Welcome to part three of a four-part series where I share my experience of aiding the loveable Brutus with the help from the amazing O&P technician students from St. Petersburg College School of Orthotics and Prosthetics Technology.
Did you miss part 1 or 2? Follow the links below to catch-up:
Part 1: Bullmastiff with Knee Ligament Injury Receives Initial Evaluation (and treats) for Custom Knee Orthosis
Part 2: St. Petersburg O&P Technician Students Help Fabricate Custom Knee Orthosis for Bullmastiff with Ligament Injury
Brutus, an active two-year-old bullmastiff and Certified Service Dog, sustained a knee cranial cruciate ligament tear in August 2021. After the initial evaluation and fabrication of the device, his parents (my sister and brother-in-law) were excited for Brutus to receive the final delivery of his right Custom Knee Orthosis and compression suspension sleeve. I opted to institute the use of a compressive suspension sleeve to prevent migration of the Custom Knee Orthosis during his day-to-day activities.
Once the suspension sleeve was fitted on Brutus, my sister and I noticed a big difference in his confidence. He appeared to have more pep in his step as he strutted around in the device. We tested to see how the device performed during activities, such as walking on various terrains, ascending and descending ramps and stairs, and variable speed walking. He even hiked his affected leg during the vital task of marking his territory. As a precautionary measure, we limited advanced activities like ball fetching (agility).
Brutus thanked us by leaning into our legs and providing us with extra kisses. We were very pleased with the successful delivery of Brutus’s Custom Knee Orthosis.
Ready for part four? Sign-up for the SPS Newsletter to be notified of the next installment.
See also:
Q&A with Clinical Consultant Liz Hillen