Ozzy barking at the moon after ‘cutting-edge’ implant gives new lease on life

An orthopaedic specialist has hailed a groundbreaking new “joint resurfacing implant” after it helped a dog recover from a painful joint condition.

Australian cattle dog Ozzy was referred to Bristol Vet Specialists after lameness in his right hind leg persisted despite rest and pain relief.

The 19-month-old was diagnosed with bilateral osteochondritis dissecans of the tarsus, a condition which could lead to lifelong arthritis and progressive disability.

Rather than face restricted mobility or major salvage surgery, Ozzy became one of the first dogs in the UK to receive a custom-made “bionic joint” implant combining titanium with a thermoplastic polyurethane surface – an elastic material said to mimic cartilage.

Bespoke

The bespoke nature of the implant is said to help preserve joint stability and movement.

A specialist orthopaedic manufacturer in Germany, animalTECH, used Ozzy’s CT scan to design the implant, as well as create custom surgical guides and 3D-printed bone models to allow Bristol’s surgery team to rehearse the procedure.

The practice’s head of surgery, RCVS-recognised specialist in small animal orthopaedics Dan Ogden, led the two-hour operation.

The team temporarily removed a section of Ozzy’s tibia to access the damaged joint surface before reaming out the defective cartilage and underlying bone and placing the implant.

‘Striking’

Mr Ogden said that previously treatment options in such cases were “really limited”, with the standard approach of removing damaged cartilage only offering positive results in around a third of cases and often doing little to prevent arthritis from continuing to progress, while fusing the joint in severe cases would take away pain but also heavily restrict movement.

He continued: “These new implants are a completely fresh alternative.

“Instead of removing or freezing the joint, we can actually rebuild the damaged area with a smooth, pain‑free surface that’s custom‑designed for each patient.

“It gives dogs like Ozzy the best possible chance of getting both their comfort and their mobility back.”

After eight weeks of strict rest before a gradual return to exercise, Ozzy’s recovery has been “striking” and he is off all pain medication, with “only the occasional brief skipping step” reported by his owner.