Custom Orthopets Device Resources
Fitting Tips and Tricks
During your intial fitting appointment, your therapist will mark the tightness on the straps. For the first few days use these marks as a guide. The straps will stretch slightly after a few days and you will likely need to pull them a little more snug.
When you put the device on, make sure all the strap pads are centered both vertically and horizontally on the strap to avoid skin irritation.
We recommend using anti-monkey butt powder to reduce skin irritation in sensitive areas like the groin and around the ankle or wrist.
EVERY TIME your remove the device for the first 3 weeks, check your pet’s skin for irritation. This may include hair loss, pink or red skin, or open sores. There are 2 types of sores to watch for:
Pressure sores: Occur when there is pinpoint pressure on an area. This usually occurs over bony landmarks like the ankle bones. This will look like pinpoint or circular hair loss, redness, or open skin.
Friction sores: Occur when the brace is rubbing on an area and causing irritation. This most commonly occurs in the groin, over the achilles tendon, or over the front of the ankle/front paw. This will look like more diffuse hair loss (in a vertical pattern usually), redness, or irritation.
EVERY TIME you remove the device for the first 3 weeks, check your pet’s paw for swelling. Compare the foot to the other side to make sure it doesn’t appear swollen or hot/cold to the touch. Sometimes the hair is flattened down and can make the paw appear swollen.
If you see any skin irritation or swelling, please email photos to info@head2tailmobility.com.
DO NOT leave your pet in their brace unsupervised until you are confident they will not chew the device.
DO NOT let your pet do stairs unsupervised with their brace on, until they are proficient at navigating in their device.
Break In Schedule
For most pets, we will use the following break in schedule. If your pet has an injury that requires 24 hour wear, please consult with your therapist about your dog’s wearing schedule.
Days 1-3:
1 hour sessions 3x a day
Day 4-6:
2 hours sessions 2-3x a day
Day 7-9:
3 hour sessions 2-3x a day
Day 10-12:
4 hour sessions 2x a day with 1 hour between sessions
Day 13+:
Full time wear morning to night. Brace off at night time.
Care of Your Device
Orthopets devices are waterproof. If your pet/device get wet, dry the pet and device afterwards to prevent skin irritation.
If your dog goes on in the snow, be sure to remove the device until it is dry to prevent skin irritation.
Clean the device with a washcloth, mild soap, and warm water. The pads on the straps are machine washable (do not put in the dryer).
Check bolts and tightness as needed with a 2.0 or 2.5mm allen wrench.
Clean any hair caught in the velcro straps with a wire/grooming brush.
Fitting Videos
You can find fitting videos for all the Orthopets devices here.
Other Useful Links
Adjustments, Refurbishments, and Rehabilitation