Dassiet, maker of the Upets Splinting System, has published a preliminary study which demonstrated a reduction in casting complications using its wood composite cast.

Eight dogs being treated at three veterinary clinics in Norway took part in the study1. 

Previous research2 has found a complication rate of 55% when fibreglass casts are used, 20% of them severe. In this study using the Upets Splinting System, only 12.5% of dogs (n=1) had complications that required treatment, and the complications were minor.

Dassiet says the results suggest that the new product has the potential to make veterinary casting safer, more sustainable, and can help control costs associated with cast replacement and treatment of complications.  

86% of the veterinary surgeons participating in the study rated the Upets Splinting System as easy to use and said they would use the product on their own dog. 

An earlier poll3 questioned vets on their most common concerns about casting and identified that the most significant were fear of complications (57%), the time-consuming nature of casting (54%) and inconvenience (51 %). 

Dr. Martin Kaufmann, OrthoPets founder and Dassiet VET COO, said: “Complications often result from a cast that does not fit as well as it should.

"The results of this study suggest that Upets might be the ground-breaking tool that veterinarians have been waiting for as it provides them with the means to achieve a cast shape that is more precise."

For the white paper detailing the trial, visit: www.upets.vet/research. 

References

  1. Saku S, Kaufmann M, First Eight Dogs Successfully Treated with UPETS Splinting System at AniCura, data on file
  2. RL Meeson, C Davidson, and GI Arthurs. Soft tissue injuries associated with cast application for distal limb orthopaedic conditions: A retrospective study of sixty dogs and cats. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol, 24:126–31, 2011.
  3. Dassiet survey, details on file

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