Chili the Three-Legged Dog Finds Relief from Arthritis with EMbrace Relief System
Almost a year ago Dr. Peter Eeg, DVM, noticed his dog, a 10-year-old Irish Setter named Chili, had developed a limp. He took her for a checkup where they found a lesion on her right radius. They did a biopsy and received some distressing news: Chili had bone cancer.
Eeg, a veterinarian with 30 years of experience at Poolesville Veterinary Clinic in Poolesville, Md., opted to amputate Chili’s limb. Working with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Peter Lotsikas, DVM, of of Skylos Sports Medicine, Eeg learned about Animal Ortho Care and the work they've done dramatically improving the prosthetics available for animals.
“Having done this for 30 years I’ve seen a number attempts at prosthetics and they’d been woefully ineffective,” he said. “What’s really different and more effective with the devices that AOC has developed is they take a mold of the remaining part of the leg and fashions a prosthetic bridge so that it slides on and fits perfectly. The animal has a much better stability.”
(Meet Chili in Part 1 of Mashable's new Pawsthetics series)
So, when Chili developed neurodegenerative arthritis in her hips, a common ailment for large-breed dogs that causes them to progressively lose muscle sensation, Eeg once more turned to Animal Ortho Care to discuss potential treatment options.
AOC recommended a new product, the EMbrace Relief System. Eeg cautions that there does not need to be any compression when fitting the device; it’s not like an ACE bandage or pressure wrap. It just has to be placed in the proper position. Once it’s fitted to their pet, owners can set it and forget it.
Chili wears her EMbrace Relief System every night. Eeg doesn’t worry about her chewing on it, but cautions that pet owners need to pay attention to their pets when they’re first using the EMbrace Relief System to ensure they won’t chew on it.
While he hasn’t used the hot-cold packs for Chili, Eeg says they’re definitely useful for animals who have had strains, sprains or a ruptured ligament. Using heat and cold is a cornerstone for treating injured areas in human physical therapy– it’s a natural extension to use it for animals.
Eeg wants to make sure he has a good grasp on best practices for using the EMbrace Relief System before recommending it to any of his clients, but he already has a growing list going of clients he plans to talk with about it.
Right now, he’s happy to see his own dog regain some of her mobility thanks in part to her EMbrace Relief System
“PEMF has been a great addition to keeping her comfortable and making her enjoy her life on our farm better,” he said.
