Desenvolvimento de sistema de auxílio para cão com dificuldade de locomoção

Abstract

The advent of additive manufacturing caused a revolution in the custom market, by making possible the craft of a wide range of objects at relatively low cost and virtually without shape boundaries. One of its possible applications is in the build of orthoses and prostheses based on the anatomy of the wearer, guaranteeing a better fit of the device to the injured or absent limb. The human orthoses and prostheses market is well supplied; however, the veterinary orthosis and prosthesis market presents limitations in availability, high costs, and size range, not fitting all patients in need of such devices. To develop a proposition of solution to this situation, the goal to develop and fabricate prototypes of veterinary orthoses and prostheses was established, using additive manufacturing, aiming to offer options for the emerging alternative therapies market for dogs, needy of such devices that fit the patient’s need and have good functionality, especially at a low cost. Real clinical case of a motor disabled dog, due to traumatic neurological injury, was used for development of a project and then production of a orthosis made of TPU, using additive manufacturing. The device was tested and then validated using QUEST questionnaire for assistive technology, modified for veterinary use, obtaining the score of 4,625 points out of 5. The prototype is functional and fitting for its application, with possibility of further improvement.