How Spring Loaded Bionics Can Help Our Furry Friends
Spring Loaded’s bionic knee brace provides a new world of possibilities for humans in the future, but as a veterinarian, I can also appreciate it for the possibilities for animals. People do not realize that dogs (and our other furry friends) can also suffer from debilitating knee injuries that leave them with arthritis and pain. With just a few simple modifications, we could offer the bionic brace as an affordable alternative to expensive surgeries that can still leave dogs with decreased mobility and future pain from arthritis. This can also be expanded to police, military, and therapy dogs who are forced to retire early due to these common injuries suffered during their jobs. Imagine being able to help with pain for the next canine officer that can remain on the streets to help protect you and your family.
The possible applications for the bionic brace are not only limited to small animals, but consider large animal injuries that could be helped with the bionic brace. Horses require the full function of all of their legs. If they suffer any type of severe injury that results in chronic lameness, we are, unfortunately, limited in options to help as veterinarians. The choice for their owners often include a $5,000 or more surgery, that provides little guarantee of improvement or to consider pain meds which can have life threatening side effects for a horse’s sensitive gastrointestinal system. As a result, horses with catastrophic leg injuries are often euthanized due to the pain and poor prognosis of a knee injury. The bionic brace could potentially save the lives of these animals and relieve extreme pain with a simple application of the bionic brace.
These are just specific examples of domesticated species’, but consider the limitless possibilities for our older tigers, lions, apes, and other zoo animals that could benefit from the Bionic brace. So remember that this product could not only improve the quality of life for our two legged species here on Earth, but our four legged ones as well!
