A dog has been learning to walk with the four prosthetic legs fitted
after he was maimed by frostbite.
Brutus the Rottweiler became disabled when his breeder amputated the
damaged paws himself.
He is only the second dog ever known to have four prosthetic limbs and
the way the high-stepping hound walks sometimes resembles a bucking
bronco.
The two-year-old starting using the artificial legs several months ago
and is now set to get an improved set of prosthetics.
Laura Aquilina, who cares for him in Loveland, Colorado, said: "He just
has these little peg legs to get around on and he does a pretty good job
inside the home."
Speaking about the prosthetics, she said: "He's able walk in them. It's not always pretty.
"We want to be able to give him a higher functioning, where he can run
and play with other dogs, go on hikes."
Exercises and play help him learn how to balance and his next step will
involve physical therapy at Colorado State University's Veterinary
Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Brutus' contraptions were made by Orthopets which produces prosthetics
for about 250 animals worldwide a year.
Founder Martin Kaufmann: "Brutus is an amazing case of a beautiful dog
who was dealt a short hand.
He can get out and do normal doggy things. And it just makes you feel so
good.
If he ended up in a shelter they'd say he was unadoptable because he's
missing his feet. I think it's good for people to know we can work with
animals this."
"We want to be able to give him a higher functioning, where he can run
and play with other dogs, go on hikes."
Exercises and play help him learn how to balance and his next step will
involve physical therapy at Colorado State University's Veterinary
Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Brutus' contraptions were made by Orthopets which produces prosthetics
for about 250 animals worldwide a year.
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