Our Research and Whats in the Literature Now

Lucky and Loyal Brand Bracing on Elderly, Deconditioned or Injured Dogs: Reasoning, Current Options and the Gap in the Literature.

Spinal injury and degeneration are common in quadrupeds (e.g.canines or equines) due to a variety of causes such as genetics, erratic activity, disease, or accident. Degeneration and injury can cause pain, stiffness, muscle atrophy, and decreased mobility; as a result, these are markers of poor health outcomes and a decreased quality of life. Depending upon activities of daily living, increased intervertebral disc degenerative diseases (IVDD- infiltration of the disc material by bone), “were most common in chondrodysplastic breeds (CD), especially in Dachshunds, and were 1.5 times more common in male than female canines. Case fatality rates were found to be higher than previously suggested, with rates of 34% in the overall population, around 20% in most CD breeds, and over 50% in the non-CD breeds at highest risk such as the Doberman and the German Shepherd Dog."  A breed’s mortality also becomes fundamentally dependent upon spinal and hip structural integrity. Current therapies, such as corticosteroid injections, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and/or surgical intervention have had limited effectiveness. In addition, corticosteroid injections and NSAIDs are not intended for long term use, as are rigid bracing and other orthotic systems.

Bracing systems are typically unavailable through veterinary professionals. They are available publicly online, and are typically rigid, with the goal of reducing mobility and to create stability to an injured area. Rigid support devices are used to replace a missing limb or support a lame limb, which completely negates the normal movement of a quadruped. The single leg brace unbalances the quadruped's normal gait and puts the other limbs at risk. Our device is for pets that have gone too long without appropriate four legged support support.

Soft devices or devices that do not have a spine or rigid stability system in them are starting to become more commonplace. The benefits of bracing systems in an orthopedic sense (versus an anxiety sense) are most notable in the middle age population canines who are most susceptible to musculoskeletal injury from age 6 +, according to Bergknut et al’s review of insurance archival evidence.

There is a gap in the literature here. Our researchers are studying what can be implemented between; onset of injury, lameness, degeneration that requires dynamic support, and the possibility of avoiding eventual surgery or amputation that requires hard devices and or wheeled support. Maintaining quadruped ambulation by a canine is a key factor in the longevity and quality of its life. In humans, it is well established that bracing achieves help in healing, decreases re-injury, helps control biomechanical pain, supports weakened muscles, and promotes stable improved posture, but little is known about the benefit of bracing in quadruped animals. We are particularly interested in understanding the benefit of dynamic supportive stabilization for canines with degenerative orthopedic diseases and elderly deconditioned canines.

Current Bracing Options

Options for bracing currently available in the marketplace are geared toward static hard bracing for lameness, permanent or temporary, and post-surgical intervention requiring the use of wheelchairs for canines with a healthy core and anterior extremities. Existing quadruped orthotic devices generally support the lower quarter of quadruped extremities by acting as a replacement for a missing limb or supporting a lame limb. Devices available in the marketplace include neoprene orthotic devices, 3D printed devices (ie stifle devices), compression short distal limb sleeves, anxiety vests, lick covers, and wheeled devices.

The braces on the market now, are just bipedal models thrust upon the quadruped population. The Lucky & Loyal bracing system is designed specifically for Quadrupeds.

However, these devices do not provide adequate 4 leg muscular support or dynamic bracing for spinal injury and degeneration. Furthermore, many of the current quadruped orthotic devices are made of neoprene which can cause allergic reactions and overheating, exacerbating existing issues, and increasing the discomfort of an animal. Existing devices, such as stifle devices, can provide support on either side of the quadrupeds stifle joint. However, they do not provide the necessary support for spinal damage. In general, they are used to immobilize the joint and limit its motion. Vests for medial shoulder instability can be designed for temporary use during rehabilitation to limit movement. However, they can also trigger unbalanced reactions. Wheeled devices can limit a quadruped's activity due to their bulk but provide stability and mobility to advanced disease canines.

Canines with mild to moderate spinal injury or degenerative disease need lightweight multiplanar methods and devices for providing hind and spinal support that closely mimics a canine’s normal movement. 

Lucky and Loyal's Pet Braces

We have created a device that fits the marketplace's need for bracing that is usable by the everyday pet parent to help their aging or newly injured canine-friend manage a restful adaptation. Our device replicates the support provided by normal tensor facia latae musculature, thereby aiding quadruped symmetry; helping to alleviate pain and discomfort and encouraging healing. The perfect complement to high-velocity low-amplitude presynaptic proprioceptive inhibition of nociceptive receptors, aka movement overriding pain. Our bracing systems' embodiment, is a method for compensating for spinal strength insufficiency in a canine, by wearing a carefully measured support garment to support the hind legs of the quadruped while distributing the weight of the hindquarters across the sacral base of the animal, avoiding the creation of additional localized stress or strain points- we are achieving adaptive symmetry. The role of the tendons during locomotion will be ameliorated. In addition to enhancing the connecting muscles to bones, our sleeves act as tendon support. Possessing an increased elastic quality that enables them to recover more of the energy expended by the canine muscles during walk and trot. This extends the trot period for canines and supports the desire for traverse gallop. Though traverse gallop is not normally an elder canine's choice of ambulation. We achieve heightened extention when the limb is bent and natural dynamic support when the leg is straightened.

Our device allows for light active whole-body support to be applied to varying parts of the body as needed. Light support is applied only in the trunk region via the vest, much like an anxiety vest. The hind legs are served by a moderate support when the sleeve is worn over the quadruped’s hind legs. The leg is supported as well as exercised by the bungee cord action of the sleeve. This propels the canine forward with minimal effort. The intersection of the vest to the hindquarter is the area of most therapeutic benefit, anchoring the possibly weak leg or legs to the spine and allowing them to function in a supportive manner. In the “vest” which is made of a very light compressive material with venting, for a more cooling support, and is used to assist in placement and retention of the supportive material for the hind legs. 

The device is designed to support the pelvic girdle and stabilize extremities such as the knee joint muscles. We have found this device supports improved circulation through motion, limit excessive licking, reduces joint dysfunction, causes propulsion, and provides pain relief. They may also aid in anxiety issues without full constricting coverage. We have created braces with different designs in 8 different sizes, suitable for extra small to extra large pets, (1) anterior with extremities(releasing soon) (2) posterior with extremities, and (3) full spine with extremities (releasing next year). These devices move with the canine during activities of daily living, including daytime napping, and relieving. They are meant to only be used during the day, as one would with activity. All devices are hand and machine washable.

These support devices may be helpful for canines (& other pets- we tried our devices on goats and mini cows) suffering from osteoarthritis, back pain, hip and discal issues, congenital vertebral anomalies, thoracic and extremity problems such as OCD, hypertrophic osteodystrophy in large breed canines, panosteitis, and others. Our devices are also be helpful in pathologies involving the common calcaneal tendon, Achilles tendon, or gastrocnemius, or luxations or subluxations when surgery is not indicated, possible or to support the healing process when a successful surgery has occurred. We expect these devices to be used as home care while the pet is under the care of a veterinarian.

In a 17 yo Bischpoo, you can see changes in Gait Symmetry Indices in the bar chart. Some parameters switch from right side heavy without brace to left side heavy with brace. You can see a reversal of which side had the higher peak vertical force for the left and right hind legs. This is where the dog has spinal learning. 

Gait cycles per minute is also down, measured and is related to the brace wear, since all animals take an adjustment period with first time wear.  Slow gaits can also affect peak force values and have them report lower that faster gait. 

Looking at the force/time curves, you can see good symmetry in the brace condition. You can also see that the peak of these force curves tend to be later than in the non-brace conditions and in the right front paw force/time curve even lines up better with the left front paw strike in the braced condition.

Studies Cited

1. Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in canines:       https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/2427/1/bergknut_n_110113.pdf

2. Incidence of intervertebral disk degeneration-related diseases and associated mortality rates in canines Article in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · June 2012 DOI: 10.2460/javma.240.11.1300 · Source: PubMed

3. Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs: https://www.ethosvet.com/blog-post/degenerative-myelopathy/

4. Kinematic gait analysis in canines with hip dysplasia. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 1996 Jul;57(7):966-971.

5. Support Device for Quadrupeds, Patent No. 11,771,540

6. Smith GK, Lawler DF, Beiry DN, et al. Chronology of hip dysplasia development in a cohort of 48 Labrador retrievers followed for life. Vet Surg. 2012;41(1):20-33. doi:10.1111/j.1532-950X.2011.00935.x

7. Kealy RD, Lawler DF, Ballam JM, et al. Evaluation of the effect of limited food consumption on radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000;217(11):1678-1680. doi:10.2460/javma.2000.217.1678

8. Marshall WG, Hazewinkel HA, Mullen D, De Meyer G, Baert K, Carmichael S. The effect of weight loss on lameness in obese dogs with osteoarthritis. Vet Res Commun. 2010;34(3):241-253. doi:10.1007/s11259-010-9348-7

9. Impellizeri JA, Tetrick MA, Muir P. Effect of weight reduction on clinical signs of lameness in dogs with hip osteoarthritis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000;216(7):1089-1091. doi:10.2460/javma.2000.216.1089

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16. Greene LM, Marcellin-Little DJ, Lascelles BD. Associations among exercise duration, lameness severity, and hip joint range of motion in Labrador retrievers with hip dysplasia. J Anim Vet Med Assoc. 2013;242(11):1528-1533. doi:10.2460/javma.242.11.1528

17. Chauvet A, Laclair J, Elliott DA, German AJ. Incorporation of exercise, using an underwater treadmill, and active client education into a weight management program for obese dogs. Can Vet J. 2011;52(5):491-496.

18. Mlacnik E, Bockstahler BA, Müller M, Tetrick MA, Nap RC, Zentek J. Effects of caloric restriction and a moderate or intense physiotherapy program for treatment of lameness in overweight dogs with osteoarthritis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2006;229(11):1756-1760. doi:10.2460/javma.229.11.1756

19. Vitger AD, Stallknecht BM, Nielsen DH, Bjornvad CR. Integration of a physical training program in a weight loss plan for overweight pet dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2016;248(2):174-182. doi:10.2460/javma.248.2.174

20. Bannuru RR, Osani MC, Vaysbrot EE, et al. OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip, and polyarticular osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2019:27(11):1578-1589.

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