Rescue dog Derby has new front paws after 3D Systems designed specially curved prosthetics to help treat deformations in both of the animal’s front legs.
Tara Anderson, a department director at 3D Systems, saw Derby’s story online and agreed to foster him from Peace and Paws, she said in a video. With his two deformed front paws, Derby couldn’t run easily. Anderson and her husband first bought him a wheeled cart, but while it worked, Derby still couldn’t run and play with other dogs.
Kevin Atkins, freeform product manager at 3D, tackled the project, designing prosthetics on the computer that might help Derby run.
“Throughout this project, we’re using a variety of 3D technologies, and that allows us to get in there and really modify the organic digital models quickly and easily,” Atkins said on the video.
Derrick Campana, an animal orthotist, said that having the designs on computer and being able to 3D print the prosthesis made the process so much easier than hand-sculpting them each time a change needed to be made.
Today, Derby runs easily, chasing balls and outpacing his adopted owners, Sherry and Dom Portanova.
“I don’t become impressed very easily,” Dom Portanova said. “But whe I saw him sprinting like that, it was amazing. I couldn’t believe it.
“The first time he was put on them and he took off running, he was just so happy. I was absolutely amazed at how well he did,” Sherry Portanova said.
Derby’s story, posted on Monday, already has almost 3 million views.
“Every rescue deserves a chance, and some more than most. What an excellent example of a dog's determination and their owner's indomitable spirit and kindness!” one person wrote on the video page.
Many people commented on how Derby was still low to the ground with the prosthetics, and 3D Systems posted that they started him out lower and will gradually make the prosthetics taller as he adapts.
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