Custom Hock (Ankle) Brace | Dog Tarsal - Rear Leg Brace
$895.00
CUSTOM DOG Braces - Order Process
Cast
We send you a Casting Kit for you to make a mold of your pet's limb.
FIT
We ship you the finished custom brace. You fit it to your pet. Your pet is on their way to recovery!
Speak to a vet
HOW TO MEASURE
Hock Circumference
Measure the circumference of the leg just above the hock (the raised part of the ankle below the knee)
Need Your Dog's Brace Sooner?
MY CASTING DIDN'T GO WELL
BUILDING YOUR DOG's ANKLE BRACE
AFTER RECEIVING YOUR DOG'S CAST,
FABRICATION TIME WILL TAKE 3-5 BUSINESS DAYS.
A DOG ANKLE BRACE IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS AN ACHILLES, OR HOCK BRACE.
Conditions That Benefit From a Custom Dog Ankle Brace
- Achilles tear
- Primarily used post-operatively after Achilles tendon repair, as an alternative to external fixation devices that require drilling into healthy bone
- Knuckling is common with Achilles tendon injuries, so a paw segment attached to a custom hock brace is often recommended
- Uneven distribution of pressure can also be resolved with a hock brace with a paw segment
- Post-operative care following a ligament repair or other surgeries
- Conditions for which surgery is not available or recommended for your dog
- If you prefer a non-invasive option for your dog's recovery
- As a complimentary treatment option for physical therapy methods, including hydrotherapy and acupuncture
Benefits of a Custom Dog Ankle Brace
- Provides support to the affected area
- Stabilizes the joint
- Decreases the time and expense of injury/post-surgical recovery
- Helps improve your dog's activity level by providing a return to near-normal joint function
- Allows for easier wound/surgical site inspection
- Reduces pressure on the contralateral (opposite) limb, preventing further injury
features
- Custom-fitted to your dog's limb
- Non-porous medical grade foam cushions and eases pressure on the affected area
- Durable hook and loop strap system allows easy adjustments for fit and comfort
- Made in the USA
- Removable
- Two-month warranty for brace alterations and modifications
- One-year warranty for manufacturing defects
- Lifetime warranty on Tamarack Hinges
- Free replacement straps during the first 90 days
why an aoc custom brace?
Technology
- Hand-crafted using vacuum forming and thermal technology
- Waterproof
- Tamarack-Tether hinges allow for limited ligament motion in order to prevent hyper-extension and hyper-flexion
how to cast for a custom hock dog brace
NOTE: If this brace is being casted with casting materials not purchased through Animal Ortho Care, ensure the tape being used is soft casting tape. Casts made from hard casting material CANNOT be used to build a brace and will be rejected by AOC Fabrication.
CARE:
- Use light soapy water or antibacterial wipes to clean the plastic shell and non-porous liner of the brace.
- Hand-wash pads as needed and let them air dry.
- Remove any hair or dirt from the hook and loop straps with a wire brush, gently brushing in one direction on the hook side only.
USE
- It is required that you follow the break-in period protocol for your dog. This helps to prevent irritation and allows your dog to become comfortable when wearing their brace. Failure to follow the break-in period could result in further injury to your dog.
- Your dog may wear their brace whenever they are active, both indoors and outdoors. Custom Dog Ankle braces are waterproof and therefore can be used in the water, such as for hydrotherapy sessions.
- Remove your dog's brace when they are not active for extended periods of time. This allows their leg to relax, prevents irritation, and allows their skin breathe.
- Once your dog has successfully completed the break-in period without irritation occurring, they may wear their ankle brace for up to 14 hours a day. Wearing the brace for longer than 14 hours could result in irritation and/or injury
Break-In Period
Similarly to breaking in a new pair of shoes, the Custom Dog Ankle Brace should initially be worn in short increments as your dog builds up a tolerance to the device. For best results, place the brace on your pet for only half an hour the first day. You can typically increase this time by a further half hour each subsequent day. You can facilitate this process by positively reinforcing and rewarding your dog for wearing the brace. Please keep in mind that the break-in period and time of each increment will depend on your pet's diagnosis and overall acceptance of the brace.
If there is any irritation or skin breakdown, discontinue use of the brace for one full day. If irritation continues, contact us at care@aocpet.com
Skin & Brace Examination
It is crucial that you thoroughly inspect your pet's skin after each use of the Custom Dog Ankle Brace. This is especially important during the initial break-in period. While it is not uncommon to see minor problems for the first few weeks of brace usage, make note of any blisters or other unusual marks on the skin. Skin redness that does not disappear within an hour after the brace is removed and other signs of skin breakdown are indications of excessive pressure from the brace. The brace can easily be modified to relieve these areas of irritation.
You should also carefully examine the brace itself after each use. Identify any cracks, tears, or areas of unusual wear. Padding and the hook and loop straps can be replaced by contacting Animal Ortho Care. Consult our warranty terms for other details on the service process.
Hygiene & Cleaning
Both the Custom Dog Ankle Brace and areas of skin that come into contact with it must be kept clean. This reduces the chance of your dog contracting contact dermatitis or other skin conditions. Regularly clean the brace with a mixture of half water, half isopropyl alcohol. After cleaning, dry with a towel or let the brace dry at room temperature. Do not speed the drying process through use of applied heat, such as from a hair dryer. Never put a wet brace onto your pet, as it will affect the fit. A properly-fitted brace can be worn in water, but should be thoroughly dried after use before re-application.
MATERIALS:
- Outer Shell: polypropylene, polyethylene, co-polymer
- Inner Liner: closed-cell polyethylene foam
FAQs
What is included with the purchase of a Custom Dog Ankle Brace?
Purchases of our Custom Dog Ankle Braces include a free casting kit, which you will use before we begin fabricating the brace itself. Once you have cast your dog's leg - or legs if you are ordering a pair of Custom Braces - you will mail us the casts. At that point we craft your brace order based on the cast of your dog's leg, and then send the Custom Braces back to you.
What happens if the brace does not fit correctly?
Please contact us and we will work with you to find the fit! The hook and loop straps give you some freedom to adjust the brace yourself. Depending on the issues with the fit, we may instruct you to ship it back to us for more extensive modification.
Please note it is imperative that you take an accurate cast of your dog's leg in order for the brace to have the best possible fit. Please refer to our casting directions and be sure that you are familiar with them before attempting a casting.
What if my dog's brace needs refurbishment?
Refurbishing your dog's brace is easy. Strap replacements are free within the first 90 days of your purchase if you order and replace them yourself. We offer various methods for refurbishing your brace depending on what needs to be done. You can order new Straps (1 inch or 1.5 inch) and Pads to replace on your own. If you don't want to replace the straps yourself or need a liner replacement, you can use our Custom Brace Refurbish Service and we will refurbish the brace based on what you order.
How often can my dog wear this brace?
There is a two-week break-in period where you will gradually increase the time your dog wears their Custom Dog Ankle Brace by 30 minute increments. Once this period is complete, you may leave the brace on your dog for up to 14 hours a day. However, be sure to remove the brace when your dog is resting, this will prevent irritation and allow their leg to air out. Check for any signs of irritation and/or swelling after removing the brace.
Please remove the brace before your dog goes to bed at night.
Can my dog use stairs while wearing this brace?
Yes! However, give your dog a few days of using the brace before they attempt stairs. If they seem to be adjusting well to the brace and moving comfortably, you should be able to introduce stairs. Be sure to supervise their first few attempts.
How Long is the Fabrication Process?
Once we receive the cast of your dog's leg, it takes 5-7 business days to fabricate the brace. Expedited Fabrication is available for $150.00 per brace which reduces the fabrication time to 3 business days.
How Long Will Shipping Take?
We offer free 5-7 business day ground shipping in the US for both the casting kit and custom brace, as well as 2 Business Day or Overnight shipping options for an additional charge. If you select an expedited shipping option, we will ship the casting kit to you based on that option. Once we receive the cast of your dog's leg and fabricate the Custom Brace, we will ship that using the same option you selected at checkout.
Is the Casting Process Difficult?
The difficulty of casting will depend on your dog; more anxious or badly injured dogs may find the process more distressing. It is recommended that you perform the process with at least 3-4 people depending on your dog's energy level.
Detailed instructions on how to cast are included in the casting kit. We can walk you or your veterinarian through the casting process, so please contact us with questions or concerns before you begin casting your dog's leg. We also offer FREE on-site casting at our Blaine, Minnesota location.
AOC made Our old crippled Labrador a custom brace that is well formed around his very large arthritis below his hock. Henry has a torn ligament in that leg as well, so the brace really stabilizes it and helps him stand upright. It took Henry about 3 times of wearing it for a short while to get used to it. I had my at home Vets check the brace on Henry and they were very impressed with the fit and quality. It is worth the money if you can muster it. We didn't really have it either. I cut back and readjusted some things to afford it. It was worth the money for sure.
Hi Paige,
We are so happy to hear that the brace is helping Henry! We wish for nothing but improvements every week! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Please let us know if you ever have any questions, happy to help!
Best,
AOC
We had this made for our dog Wesley as a last ditch effort to save a badly damaged leg. He’d had a compound fracture, dislocation of his ankle on a hind leg and had been in a bulky dressing and splint with weekly dressing changes for 7 months courtesy of some infected hardware that needed to be treated then removed which really slowed the healing process. Once we got to the point that the skin wounds were finally closed, we ordered this removable splint in the hope that it would stabilize and protect the joint enough to foster some additional healing. It fit great and allowed him to be more active. He was able to get back to being more like a dog. The fit was so snug that we could not get a sleeve thin enough to work but they did send us different ones to try. In the end we are using the brace when he’s out and active off lead, but sadly, it looks like we may be heading toward amputation anyway. We gave this a shot and had the injury not been so severe, it would have been a limb saver for us.
Hi Julia,
We are so sorry to hear about the background of your dog and all that he has gone through. He sounds like such a trooper throughout these challenging times. Such wonderful news that the brace has allowed him to be more active and playful since he has received it -we love that! We do wish this could be a longer term solution for you guys with everyting going on. If you decide to move forward with amputation we do wish you all the best. Please let us know if you have any questions along the way.
Animal Ortho Care
This brace has been great. It is very well engineered and made. It stabilizes our pets hock, and gives us peace of mind that the joint will not be re-injured.
Hi Brian and Robin,
We are so very happy to hear you are pleased with the product and it gives you peace of mind to know your dog's hock is being stabilized while also being provided relief! Please let us know if you ever have any questions, always happy to help!
AOC
Product fabricated and shipped in a timely manner. The straps and velcro fasteners were not as durable as expected. I had to manually repair (sew) two straps. When the vet tried to adjust one strap to make the hock area more flexible, the screw would not come out. Very disappointing! When I talked to customer service they said perhaps locktite was used on it at the factory. Other screws on other parts do unscrew. Not being able to adjust this flexible hock area does not allow the movement that he needs.
Hey Mary,
Thank you for taking the time to write a review for the custom tarsal brace and sharing your experience. We will have a customer care representative reach out to you regarding your concerns!
Respectfully,
AOC
Great customer service. Our situation was a little different, since we live in Switzerland. We had to get the brace with out a fitting post production. The customer service was great. The production seemed rushed and the finished brace still needs some tweaking after the production. The spacing between the main parts of the brace were not cut parallel, the stitching of the straps ran over the edge and the placement of the straps of the brace wasn’t well thought. Fitment was good but again fitting is still needed post production so nothing can be said about the post production service.
Hello,
Thank you for the feedback. Looks like a customer care rep has reached out regarding your fabrication concerns with the brace.
Repsectfully,
AOC
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