3D Printed Limbs in Animals — The Future for Your Pet

3D printing technology is a powerful tool, especially for custom crafting spare parts. This technology is being used in industry to create rapid prototypes and unlock the creativity of product designers. It is even being used in human medicine to create braces, knees and skull pieces. Today, it is also being used to create prosthetic printed legs for animals.

3D Printed Prosthetics for Pets

Today, in the news there’s multiple stories regarding the ways in which 3D printing technology has helped amputees or people with debilitating physical conditions. 3D printed prosthetics are becoming increasingly common, since the technology allows for bespoke items to be printed which perfectly fit the dimensions of the patient, all for a much cheaper price than would be possible with conventional manufacturing methodologies. Although not as widely publicized, 3D printed prosthetics have not only helped humans, but they are also being used to improve the lives of animals too. Prosthetics are not only helping to improve mobility of our beloved pets, but amazingly, they are also creating a noticeable improvement in the temperament and confidence of animals who have been fitted with these devices.

Progressive Improvement

Many animals with missing or injured limbs are not used to moving in a normal fashion, so they might crawl around with their bodies tipping forward. The new 3D printed dog legs are being built in a progressive fashion, gradually tipping the animal back up into a more normal dog posture as the body slowly adapts. Utilizing 3D printing technology to fabricate a prosthetic makes this kind of gradual progression very easy to accommodate.

The design can simply be tweaked slightly by companies and print out a new set. For instance, you may be aware of the braces called Invisilign, these are printed out from 3D printers in a gradual progression from how the teeth are now to how we want the teeth to be. The average Invisilign user goes through a gradual progression of 20 to 50 different braces while correcting the teeth. This type of customization is practically impossible to achieve using other manufacturing techniques.

The Future of Prosthetics for Pets

This 3D printed technology will most likely continue to help pets in the future. Dogs, who have lost one leg due to injury or disease, are somewhat common. Typically, they are expected to hop around on three legs, which they do quite readily, but this abnormal way of moving puts stress on the rest of the body, causing pain and arthritic changes. If a readily available prosthetic can be put on, these dogs may go on to lead very normal lives.

For pets that suffer from problems with two or more limbs, a variety of mobility carts, braces and crude prosthetics have been designed by caring owners. There are even several companies that specialize in helping dogs with orthopedic problems. With the advent of progressive designed, 3D printed dog legs, even more beloved pets can be helped.

 

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us here at All Pets Veterinary Medical Center with the link below!

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