Dog Bracing Made Simple

Understanding Cruciate Tears in Dogs and How Braces Can Help Cranial Cruciate tears, or CCL tears, are a common injury in dogs and can be seen in most breeds, although sporting and working breeds are seen more often. The CCL is a crucial ligament that stabilizes the knee joint, and when it tears, it can cause significant pain and mobility issues for your furry friend. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for CCL tears can help you provide the best care for your dog. Causes of CCL Tears in Dogs CCL tears in dogs can occur due to various reasons. Cruciate disease is a recent term that describes the gradual weakening of the fibers of the Cranial Cruciate Ligament over time. This leads to progressive tearing of the fibers that results in partial or complete failure. This is different from people who can tear their ACL from a fall or accident. Dogs that are overweight, have poor conditioning, or have patella luxation are also at risk of CCL tears due to the added stress on their joints. Symptoms of CCL Tears in Dogs Recognizing the symptoms of a CCL tear in your dog is crucial for early intervention. Some common signs include:• Limping or favoring one leg. Can be persistent or off and on.• Difficulty rising or jumping• Swelling around the knee joint• Pain when the knee is touched or moved• Decrease in activity or reluctance to play or jump If you notice any of these symptoms, it's essential to consult your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Diagnosis and Treatment Options Diagnosing a CCL tear typically involves a physical examination, testing for Cranial Drawer/Tibial Thrust, and radiographs or an MRI. Once confirmed, treatment options can vary depending on the severity of the tear and your dog's overall health. Surgical Treatment In severe cases, surgery may be necessary. There are several surgical techniques available, including: • Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) and CORA-Based Leveling Osteotomy (CBLO): This procedure involves making a semi-circular cut under the tibial plateau to allow altering the angle to stabilize the knee joint.• Extra-Capsular Suture Technique: This method uses sutures to mimic the function of the CCL and stabilize the knee.• Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA): This surgery changes the alignment of the Tibial Crest and Quadriceps muscles to reduce stress on the knee. Surgery is considered the Gold Standard for patients who can have anesthesia. Recovery time depends on the severity of the damage to the Cruciate ligament and other structures of the knee. Non-Surgical Treatment For less severe cases or dogs that may not be good candidates for surgery, non-surgical treatment options are available. These can include:•: • Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce stress on the joints and improve mobility.• Physical Therapy: Exercises and therapies can help strengthen the muscles around the knee and improve stability.• Pain Management: Medications and supplements can help manage pain and inflammation.• Custom Bracing How Braces Can Help One of the most effective non-surgical treatments for CCL tears in dogs is the use of custom braces. Custom Dog knee braces are designed to provide support and stability to the injured knee, allowing your dog to move more comfortably and reducing the risk of further injury. Benefits of Dog Knee Braces • Support and Stability: Braces help stabilize the knee joint, reducing pain and improving mobility.• Prevent Further Injury: By providing support, braces can help prevent additional damage to the knee.• Comfort: Modern braces are designed to be comfortable and adjustable, ensuring a proper fit for your dog.• Cost-Effective: Compared to surgery, braces are a more affordable option for managing CCL tears. Choosing the Right Brace   When selecting a knee brace for your dog, it's essential to consider factors such as size, fit, materials and whether it will be custom made for your pet. Custom braces have a better fit and function than soft over the counter braces. Consulting your veterinarian for recommendations and aftercare will ensure the brace is properly fit to provide maximum support. Conclusion CCL tears in dogs can be a challenging and painful condition, but with the right care and treatment, your furry friend can recover and enjoy a happy, active life. Whether through surgery, physical therapy, the use of a Custom brace, or a combination, there are options available to help manage CCL tears and improve your dog's quality of life. Always consult your veterinarian for the best course of action and provide your dog with the love and support they need during their recovery.

Super excited about the research coming out on the Hero Brace. Torn Dog ACL? The Groundbreaking Science Behind Why the Right Knee Brace Actually Works If you’ve just found out your dog has a torn CCL (Cranial Cruciate Ligament), which is basically the doggie equivalent of a human ACL tear, your mind is probably racing. Your vet might have told you that expensive surgery is the only real option. But what if your dog is too old for anesthesia? What if they have other medical conditions, or what if surgery simply isn’t in your budget right now? For a long time, the veterinary world looked down on knee braces, writing them off as useless band-aids. But a fascinating episode of The Veterinary Rehabilitation Podcast turned that assumption upside down. Host Megan Kelly sat down with Ben Blecha (a human and animal brace expert and founder of Hero Braces) and Dr. Kiki Haeusler (a leading German veterinary physical therapist and researcher). They discussed brand-new, hard scientific data that proves a properly engineered, custom rigid brace isn't just a backup plan, it actively stabilizes your dog's knee and helps them heal. Here is what the latest science says, and why it perfectly explains why the Hero Brace design works so well. The Big Problem: Why Vets Used to Hate Braces To understand why this new research is such a big deal, we have to look at why vets were skeptical in the first place. If you go online right now, you can find dozens of cheap, soft neoprene fabric sleeves claiming to cure dog knee injuries. Spoiler alert: they don’t. When a dog tears their CCL, their knee joint becomes completely unstable. Every time they step down, their shin bone (tibia) slides forward painfully against their thigh bone (femur). A soft fabric sleeve cannot stop that massive mechanical shifting. Vets saw these cheap braces failing and causing nasty skin sores, so they assumed all braces were bad. But human medicine moved away from soft knee wraps decades ago, opting instead for custom-molded, hard-shell braces. The podcast panel set out to prove that when you apply that same advanced human engineering to dogs, the results are magical. The Science: The Treadmill That Doesn’t Lie Dr. Kiki Haeusler wanted to take the guesswork out of the equation. Instead of just asking owners, "Does your dog seem better?" (which can be biased), she put injured dogs on a highly advanced, high-tech piece of equipment called the Zebris CanidGait system. Think of it as a super-smart treadmill packed with thousands of pressure sensors. It measures: Exactly how many pounds of pressure the dog puts on each individual paw. The exact length and rhythm of their stride. How much they are limping or shifting their weight to their healthy legs. By testing CCL-deficient dogs completely bare-legged, and then testing them again wearing a custom rigid brace, Dr. Haeusler got undeniable, mathematical proof: The right brace instantly improves the dog's gait, balances their weight distribution, and stops the limp. Why the Research Points Directly to the "Hero Brace" Design The most exciting part of the discussion was how Dr. Haeusler’s data perfectly validated the exact engineering behind the Hero Brace. The data showed that for a brace to actually work, it needs to follow a very specific design checklist. Here is how the Hero Brace delivers on that science: 1. It Must Be Hard and Custom-Molded (No Soft Fabrics!) Dr. Haeusler's research proved that only a rigid structure can fight the forces inside a dog's knee. The Hero Brace is made from an ultra-durable, medical-grade rigid plastic shell. Because it is built from a custom plaster cast of your exact dog's leg, it fits like a second skin. It doesn't twist, slip, or rub, which completely eliminates the skin sores caused by generic braces. 2. The Magical "Three-Point Pressure" System To stop the shin bone from sliding forward painfully, a brace has to push back in just the right places. Ben Blecha explained the "Three-Point" physics system built into the Hero Brace: Point 1: A firm hold on the back of the thigh. Point 2: A secure anchor point low on the ankle. Point 3: A crucial, protective pad on the front of the shin that gently pushes the shin bone backward into its proper place. When your dog steps down, this three-point system acts as an external ligament, locking the joint in place so they can walk without pain. 3. An Hinge That Mimics Nature A dog’s knee doesn't just open and close like a simple door hinge; it moves in a complex, rolling arc. If a brace hinge is placed incorrectly, it will fight against your dog's leg, causing pain. Hero Braces use aircraft-grade aluminum hinges that are aligned perfectly with your dog's natural joint center. Dr. Haeusler's data showed that this allows the dog to flex and extend their leg totally naturally while completely blocking the dangerous sideways and forward sliding. 4. Boosting Your Dog's "Brain-Body" Connection When a dog tears their ligament, they lose the nerve endings that tell their brain where their leg is in space. This makes them protective, fearful, and hesitant to use the leg, leading to rapid muscle loss. Dr. Haeusler noticed that dogs wearing a total-contact rigid brace immediately walked with more confidence. The gentle, snug fit of the Hero Brace stimulates the nerves in the skin and muscles, essentially sending a message to the brain saying: "Don't worry, your knee is safe. You can step down now." Key Takeaway: A custom rigid brace doesn't just protect the knee mechanically; it gives your dog the psychological confidence to use their leg again, preventing their muscles from wasting away. The Road to Recovery: What This Means For Your Dog So, what happens long-term? When a dog wears a Hero Brace, the joint is held completely still and steady. Over a period of several months, your dog’s body does something amazing: it builds up its own natural scar tissue (fibrosis) around the joint. This scar tissue acts as a permanent, internal brace. Furthermore, because the treadmill data proves dogs can safely bear weight while wearing the brace, you can start physical therapy much sooner! You can safely take your braced dog to underwater treadmill sessions, do gentle balance exercises, and go for controlled walks. Best of all? By supporting the injured leg, you prevent your dog from overloading their other back leg, ”saving them from the dreaded "second ACL tear" that happens to so many dogs. The Bottom Line If surgery isn't the right path for your family, you don't have to lose hope. The science has officially caught up to the technology. By combining Dr. Haeusler’s groundbreaking data with Hero Braces’ custom human-grade engineering, we now know that conservative management with a rigid orthosis is a highly effective, scientifically backed way to get your best friend back on their paws. Special thanks to Dr. Kelly at Online Pet Health for the interview on the research presented by Kiki Haeusler at the IAVRPT at the University of Cambridge in August of 2022.

Creating the perfect Casting can be summed up in four essential tips. Position. Tight. High. Criss-Cross. Understand each to make yourself the Casting superstar for Custom Orthotics! Let’s be clear on what “Casting” means in this article. Old school casts meant a kid with a broken arm had white plaster wrapped from elbow to wrist. These aren’t your old school casts! The word “Cast or Casting” is used because it sounds like “cast.” The material is fiberglass casting tape, used to make an impression of the limb. Position - The "Magic" of Walking Easily   This is where Hero Dog Braces really differ from other custom bracing. We ask for a cast with the dog lying on its side instead of standing. This is important for a couple of reasons. First is gravity.  Gravity is really what feeds any deformity.  The body weight pushes down on the legs, worsening the deformity.  Casting a dog while lying down neutralizes gravity, allowing you to focus on getting the limb into the corrected position. Second is rational.  Can you really get a dog to stand still for 15 minutes while the cast sets? Much less "correct" the leg while doing this. In our vet clinic, our team holds the dog to trim its nails. Casting is no different. So how do we correct the position?  It is important to remember what deformity we are trying to support. The cranial drawer of a cruciate tear is a unique motion. We reduce it differently from angular deformities like varus or valgus. When casting for the Knee Brace, pull the leg straight down perpendicular to the body. This will reduce the cranial drawer. Trying to cast in a “natural” standing position can cause the tibia to shift forward and adversely affect the fit and function of the custom orthotic. For the Ankle Brace, place the foot and ankle in a natural standing position.   The Wrist Brace reduces any varus (foot angled towards midline) or valgus (foot angled away from midline) deformity and places the foot in a natural standing angle. Typically, the pet is straight through the wrist, but it can vary with breed. If this one is confusing, give us a call, and we can help guide you through the process. Tight - Show us the Boney Landmarks   A Tight Casting is necessary for precision work. When the Hero Braces lab has exact dimensions taken from the Casting, they can create the best custom fit.   The Casting tape should be wrapped snugly to outline the bony prominences or bumps on the leg. If the Casting tape does not have sufficient tension, it will droop and fail to outline the prominences. This creates guesswork for the lab or necessitates another Cast. Remember, no padding is added, just a layer of stockinette to protect the limb. This keeps the Cast true to the leg's shape. Because the Cast will be removed as soon as it hardens, you don’t need to worry about pressure points. High - Capture the Groin   For the stifle, make sure the protective stockinette goes high into the groin or beyond the area to be cast. This is really important to have your helper focus on keeping the stockinette high. Notice where the hands are; it really helps to pull the stockinette high in the inside of the leg. When starting the Cast, casting tape is spiraled up the leg with a 50% overlap. The Casting tape wraps high into the groin for Custom Dog Knee Braces or to the joint above for the Wrist and Ankle Braces. Be sure to wrap to the end of the foot for our Custom Wrist and Ankle Braces. This technique enables the Hero Brace lab to identify landmarks, take measurements, and plan the proper dimensions of the Custom Brace. Criss-Cross - Make it Strong AND Thin This tip will make you happy when it comes time to cut off the cast. A thin cast is so much easier to cut through. A 50% overlap of the Casting material wrapped around the limb is completed by spiraling down at a 45-degree angle, like the spiral on a candy cane. Criss-crossing the material's weave creates a strong yet light Cast. The three layers created are thin enough to be cut off easily, yet they stay together during shipping and at the lab. For reference, download our Casting Tips PDF. For a more in-depth video about casting.  Watch our course from the UT Canine Rehab Lab If you have any questions or need a little help, we are here to support you. Make a quick phone call or send us an email. Hero Braces want to help you help more pets.

If you found this post, it is likely that something bad just happened to your furry friend's leg. You may be searching for a perfect solution, and haven't found it yet. Worst case, you may even be wondering when to put down a dog with a torn ACL? First, DON'T; euthanasia is NOT the answer for this injury. There are several options to help a dog with a torn ACL. Dr. Brumett talks about them in this article. Let's see if this situation sounds familiar... It's just like any other day; you're playing fetch with your dog. Normally, you throw the ball, he runs after it, and returns, tail wagging. YET, today, he doesn’t return right away. When you go find him, he's hopping back, unable to put weight on his rear leg. But he's still proud to have brought you the ball! A trip to your vet reveals that your dog has suffered a cruciate ligament tear – essentially a torn ACL in dogs. Your vet says he needs surgery, but it will cost several thousand dollars. You are also concerned about putting your 10-year-old golden retriever under anesthesia. PLUS, you hear it is very likely they will tear the other ACL within a few years. Sooo...is surgery the ONLY option for an ACL tear in dogs? Actually, there are several options to treat a dog with a torn ACL. You may also wonder, will a torn ACL heal on its own? Unfortunately, no. Once torn, the ligament will not heal like skin or bone. Your dog will need treatment to stabilize the leg so they can walk effectively without injuring the other limbs that are now carrying more weight. Although surgery is considered the “gold standard” for cruciate ligament tears in dogs, there are other alternatives when a dog’s advanced age, financial concerns, or a health issue such as liver or kidney disease makes surgery impossible, according to veterinarian Dr. Paul Brumett, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner and owner of Animal Tracks Rehabilitation and Fitness LLC in Colorado A cruciate ligament tear creates an unstable knee in the dog. “It stretches the other ligaments and joint capsule of the knee, which creates a lot of pain,” Brumett said. The dog will experience swelling and great discomfort and will not be able to put any weight on the leg. Over time, the limb will develop arthritis, which can be painful and reduce the dog's activity even more. Something must be done – so what are the other options? Medication Pain management with conventional medications and nutritional supplementation is one route pet owners can take when dealing with cruciate ligament tears. However, since many pain medications have side effects when used over time, it is not ideal for long-term use, which Brumett considers more than a couple of weeks. “One of the things that I like to do is try to get these guys off the pain meds as soon as I can,” he said. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most common type of pain medication used. Still, they can cause liver and kidney problems, including failure of those organs in some cases, as well as gastrointestinal issues. Though Brumett said most dogs can be safely managed on these medications for several years, he prefers using nutraceuticals such as veterinary glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate complex, chondroprotective agents, essential fatty acids, and hyaluronic acid, which can all help with joint health. Another downside of treating only with medication is the crate required to prevent pets from overworking or worsening the injury. “Many 5-year-old labs will play through an injury and make it worse,” said Brumett. “So if the pet can't be under direct supervision, then keeping them in an appropriately-sized room or appropriately-sized crate makes sense until they are sufficiently healed to do more.” He added that, ideally, dog pain relief is provided alongside rehabilitation and bracing. Orthotics Orthotics, or bracing, such as a Hero Brace, offer an alternative when surgery is not possible, according to Brumett. The knee orthotic maintains the knee in position so the dog can walk again. Because the canine species comes in so many shapes and sizes, we custom-make each size for comfort and optimal support. “What we’re doing is stabilizing the knee,” said Brumett, who works with the company. He added, “Pets that are wearing a stifle brace can be walking better in a day. We start out slowly and progress over a couple of weeks to get them used to it and to increase their sporting/workload.” Find My Brace Rehabilitation Brumett advises using an orthotic, such as Hero, in conjunction with canine rehabilitation. Many modalities may help, including laser therapy, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy. He said his rehab facility starts cruciate ligament treatment with ice therapy followed by heat therapy to help with that intense swelling and pain. As part of hydrotherapy, rehab may involve using an underwater treadmill. The water itself serves as a support to the dog’s body and movements. The amount of support is adjusted by changing the water level: the more the dog’s body is submerged, the more support he receives as he walks on the treadmill. “Rehab helps maintain strength, balance, and mobility,” said Brumett. “[It] can decrease recovery time and increase comfort; increasing the strength, balance, and mobility of a pet lessens the workload on the joint. A healthier and stronger joint needs less pain medication.” Ultimately, it’s up to the pet owner as to what course to take, but there are some options. Brumett said dogs who have a cruciate ligament rupture but don't have surgery, rehab, or bracing can develop some level of stability on their own in 6 to 12 months—and these dogs are typically comfortable walking, running, or jumping. With a brace, a dog can be back out playing in just a few weeks. Find My Brace More About Knee Braces for Dogs For worried owners and dogs dealing with a torn ACL injury, it can be a frustrating experience if surgery isn't an option (at least for right now) and medicines only manage the pain or, worse yet, they give your dog a false sense of security, encouraging them to play harder and risk further injury. As the lightest weight dog knee brace available, a Hero brace can give your favorite canine relief from their suffering and increase their mobility. Plus, the easy-on/off suspension band makes removing and applying the brace as straightforward as attaching a collar or leash. Furthermore, the lightweight co-polymer plastic is durable and waterproof, so even a swim isn't out of the question. Specially designed to resist motion that can cause further injury, inflammation, arthritis, and atrophy of the leg's muscles, Hero knee braces allow your dog to return to normalcy while their leg heals. Better than risky surgery and drowsy drugs, especially for older dogs, a Hero brace is nothing like those old, complicated, and tired leg straps that don't do much of anything to prevent bad movements as their velcro and straps loosen. A Hero brace, on the other hand, is made of rigid plastic, providing consistent support for as long as your dog needs it. In fact, some dogs are so filled with excitement with a Hero brace on that they jump for joy -- literally! We've seen and heard stories of many happy customers playing fetch and frisbee, going on hikes, and doing other activities that they loved before their injury. And we're so delighted that we were able to restore their mobility and confidence so they don't miss a single moment with their adoring families. With no need for anesthesia or other tricky treatments, the Hero dog knee brace is an excellent way to give relief for a torn ACL in dogs, whether surgery is in their future or not. Go hero go! Find My Brace