He may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but he can lift his leg to pee without falling over. Storm is a Belgian Shepherd who had his paw amputated because of cancer. While dogs can do quite well with only three legs, his owners opted to follow the surgery with a prosthetic foot. An implant was attached to the dog’s forearm radius. Because it is a joint implant, it may be a model that can be used to help human patients who have lost a hand or foot.
The dog’s skin and fur have grown into the implant, making it more like part of his body. The replacement paw attaches to the implant allowing Storm to run and balance just as his natural paw would have done.
The technology used in the transplant was state-of-the-art and caught the interest of engineers, physicians, as well as veterinarians. A metal device based on the structure of antlers facilitates the skin-device interface and makes a seal designed to be impenetrable to bacteria, an important consideration for amputees.
Storm has recovered well and has his own webpage with family photos and other information.
Bionic Animal Innovation
Hi-Tech Surgery Provides Prosthetic Paw to Footless Pooch
Trend Themes
1. Bionic Animal Innovation - The development of prosthetic limbs for animals presents an opportunity for advanced engineering and medical advancements.
2. Human-animal Prosthetics - The success of using joint implants on animals opens up possibilities for creating prosthetics for humans who have lost limbs.
3. Antler-inspired Seal Technology - The antler-inspired seal technology used in the implant showcases a disruptive innovation opportunity for creating bacteria-resistant seals in various industries.
Industry Implications
1. Veterinary Medicine - The field of veterinary medicine can explore the development and application of bionic limbs for animals to improve their quality of life.
2. Medical Device Manufacturing - Manufacturers in the medical device industry can leverage the success of animal prosthetics to develop advanced human prosthetic limbs.
3. Biotechnology - The antler-inspired seal technology has potential applications in the biotechnology industry for creating bacteria-resistant seals for medical and pharmaceutical purposes.