Q&As from Zoomadog Customers
Q: "Hello, I would like some advice please regarding what to purchase for our 9 year old Hungarian Vizsla who has had ACL surgery a few years ago. The main issue however is that the wound site has lost all its fur and left to his own devices he will nibble a hole in his knee because he can feel the metalwork inside. Consequently when left on his own, he has been wearing a cone, including all night. This obviously works but is uncomfortable and I would prefer to have something that just stops him accessing the scar tissue."
A: The Walkabout Cruciate Dog Knee brace is a good lightweight support, it is slightly more robust than the Kruuse knee protector and has an opening at the back of the lower part which makes it easier to pull over the paw. Is your Vizsla short haired? The problem with short hair is that the hair isn't generally long enough for the strap to grip to, but this can be resolved by using the brace attached to a standard dog harness.
Q: "Hello, I have a Sealyham terrier with a tear in her cruciate ligament . I am trying to avoid surgery and would like to try one of your cast knee braces. As a Sealyham, none of the off the shelf ones fit! How do I go about ordering the kit? Have you had a Sealyham use one before do you know?"
A: We use an American company who are specialists in dog custom knee braces. The whole process takes about three to four weeks.
1. You purchase the brace
2. We send you a form asking for some extra information: breed, weight, injury, colour you want
3. We send the cast to your vet, they will follow the instructions to make the mould (we arrange shipping)
4. Your vet sends the mould back to the USA to make the cast - takes 5 days to make (we arrange shipping)
5. We ship back to you, ready to use
Q: "Hello, our dog Herbert has been diagnosed with a cruciate ligament injury by our vet. We are trying to avoid surgery at this time but know it might be something we have to do in the future, can you advise on what kind of brace might be helpful for him please?"
A: We have a range of products which are specifically for cruciate ligament injuries / weakness. The Balto Jump is our most popular knee brace for supporting cruciate ligament injuries. It provides good support whilst the injury heals and is a good alternative to surgery or for post-surgery support.
We would also recommend an arthritic supplement as unfortunately cruciate ligament injuries nearly always lead to the onset of arthritis; however a joint supplement can really help to slow this process and keep Herbert fitter for longer.