Free Ground Shipping on all orders within the U.S.A.! Orders placed on or after 05/27 will ship out 05/31.
Purchase your Custom Brace.
We send you a Casting Kit for you to make a mold of your dog's hip area.
You ship us the mold. We use it to build a custom brace for your pet.
We ship you the finished custom brace. You fit it to your pet. Your pet is on their way to recovery!
For a dog hip brace to be made, a cast of your dog's torso, hips, and part of their hind legs is needed. Please contact your veterinarian to see if this cast can be made through their office.
Issues involving the hips and upper legs
Due to the standard hinge sizes and limited modifications that are currently available, some breeds may have difficulties with the size of the hinge. Breeds that are less than 40 pounds may be too small for the hinges we use, even after modification of the brace.
Similarly to breaking in a new pair of shoes, the Custom Dog Hip Brace should initially be worn in short increments as your dog builds up a tolerance to the device. For best results, place the brace on your pet for only half an hour the first day. You can typically increase this time by a further half hour each subsequent day. You can facilitate this process by positively reinforcing and rewarding your dog for wearing the brace. Please keep in mind that the break-in period and time of each increment will depend on your pet's diagnosis and overall acceptance of the brace.
If there is any irritation or skin breakdown, discontinue use of the brace for one full day. If irritation continues, contact us at care@aocpet.com.
It is crucial that you thoroughly inspect your pet's skin after each use of the Custom Dog Hip Brace. This is especially important during the initial break-in period. While it is not uncommon to see minor problems for the first few weeks of brace usage, make note of any blisters or other unusual marks on the skin. Skin redness that does not disappear within an hour after the brace is removed and other signs of skin breakdown are indications of excessive pressure from the brace. The brace can easily be modified to relieve these areas of irritation.
You should also carefully examine the brace itself after each use. Identify any cracks, tears, or areas of unusual wear. Padding and the hook and loop straps can be replaced by contacting Animal Ortho Care. Consult our warranty terms for other details on the service process.
Both the Custom Dog Hip Brace and areas of skin that come into contact with it must be kept clean. This reduces the chance of your dog contracting contact dermatitis or other skin conditions. Regularly clean the brace with a mixture of half water, half isopropyl alcohol. After cleaning, dry with a towel or let the brace dry at room temperature. Do not speed the drying process through use of applied heat, such as from a hair dryer. Never put a wet brace onto your pet, as it will affect the fit. A properly-fitted brace can be worn in water, but should be thoroughly dried after use before re-application.
Purchases of our Custom Dog Hip Braces include a free casting kit, which you will use before we begin fabricating the brace itself. Once you have cast your dog's body and legs, you will mail us the cast. At that point we craft your brace order based on the cast of your dog's leg, and then send the Custom Brace back to you.
Please contact us and we will work with you to find the fit! The hook and loop straps give you some freedom to adjust the brace yourself. Depending on the issues with the fit, we may instruct you to ship it back to us for more extensive modification.
Please note it is imperative that you take an accurate cast of your dog's body and legs in order for the brace to have the best possible fit. Please refer to our casting directions and be sure that you are familiar with them before attempting a casting.
Refurbishing your dog's brace is easy. Strap replacements are free within the first 90 days of your purchase if you order and replace them yourself. We offer various methods for refurbishing your brace depending on what needs to be done. You can order new Straps (1 inch or 1.5 inch) and Pads to replace on your own. If you don't want to replace the straps yourself or need a liner replacement, you can use our Custom Brace Refurbish Service and we will refurbish the brace based on what you order.
There is a two-week break-in period where you will gradually increase the time your dog wears their Custom Dog Hip Brace by 30 minute increments. Once this period is complete, you may leave the brace on your dog for up to 14 hours a day. However, be sure to remove the brace when your dog is resting, this will prevent irritation and allow their body to air out. Check for any signs of irritation and/or swelling after removing the brace.
Please remove the brace before your dog goes to bed at night.
Yes! However, give your dog a few days of using the brace before they attempt stairs. If they seem to be adjusting well to the brace and moving comfortably, you should be able to introduce stairs. Be sure to supervise their first few attempts.
Once we receive the cast of your dog's leg, it takes 2-4 weeks to fabricate the brace.
We offer free 5-7 business day ground shipping in the US for both the casting kit and custom brace, as well as 2 Business Day or Overnight shipping options for an additional charge. If you select an expedited shipping option, we will ship the casting kit to you based on that option. Once we receive the cast of your dog's leg and fabricate the Custom Brace, we will ship that using the same option you selected at checkout.
The difficulty of casting will depend on your dog; more anxious or badly injured dogs may find the process more distressing. It is recommended that you perform the process with at least 3-4 people depending on your dog's energy level.
Detailed instructions on how to cast are included in the casting kit. We can walk you or your veterinarian through the casting process, so please contact us with questions or concerns before you begin casting your dog's body and legs. We also offer FREE on-site casting at our Arden Hills, Minnesota location.
The custom manufactured brace is actually a replacement external hip, he was abandoned with his femur splintered. He has no option except amputation. Until his brace! He thanks you and we thank you for giving our boy some extra four leg years. We all are greatful.
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …
© 2023 Animal Ortho Care.
Item | Price | Qty | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Subtotal |
$0.00 |
|||
Shipping | ||||
Total |