You want your beloved pet to be happy and healthy. When your vet tells you that your dog is suffering from Carpal Hyperextension, this is confusing and concerning. If you're not sure what this condition is and how to treat it, you're not alone. Let Bionic Pets help you better understand Carpal Hyperextension as well as how to help your pet feel better through the aid of carpal braces for dogs.
What is Carpal Hyperextension?
A carpus is a wrist, in both humans and dogs. A dog's wrist consists of seven small bones. It is stabilized by a number of ligaments, found on both the front and the back of the carpus. In a healthy dog, these ligaments hold the carpus in place and maintain it at a normal angle when the dog is standing or walking.
Carpal hyperextension is an abnormality of the carpus that causes hyperextension of the joint. It is caused by damage to the important ligaments that stabilize the carpus.
When you look at a dog from the side, a dog with a normal carpus will have straight, upright front legs ending at a small paw. A dog with carpal hyperextension, however, will appear flatfooted, and stand more like a duck than a dog.
How do Carpal Braces for Dogs Help?
When your pet is limping due to discomfort caused by an injury or instability, we understand the impact this has to the quality of life of your pet. Treatment of carpal hyperextension for dogs depends upon the severity of the condition in the specific animal. In some cases, including developmental carpal hyperextension and mild trauma, surgery isn't needed. When non-surgical treatment is an option, you should be looking into braces.
In fact, in a study at the University of Minnesota Veterinary School, 11 of 14 dogs with ligament instability had improved stability and reduced lameness through use of a brace. This is wonderful news for pet owners who want to help their dog feel better and walk easier again.
Trust Bionic Pets for Carpal Braces for Dogs
We encourage you to read our website to learn more about carpal braces for dogs. These devices aid in the support of the front legs and are used for post-operative recovery, rehabilitative treatment, and injury prevention for at-risk animals. They can be used to:
#1 Aid in post-operative procedures of the carpas
#2 Support in the prevention/recovery of hyperextension
#3 Aid in angle deformities such as vargus (outward) and valgus (inwards).
Remember, when you order from Bionic Pets, the casting kit is included! This is the best way to ensure that your dog's brace fits perfectly. For our casting and fitting tutorials please visit our Youtube playlist here. For our color options please follow this link to the Friddles website.