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Measure your dog's leg using the measurement guide below.
Enter your measurements and purchase your Ready to Fit - Dog Knee Brace.
We ship your dog brace based on your measurements. You fit it to your dog's leg, and they are on the way to recovery!
Measure the length of the thigh, from the center of the dog's knee to the groin.
Measure the circumference of the thigh, half-way between the Groin and Knee joint line
Measure the OUTSIDE of the leg, from the head of the fibula (this is the bump just below the knee joint) to above the hock, before the curvature.
Our Dog Knee Braces provide a great solution for stabilizing and supporting your dog's knee following an injury or surgery.
What makes this brace so unique is that it has customizable straps, magnetic fasteners for easy on/off, high quality motion hinges, and cushioning triple layered foam. Moreover, your dog will be able to recover confidently with a knee brace that has strong support, yet light on the limbs.
Our brace is made of medical grade close-cell foam, this provides comfort and added support. The foam padded cushion under each Velcro strap helps to prevent irritation and helps to create a grip on the brace. You can cut the straps down to allow for a more accurate fit .
This dog knee brace uses a Range of Motion Hinge. The length of the hinge is adjustable so it fits the length of your dog’s leg perfectly. Simply by moving the screws within the hinges you can adjust the length as needed for your dog.
Our Performance brace shell is made up of a durable thermoplastic material that allows the brace to be heated and formed to fit your dog’s leg. To get a more customized fit, you can heat the upper and lower shells with a hair dryer until it slightly softens.
The hinges on either side of the lower shell of the brace MUST be adjusted. The screws will need to be moved and adjusted to fit your dog. See below for details.
Align center of brace, where the circular range of motion hinge is located, with the bend of knee. Please ensure the bottom of the brace is above the dog's ankle and top of brace doesn't go into the dog's groin area.
Trim the straps down incrementally, ensuring the end of the strap meets the edge of the brace when tightened. The padding and strap should not overlap. Once padding is trimmed, cover edges with edge tape (provided).
The lower shell hinges MUST be adjusted. Each slot will come with a screw already inserted. You will need to move the screws to either shorten or lengthen the knee brace. Every dog is different so, this will depend on your dog's tibia length.
Assembly:
Break-In Period
Similar to breaking in a new pair of shoes, the Braces must be worn in short, increasing increments in order to build up a tolerance to the device. Both the length of the break-in period and the time of each increment will depend on your pet’s diagnosis and should be discussed with your Animal Ortho Care practitioner and/or veterinarian. For best results, place the brace on your pet for only a HALF Hour the first day and increase by half-hour per day. If there is any irritation or skin break-down, discontinue use for ONE full day. A short period of time is required before your pet accepts the brace. In order to facilitate your pet’s acceptance of the brace, associate with positive reinforcement, such as a treat.
Skin & Brace Examination
It is of extreme importance that your pet’s skin is inspected thoroughly after every usage. This is especially important during the “break-in period.” The occurrence of skin redness does not disappear within 20 minutes or evidence of skin breakdown is a sign of excessive pressure. Any unusual marks on the skin, blisters, or excessive wearing of the device should also be noted. If any of the previously stated conditions present, discontinue the usage and contact Animal Ortho Care. Keep in mind, it is not uncommon to see minor problems within the first few weeks. These braces can easily be modified to relieve any areas of irritation. It is also important to inspect the brace regularly for any cracks or tears. Padding and Hook and Loop (“Velcro”) can be replaced by contacting Animal Ortho Care.
Proper Hygiene
It is important to keep both the skin in contact with the brace as well as the brace itself be kept clean. This will reduce the chance of your pet contracting contact dermatitis or other skin conditions. Your pet’s brace should be cleaned regularly using a mix of half water-half alcohol and a clean towel. Use a towel or let the brace dry at room temperature. Do not use a hairdryer to speed up the process. Cotton socks have been provided with Custom Braces only, except for very small braces and stifle (knee) braces, to help with excessive sweating and to keep the device clean. You can wash these with soap and warm water to keep clean. Never put a wet brace or cotton stockinet on your pet. Devices can be worn in the water. They must be thoroughly dried after use, BEFORE re-applying.
Application
Complete Application Steps are found with Instructions accompanying each type of Brace. As a general principle, apply the lower section of Stifle (Knee), Tarsus (Achilles) and Carpal (Wrist) Braces First. Align the axis point of the hinge or Tamarack with the pivot point of the Knee, Achilles or Wrist Joint, respectively. For Ready to Fit Braces with Boa Closures, use your Thumb and Index Finger only to snug fit.
Weekly – Check and Tighten as needed all screws as they may loosen with wear
Feel free to contact Animal Ortho Care with any further questions or concerns:
AOC CUSTOM BRACES – 651-447-2411
PERFORMANCE READY TO FIT BRACES– 651-440-9321
EMAIL for BOTH BRACE TYPES – care@aocpet.com
What conditions can this Performance Dog Knee Brace be used for?
This innovative brace provides prophylactic and rehabilitative support for injuries to the stifle/knee joint and ligament, such as CCL rupture surgical repair. It is indicated for use as an alternative to costly CCL Surgery or when the patient is not a surgical candidate. The brace may also be used as a sophisticated wound management device with access points post-surgery.
What is the difference between the Ready to Fit Performance Dog Knee Brace and the Custom Dog Knee Brace?
The Performance brace is a standard size off-the-shelf brace that offers a customizable solution to injury stabilization following injuries and surgery to the knee (stifle) and specifically the Cranial Cruciate Ligament. It has a 6-18 month treatment time. Sizing is based on measurements of your dog, which are listed on the product page. You may need to make adjustments to the brace in order to fit it properly.
Custom braces are built specifically for an animal. Measurements aren’t needed for this type of brace. Instead, you or your vet would take a cast of the area. The cast is then used to build a custom brace.
If my dog wears a knee brace will it cause further injury?
Our performance dog knee brace is designed to stabilize and provide support to the Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL), further building scar tissue which helps heal the tear.
Why hasn't my vet heard about you?
Over the last few years, pet parents have had an increasing interest to look for options for their pet outside of the traditional surgery route. Our orthopedic and custom braces are unique to the market. In addition, our pain management products use the world's first wearable pain relief technology. Our products can be used in addition to surgery to aid in the healing process. But we also give customers another alternative when surgery isn't an option.
What is unique about the hinge/hub components?
Our patent-pending design provides Range of Motion (ROM) Control, Axial Rotation of the Extensions and Valgus/Varus deviation. This combination more closely accommodates the range of anatomical variations, making this a truly customizable, off-the-shelf brace.
Should I leave the brace on my dog all day?
We do NOT recommend your dog wear the brace 24/7. At a minimum, remove the brace during the dog’s longest rest time and at night. Each dog will be different for how much the brace will be needed.
What if my dog doesn’t like the brace?
Some dogs may need more time to get used to the brace. For initial product break-in and to prevent irritation, start treatment durations by utilizing brace for 30 minutes on followed by 30 minutes off. Gradually increase daily.
I am not sure if I am measuring correctly for a Performance Dog Knee Brace. Can you help me?
There is a video on the product page that shows how to measure. Click the link "How to Measure"
When ordering a Performance Dog Knee brace, my dog’s measurements don’t show up in the ranges it gives me. What does this mean?
Please contact us to discuss the measurements.
I am having problems getting my dog's knee brace to fit. What do I do?
Please watch our fit video under the Pawcademy section on our website. If the video does not help, we are happy to help you fit the brace on your dog. Please email care@aocpet.com. In the email please describe the issues you are having and also 2-3 photos of the brace on your dog to the best of your ability. This allows us to see what you are seeing, how the brace currently fits on the dog and how your dog’s leg is built.
Can the brace be worn in water?
Yes. We recommend that the brace is fully dried before you reapply the brace.
This has been a game changer for my dog who tore her ACL a few months ago. I knew that my family didn’t have enough money to get her another surgery(she tore her other ACL about a year ago) and even with surgery, the healing and recovery takes months. With the Animal Ortho Care brace I have noticed an incredible difference in her walking abilities even over a few weeks of daily use. As we have been slowly weaning her off the brace I have noticed that she is back to walking and running completely normally. Not only is this brace incredible, the customer service from this company can not be described as anything but phenomenal. When I ordered the original brace for my dog, I accidentally ordered a left brace instead of a right one and Animal Ortho Care sent me a replacement free of charge. Then when, after months of daily use, some of the screws started to come loose and got lost in our back yard, they sent me spares also free of charge. I can not stress enough how amazing this company has been in my dog’s journey to healing and I would not recommend anything more that this company for healing from ACL/CCL tears. If you are on the fence, definitely get it! The cost is about 1/10th of what surgery would be and the healing time has taken about the same amount of time as the recovery from surgery. Thank you so much to Animal Ortho Care and I will definitely be recommending to others who have hurt pups.
That is so wonderful to hear. This brings such big smiles to our faces. We are so happy your dog is doing better. Please let us know if you have questions down the line. Thank you for taking the time to write us a review.
Best,
Animal Ortho Care
Worked with my vet to fit it I didn't have any problems with its sliding down, fits great! It really helped my dog by stabilizing her leg when the weather was so icy. Very well made!
Hi Karen,
Wonderful to hear the brace fits well on your dog and that you are happy with your product. Please let us know if you have any questions down the line. Thank you for taking the time to write us a review.
Best,
Animal Ortho Care
This is the second brace I have bought as her other hind leg is now having a problem. This second brace seems to want tio slide down her leg worse then the first brace we bought several years back. Not sure why. It does seem to have a slightly different shape to it then the first brace. It may also be made of different materials I’m not sure. I have found it helps if I put a sock on her leg first and a pad at the bottom. I never had to do this with her first brace.
Hello Debra,
I am so sorry to hear the brace you have is slipping. A Customer Care representative will be in contact with you shortly to assist further. Thank you for taking the time to write us a review.
Best,
Animal Ortho Care
Performance Dog Knee Brace | CCL-ACL Stifle | Dog Rear Leg Brace
Hello Phyllis,
Thank you for taking the time to review our product. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns along the way.
Best,
Animal Ortho Care
I choose to do the over the counter type. I measured my dog based on the instructions.
I should have measured him tighter. The braces I bought slide off because they are too big.
Definitely my fault.
Hi Michele,
So sorry to hear the braces aren't fitting well. For this particular brace, you need to align it properly along the leg. If not aligned properly, the brace will slip down. Biggest thing to know is that you need to adjust the length. I will have a Customer Care Rep reach out to you today to assist further. Appreciate you taking the time to write us a review.
Best,
Animal Ortho Care