NEWARK, Del. — Tika is a four-year-old rescued Terrier mix who’s been hopping around on three legs ever since she had her front left leg amputated following a fall off of a ledge. Lucky for Tika, she was adopted by Vicki Cassman, a professor at the University of Delaware. Cassman knows that Tika gets around just fine and is happy as any dog, but worries she may develop arthritis or other problems as she ages.
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So, Cassman decided to start working on a solution with the undergraduate prosthetics club. The team began investigating the world of dog prosthetics, but found that most major manufacturers won’t take on the task because of all of the custom fitting. So far, the team has tried outfitting Tika with a Polyurethane wheel that attaches with velcro straps. The fit wasn’t quite right so they are now working on a soft, moldable plastic wheel that will use her other leg for support.
The plan is to have her “running” by the end of the December. Happy holidays, Tika, and good luck with your new wheel!
Via USA Today | Delaware Online | Photos credited to SAQUAN STIMPSON/THE NEWS JOURNAL
