OrthoPets Veterinary Orthotics and Prosthetics Center

Reviews 4

JD

jdsvids

Our 9 year old Sheltie, Landon, had undergone 10 weeks of chemotherapy for lymphoma and was in remission. Hed done extremely well with no side effects and his quality of life was excellent...until he was chasing a pesky squirrel and stepped in a mole tunnel, tearing the ligaments in his left hind leg. It would not support any weight and Landon had to hop everywhere he went. We felt this was putting the other leg at risk. We were devastated! To see him be in remission and enjoying life and then have this injury take away his quality of life was heartbreaking. At his next chemo visit we had a surgeon evaluate his condition. While surgery was an option it was a bad one for Landon and we chose not to put him through it. The surgeon applied a splint/cast for temporary support. The following week he removed that and constructed a temporary brace, which seemed to give Landon some good mobility. We had held off on planning a fall vacation this year because of the injury but now felt we could go because of the brace so we put down a big non-refundable deposit on a vacation rental in the mountains. Within a few days it became apparent that Landon could not wear the brace as it was causing skin issues, hair loss and he hated it. The surgeon had mentioned Orthopets so we went online, watched their videos and read the testimonials and decided that Landon deserved a real brace. The problem was we were very short on time before the vacation and if we cancelled wed lose our $400 deposit. We had 8 days to get Landon the help he needed to be able to enjoy what could be our last vacation with him. I got in touch with Silver at Orthopets and she was so understanding! She sped up the process for us and the very next morning we had the cast mold kit. (Were in Virginia.) The next day the surgeon made the mold for us and we overnighted it back to Denver. They received it on a Thurs. and the following Tues. Landon had his brace. We left for vacation the next morning, stopping by the surgeons office to have him check the fit. He was very impressed with the device and the fit and gave his approval for Landon to start wearing it. When we got to the mountains I did photos and videos to email to Silver and she was very quick to respond and address any concerns I had. Vacation was a success! He was able to go for walks and even did a bit of running and playing! Landon has only had the brace for 10 days and for now it seems there may not be a need for any adjustments. Hes wearing it for 4 hours at a time and is happy to have me put it on him. Im fully confident that Silver will follow up on any issues that may arise in the future. Each time Ive emailed her with questions shes responded quickly and has been so helpful, patient and understanding. Excellent customer service. I couldnt be any happier with our Orthopets experience! Theyve put the quality back in Landons life!

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AN

Andrew Kuhlberg

My 12 yr old Labrador Retriever first injured her left stifle (knee) in August 2012. At that time, surgery was not an option due to her age. Her injury was managed medically with pain and anti-inflammatory medicines. This kept her going and she shows some improvement. In January 2103, she had a 2nd ligament injury, this time in her right stifle. As a result, she was nearly lame. Our vet wasnt hopeful, with surgery being too expensive and uncertain, options were slim. At this time, I was carrying her wherever she needed to go, outside, inside, into any room she wished. Being 70 lbs, she was nearly 100% dependent on me for everything. That didnt both me but I worried about her endlessly. Id put her on our bed during the day where she would stay until I got home from work (a queen-sized thermapedic mattress makes for a pretty nice "crate!"). I researched "knee braces for dogs" via Google. Some reading and a few phone calls later, I found and gained confidence in OrthoPets. I contacted our vet, shared my knowledge and hopes about OrthoPets, and he agreed to take on the treatment plan. I brought her to the animal hospital for the casting procedure and within a few days we had the orthotics. It was rather amazing how quickly they helped! Several weeks of training for both of us, resulted in a miraculous improvement. As her strength was regained, some of her youthfulness was also restored. My dog was a senior citizen as dogs go when she got her braces. But they results were truly amazing, they freed her to be herself and enjoy life again without being carried everywhere. The support from OrthoPets was also exceptional, if I could do it all again, I would, only sooner. Truly remarkable orthopedic care for animals. I love em!

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PA

Pamela S. Strawn

Our 180 lb. English Mastiff, Tank, came inside from playing and was limping on his right rear leg. I watched him closely for several days and after no improvement, he visited our regular veterinarian.. He was diagnosed with torn "CCL", similar to a human torn "ACL". When we learned that surgery could not be performed locally and it would cost in excess of $3,000 to have the surgery done on his leg, I began looking into other options over the internet. When I asked our vet what were the options, he said: "Surgery, orthopedic brace, or do nothing. We love our Tank and tried to choose the best option for our situation. We were told there could be a possibility of his other rear leg one day having the same problem. I found OrthoPets on the internet and ordered the casting kit, which was mailed to us. We went to our vet, who was able to do the cast mold for us. When we received Tanks custom brace, the instructions were easy to follow and they even requested we take pics and send so they could make sure the brace fits properly. We did have to return the brace one time for an adjustment, and the shipping expense was paid by OrthoPets. Today, Tank wears his brace when needed, mostly on days when he exercises a lot outdoors. He is getting older at almost 8 years, now, but we are so happy that he can walk around and go up and down the stairs outdoors! I cant even imagine how we would get him in and out for potty breaks! Well, we did build a handicap ramp once, which worked fine. I am amazed at how far medical science has taken us in the animal world. Thank you, OrthoPets for helping our dog live a healthy life!

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JI

Jim Beaber

I had an ACL injury 26 years ago, and have used a custom knee brace ever since. I switched to an off-loader knee brace for more than a decade to keep playing soccer. I am no stranger to orthotic devices and understand the value of them. That said, I deeply regret purchasing a device from Orthopets for my border collie. I was sold on all the great things shed be able to do once she had the device and had adjusted to it. None of this has occurred. The device makes her right leg a "peg leg" with limited mobility, and seems to exacerbate other problems instead of correcting them. I spent $1800 that would have been far better used for other rehabilitation treatments instead. As a retired school teacher on a fixed income, this is not an insignificant amount of money for me. In essence, it represents resources that would have been much better spent on treatments such as cold laser, chiropractics, and rehab swimming--resources that will be delayed or denied to my pet because of financial limitations, and these are treatments that Ive seen give her a lot more help than this device ever has or ever will. Im glad to read reviews that indicate pets have been helped. My recommendation to anyone considering a device from Orthopets is to look at alternative treatments first, and have a trusted vet make the recommendation when all else fails. If the device does not help your pet, you will receive very limited support and then theyll wipe their hands of you.

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