Custom Fabrication (Creation of an Orthotic)

All OrthoPets Europe's Orthotic & Prosthetic devices are custom fabricated at our Clinic in Denver, Colorado. The fabrication team are highly skilled, fully qualified Orthotics technicians. They use the latest materials, hardware and fabrication techniques in order to bring patients the very best in Veterinary Orthotics & Prosthetics. Designs are constantly evolving to ensure that our devices give the best in terms of fit, comfort & joint control.

It takes hours of skilled work, spread over several days to make an OrthoPets Europe custom device. The following summary gives you an insight into the work that is involved, and why OrthoPets Europe are the industry leaders....

The first and one of the most crucial stages is the making of a fibreglass impression of the patient's limb, a process usually carried out by the Vet. This fibreglass cast maps all the topography of the limb section and directly affects the final fit and function. Each cast must pass rigorous checks by OrthoPets Europe for definition, correct joint angle, limb positioning and general quality before being passed for fabrication.

At our Clinic, the initial stage sees the fibreglass impression scanned to make a 3D digital image. This digital image is then manipulated on screen to reflect the anatomical, technical and design requirements for the required Orthotic or Prosthetic. Once our modellers are happy with the image, a foam model of the patient's limb is produced by the CNC Carver machine, which is accurate to 0.5mm.

Once the model has been finished it is attached to a specially designed vacuum jig. A sheet of the thermoplastic used for our shells is heated in a large oven, until it becomes extremely malleable. The plastic is then vacuum formed around the clay model, thus ensuring an exact fit to the anatomy of your patient's limb. Once the plastic has cooled, the shape of the required device is outlined before being cut out.

The rough cut device shape is then cleaned up and smoothed on a sanding machine. After, the finished shell is fitted with chafes, straps, and any required hardware such as hinges etc. The final stage is the fitting of the foam liner, which is heated and manually molded to the inside of the device. Once the glue has set, the device is given a final polish & clean.

Whilst work is quality checked at each stage, the finished device is given one final check by OrthoPets Europe for quality and against original requirement specification, before being packed with fitting & care instructions and shipped to the dog's Vet for initial fitting. However the process doesn't end there, as OrthoPets Europe provide full backup and support for any questions or issues that arise, to ensure a smooth and succesful implementation.

N.B. The images shown are for illustrative purposes only. Actual device designs may vary.