Canine Achilles Tendon Shoe/Brace

thingiverse

We rescued a poodle a few years ago and due to neglect and abuse he came to us without an Achilles tendon in his back right leg. We tried many of the braces on the market but none seemed to fit him. Also, he always seemed more comfortable walking around without the brace on but using that leg anyway... walking on the full length of his metatarsus as though it was an extension of his foot...besides looking funny it would set him off kilter and started to cause issues with his hip joints...and he definitely didn't like walking around with it held up in the air. The first brace/shoe I made for him was carved out of a pool noodle and worked pretty good but needed constant replacement. I decided to buy a 3D printer and try making something a little more permanent. After a few attempts this is what I settled on. He seems pretty content to wear the shoe when walking, and we haven't an issue with the hip anymore either. Although, truth be told, he prefers lounging on the couch and is a class A snuggler. Anyway, I'm sure there wont be much demand for this "thing" but wanted to share it in case it might help another furry friend. I printed the shoe with a Creator Pro using the stock settings for PLA and automated supports. I had some luck with tree supports but more often than not it would turn into a mess, and I would have to cancel the print. I switched to linear supports and haven't had a problem. The straps were printed with flexible filament from Flashforge using auto supports(tree) for the lip clip overhang. I did have to bore the slot out a little for the tabbed (stationary) ends to fit into the shoe. I will most likely make the slot wider if I need to print another one and will try to remember to update this when I do. The inside has foam pipe insulation cut to fit, and I also painted on some rubber flex seal on the bottom for grip.