JJC Students Working to Give 3-Legged Dog Prosthetic Limb

JOLIET, IL — Wolf is a German Shepherd mix who only has three legs due to an injury he sustained when he was a few months old. He was rescued by Joliet Junior College Professor Eileen McKee.

“Someone was trying to get rid of him because he was injured and they didn't want to take him to a vet,” McKee said in an email.

An assistant in the prosthetics department saw Wolf while McKee was walking him across campus and asked if they could work on a prosthetic for him. McKee had brought Wolf to the college to do an exam on him with her veterinary technician students.

A few different prosthetics were created to help Wolf walk. He has no problem running, but walking can leave him quite tired and his front paw shaking, McKee said.

Dr. Mike Brncick and his team of students are using 3D printers to create prosthetics for him. The dog's leg was amputated high at the shoulder so students had to create a “socket” to attach around the dog, Brncick said.

“After that we started to develop prototypes (for the prosthetic),” he said.

Because walking can wear him out, students are trying to create something that is functional for the dog and can help him walk.

“If we can take some of the load off the other three legs, that’s what we’re trying to do. The students have had some really good ideas,” Brncick said.

While the final design has not yet been created, Brncick said he believes it will come soon. But progress has been made. Students and Brncick are figuring out what’s working best for Wolf. Some of the designs so far include a rolling chair-like wheel and springs to absorb the weight.

“We’re kind of working between those two things,” Brncick said. “What we need to do now is finalize it and figure out which one is going to work best.”

And how is Wolf enjoying being experimented on by students?

“He’s a great dog to work with. The temperament of that dog is just fantastic,” Brncick said. “He lets us try anything. He loves the attention from the students.”

photos courtesy of Joliet Junior College