Introduction: Traumatic wounds can be defined as any disruption of the integrity of the skin, mucous membrane or subcutaneous tissue. Limb injuries in dogs can be treated with orthoses. Orthoses are medical devices attached to the body in order to support, align, position, immobilise, prevent and correct deformities, assist weak muscles and improve function. Purpose: The thesis deals with the orthotic treatment of a dog following the injury of the distal portion of the hind limb. The treated dog does not put weight on the injured limb. The application of an orthosis would allow the dog to walk well and prevent further deformities of the distal portion of the hind limb. Methods: The thesis was written based on a review of professional literature that describes methods employed in making orthoses and we employed these procedures in making our own orthosis. The process involved measuring the limb, taking the measures using plaster, fabricating and modifying a plaster model, making, testing and completing the orthosis and final delivery. The function of the orthosis was tested by demonstrating the extent of the injury, with goniometry, limb girth measurements, a functional analysis of weight-bearing of the limb, a limp assessment, the dual scales method and a questionnaire. Results: The orthosis was introduced gradually, for 15 minutes a day in the first week and later throughout the day. After a month of wearing the orthosis the dog started to walk fluently and the dual scales method demonstrated that the load was evenly distributed between the hind limbs; the limp improved from the initial rate of 3 to 0, which means the dog can walk normally without limping. There was no thigh muscle atrophy and the orthosis successfully relieved the weight on the distal portion of the limb, allowing it to heal. Discussion and conclusion: The orthosis was made in order to achieve the goals set and the results demonstrated our attempt was successful. Given the results we can conclude that certain injuries, both in people and animals, can be treated with orthoses.
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