5 Stars
Marley is a 13-year-old black female English Lab weighing about 70 lbs. She has had a total of 3 surgeries in just 2 years. The original CCT replacement with a cadaver tendon has lasted about 2 years when the tendon tore through the anchor point. As a solution, a decision was made to try and fuse the joint with a bracket though that had to be removed eventually due to an infection setting in. Screws and pins were used alternatively, but one of the screws backed out, requiring another surgery to remove and replace it.
Marley wore a custom brace right after the second surgery, but the swelling rendered it unuseable. She had to switch back to a splint which was difficult to maintain as it had to be taken off before she could swim for her rehabilitation. We decided it's time to look for a simpler solution and found a Balto Brace through KVP Orthotics which has worked wonderfully since. She doesn't mind wearing it, there was no rubbing, and it can be taken off easily for swimming and put back on when she walks a lot.
We had a very specific need for a hock brace, and this answered that need. We imagine a more adjustable angle or a pivoting joint could accommodate a wider variety of pets, but overall it has worked really well and reduced the stress on Marley. She had no initial issues to wearing the brace as she was used to the prior, much more intrusive splint, and this was much easier to give her a break from. There isn't any resistance when we put the brace on her. She seems…