She thought that Chloe had probably suffered an initial injury sometime in January, and it was her vigorous playing that caused the final damage.
After Chloe's unfortunate dental experience, Diane was very hesitant to put her beloved pet under anesthesia again. Surgery also can sometimes be expensive and traumatic for certain dogs. She didn't think that surgery was the best option for her dog, so she did a little research.
Diane found out about Hero online and discussed the idea of bracing with her vet. The vet and Hero worked together to make sure that Chloe was properly fitted for her custom leg brace and worked with the family on a plan for her rehabilitation.
"I can't express how relieved my husband and I are that we were able to help Chloe without having to put her through surgery. She is so excited to go for walks again. She had a rough few months and I actually believe she was depressed. It was painful for her to go outside in the yard and walks were totally out of the question at that point. I realize it's only been a few weeks but what a change it has made in her. I'm so relieved and excited!"
Diane is a hero in our book!
Dog Bracing Made Simple
Achilles Ruptures in Dogs - Hunter's Story
It’s been a relaxing spring day at your house. As you leave the kitchen, you realize that your senior Golden Retriever is no longer by your side.
You look back to see him struggling next to the dishwasher, one rear leg caught under the sharp sheet metal edge. You act quickly. Minutes later, you have untangled his leg and are confronted with a deep cut above his ankle.
Your mind races as you prepare to go to the vet. Is this repairable? How long will it take to recover? Who has the knowledge to help?
Hunter’s Journey
This is what happened to Hunter, Amy’s low-key Golden Retriever. Amy knew that he needed immediate attention and had the Achilles tendon on the back of his ankle repaired by a veterinarian.
Amy was told Hunter would be in a cast for 8 weeks and then start several months of physical therapy or “Rehab”. During rehab, the tendon would still be healing and would need support if Hunter were to go back to his normal play quickly. Who could help guide her through the healing process and provide a quality brace?
His Therapist to the Rescue
Luckily, Jolene, Hunter’s rehab therapist at VCA PineRidge, suggested supporting the leg with a custom ankle brace from Hero Braces. Their team guided Hunter through the process to create a brace to support his hock. This brace allowed Hunter to be more active right away and served to protect the Achilles tendon as he regained strength.
Amy felt that wearing the Hero Brace gave Hunter more confidence to move and play during his recovery, and now, a year later, he continues to do well. Even though Hunter has been given permission to go without his Hero Brace, ”Hunter is more confident when he wears it,” Amy noted, and “Hunter won’t jump or use stairs without his brace.” He is “just as mobile now with the brace as he was before” his injury.
“His brace gives him confidence so he can let his playful spirit shine!”
Healing Achilles Injuries in Dogs
Achilles tendon injuries can be debilitating if left alone, and even after corrective surgery, the tendon is never quite as strong and can require continued custom support. Hero Braces has a custom Ankle Brace that allows your dog to play sooner and fits in nicely with traditional Rehab.
Although Hunter still wears his brace daily, many pets graduate and no longer use the brace daily or use it only when playing hard or going on hikes. As an owner, it’s comforting to know that Hero Braces is there to help speed recovery and prevent re-injury.
Does your dog have an Achilles injury? Consider a hock brace.
Update: After a full life, our gentle-souled Hunter recently crossed the rainbow bridge. He will always be close to our hearts. Hunter's mom, Amy, made a beautiful video of his life. Please watch it here.
Helping Pets live fuller lives
Helping Pets live fuller lives