Trixie - 11 year old Beagle mix

Dear Jeff,

trixie Since the amputation of Trixie's foot she has done remarkably well. To date she has shown no signs of depression or decreased activity. She has adjusted well to living without the foot and frolics as she used to. She has also adjusted well to her prostheses.

In the beginning she was hesitant to use it but now enjoys having her prosthetic on and associates it with walk time. She applies weight to the prosthetic while walking, running and playing.

We noticed how tired she was walking any distance without her prosthetic and prefer for her to have it for any significant distance walking. She is also aware of her increased capacity and gets extremely exited to see us getting ready to place it on.

Overall, her progress has been very good in our observations and we are extremely pleased that she functions at such a high level.

Thank you for all of your efforts and support.

Regards,

The Campbell Family

Sepp: Bernese Mountain Dog

I am writing this letter as a reference for Jeff Collins and K-9 Orthotics in Dartmouth, N.S., Canada. I have used K-9 Orthotics on two different occasions, with tremendous results both times.

The first case involved a 90 kg English Mastiff who had undergone limb sparing surgery for osteosarcoma of the radius. Unfortunately, the screws were unable to hold the plate in a stable position due to the dog's large size. Jeff was able to design a form fitted plastic splint that the owner is able to easily place on the leg and tighten with a simple Velcro closure. This has allowed the dog to have full, unrestricted use of the leg with full weight bearing.

The second case involved a ten year old 68 kg mix breed dog with grade four bilateral hip dysplasia. The dog had been dealing well with hip lameness through a combination of pain relievers, chondro-protective medications and acupuncture. The dog then slipped and tore ligaments in his right hock. Physiotherapy, semi-rigid splints, acupuncture, and massage failed to give the hock any stability. Surgery was not an option for this dog, so K-9 Orthotics was contacted. Jeff designed a splint that hinged to allow a normal range of flexion and extension in the hock but does not allow any lateral or medial instability. This splint literally allowed the dog to walk again with no discomfort or reluctance.

Elmwood Veterinary Hospital

"Ben" Lanteigne

Ben was so unstable with his bilateral tarsus deformity that he could not even climb stairs or get into a vehicle let alone run. From the moment his articulating hock orthoses were in place, Ben started to run. If a dog could smile, Ben was smiling.

"K-9 Orthotics took a young dog that most likely would have been euthanized and gave him a normal life."

Dr. Kim Maillet, Elmwood Veterinary Hospital, Moncton, New Brunswick

Occe - Sheperd Cross

Dear Jeff Collins:

Your sincerity and concern over our dog, Occe, has not gone unnoticed. You came to our aid without hesitation during the days after Christmas, when we found out about Occe's severe hip dysplasia. Your words were comforting and your consultations were uplifting in our hopes for Occe.

Our eight-month-old shepherd cross was born with no right hip socket and the left side was not much better. This discovery was not made until she was spayed and X-rayed at six-months of age. Grief stricken our family didn't see any useful options for her. She required a full hip replacement, and for a six-month-old dog, this would be a difficult task. Due to the cost of such a procedure this option was unavailable to us. I am so glad we didn't give up, and searched for another option. An orthotic, to give her strength and regain mobility.