As you might already know, prosthetics for humans (either for the injured or the disabled) is a good device to make daily life better. Prosthetics are proven to be the best and effective way to help injured or disabled person to move around and act like a normal once again.
The effectiveness of prosthetic device is now also embraced by animal doctors or vets worldwide. It is widely used to help disabled or injured pets not just to move around but to also live the life they should have. Below are few of the known prosthetics that are given to animals that showed great results.
Prosthetic Flippers
Given to a female loggerhead turtle named Yu in Japan. Yu was washed up in a Japanese fishing net with her front flippers severely damaged or injured after a shark encounter five years ago. Although the prosthetic flippers are not yet perfect for Yu, its effectiveness is quite amazing and the loggerhead turtle can now freely swim.
Prosthetic Limbs
Oscar, a cat who had its hind legs severed, was given a pair of prosthetic limbs. Noel Fitzpatrick, a veterinary surgeon, used a system effectively developed by a certain University in London. The 2 year old cat can now freely walk, run and jump again because of the prosthetic limbs.
Prosthetic Tail Fluke
A 37-years-old female bottlenose dolphin named Fuji can swim and jump actively because of the artificial tail fluke attached to her. The dolphin lost almost 80% of her tail fluke because of a disease that strikes her. This world’s first artificial fin for a dolphin was developed by Japanese vets with the big help coming from Bridgestone Company (largest tire maker in Japan).
Prosthetic Leg
After her front left leg was brutally damaged by a landmine, Motala, a female elephant, can walk again like the others. Thanks to the prosthetic leg attached and given by Elephant Hospital in Lampang province, north of Bangkok.
Prosthetic Wheeling Front Legs
An art student from central Israeli city of Tel Aviv invented something that allowed Hoppa, a dog born without front legs, to experience the joy of walking and running. The prosthetic “wheeling” device aims to improve the lives of animals born with such deficiency or abnormalities.
Above are just few of the many prosthetics and their affectivity for animals’ stories that you can read and see. As advancement in technology and science continue, for sure more high -tech prosthetic device for animals will be invented soon.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/injured-animals-keep-moving-with-prosthetics-slideshow/25-old-female-loggerhead-turtle-named-yu-swims-photo-122604180.html
6 comments
Its really amazing how technology can not only benefit humans but animals as well. Great post, really put a smile on my face 🙂
It’s so wonderful to know that animal prosthetics help save the lives of our pets and wild animals. Stories of them beating the odds is so heartwarming.
Love this post!
It’s so great that people out there take the time to not just write injured animals off, but take the time and money to give them a normal life!
I’m a huge animal lover so this makes me very happy 🙂
Very interesting blog post. I had seen news reports about prosthetic limbs for dogs before, but have never seen them for other animals (especially a turtle!). Very informative post — I especially found the Prosthetic Tail Fluke for the dolphin of great interest.
This is truly amazing and wonderful – I’m glad people and companies are pursuing such things in order to aid wounded or stunted animals. Thanks so much for sharing!