Please read Tamarack™ Habilitation Technology‘s most recent white paper “Cranial Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Dogs.” This white paper discusses the surprising statistics regarding ligament ruptures and surgeries for dogs. About 1.2 million dogs undergo surgery for torn ligaments every year. Most of these surgeries are for torn cranial cruciate ligaments (CCL) – the canine equivalent of the anterior cruciate ligament. A typical surgery for a torn CCL might cost $2500. Americans spend about $1.3 billion yearly on surgeries for torn CCLs. Wilke et al., Estimate of the annual economic impact of treatment of cranial cruciate ligament injury in dogs in the United States, J Amer Vet Med Assoc, 2005;227(10):1604-1607. Dog braces (or dog orthoses) for the stifle joint (canine knee joint) are increasingly being used. The well respected veterinarian, Sherman O. Canapp, DVM, MS, DACVS, of the Veterinary Orthopedic Sports Medicine Group speaks and writes on orthopedic braces as an alternative or adjunct to surgery. In one article on canine orthopedic devices, Canapp refers to the Tamarack Flexure Joint™. Canapp states “‘Tamarack’ joints can be used to offload the stifle by mimicking the actions of a healthy ligament.” Canapp goes on to say that custom orthotic devices have “helped treat and maintain many orthopedic conditions and injuries with great success, with and without surgical intervention.” Custom made orthoses for dogs typically cost between $400 and $800.