Well, Naki’o didn’t have superpowers, but he was the world’s first bionic dog.
The ability of dogs to adapt to their change in circumstances is absolutely amazing and just when you think you have seen it all another extraordinary story emerges.
Naki’o was a crossbreed whose home was in Nebraska, USA, but at less than five weeks old, he was abandoned by his owners due to them fleeing after their home was repossessed. Without knowing all the facts, it would be wrong to condemn these people, but to the majority of folks, it appears to be a heartless, even callous, disregard for the plight of a living creature, particularly one so young.
With his mother dead, Naki’o, along with his brothers and sisters, were left to fend for themselves in a Nebraskan winter. As anybody from the state will tell you, these winters are harsh, very harsh, with temperatures dropping down to minus 20 degrees. Unfortunately, when only a few weeks old, malnourished and barely alive, Naki’o stepped into an icy puddle, and all four paws were frozen. When rescue came, there was nothing to be done, frostbite had set in, and Naki’o was left without paws. What remained were just stumps. Now we have all seen photographs and videos of dogs on two wheels. We have even seen a dog with a prosthetic limb, even two, but what do you do with a dog with no paws?
As luck would have it a visitor to the rescue shelter in Colorado where Naki’o was placed happened to be a veterinary surgeon looking for a playmate for her own pet retriever dog. That lady was Christie Tomlinson.
Whilst still a puppy, it was possible for Naki’o to walk around, but as he grew, he got heavier, and walking was so painful that he was left with only being able to crawl around on his tummy. For an energetic, happy dog this was a purgatory and miserable existence. He even had to go for walks in a pram (stroller).
However, help was at hand because, in Denver, there is an extraordinary organisation called Orthopets, created by Martin and Any Kaufmann. Martin was experienced in providing prosthetics for humans and realised that this knowledge could be adapted for animal use. Before Naki’o arrived, other animals had benefited from visits to Orthopets and other specialists worldwide.
Regular readers will be aware of the story of Kuno a military dog serving with the Special Boat Service, injured whilst taking down an insurgent in Afghanistan. (see Military Dogs 1st November 2020)
Kuno is a dog that lost his left-sided rear paw and received a severe injury to the other rear paw necessitating two artificial devices. This resulted in him enjoying his retirement to the full running around on his two new prosthetic limbs.
Other animals to benefit worldwide include a cat called Oscar, Injured in Jersey and treated by Noel Fitzpatrick in Surrey, England, a miniature horse called Midnight in Texas, USA and a baby giraffe. There have also been successful fitting of prosthetics to birds, an elephant, a tortoise, a dolphin and other creatures.
We should be aware that animals make better patients than humans. They don’t have the emotional issues that affect people. They don’t worry about what they look like, and they are not remotely concerned about the future. They don’t have to consider if their partner will still love them or how they will make a living. They don’t feel sorry for themselves. They accept the inevitable, and they have the drive and commitment to succeed and overcome their disability. We can learn a great deal from the animals.
As long as they are mobile and pain-free, that’s all that matters. The only important issue is the one that affects all dogs with mobility difficulties. Weight. Whether it is the loss of a limb, recurring injury or having a prosthetic fitted, all animals having these complications must not gain excess weight. Unfortunately, a restriction of mobility means that weight gain can be a consequence, and it is easily done as living with a pet daily means that an increase in weight is not so easily noticed. If it is possible, weighing the pet weekly will ensure that they don’t get fat. Sorry to mention this, but the same principle could be used by all of us!
So, back to Naki’o, who is believed to be the first canine in the world to be fitted with prosthetics on all four legs. He quickly adapted to life on his new artificial limbs and learned to run and jump. Whilst he may have looked a trifle clumsy his quality of life was dramatically improved. Can we even begin to imagine the change that this brought about? From crawling around on his belly, such was the pain induced by stumbling around on stumps, to running around, playing with other dogs, and even catching a ball. Not only an incredible difference physically, but the emotional release must have been unimaginable.
This adaptation of human prosthetics for animals is long overdue, and let’s be honest, we have the technology, so why not use it? Orthopets can provide a Stifle (dog knee) Brace, a Tarsus (dog ankle) Brace, a Carpas (dog wrist) Brace, and an Elbow Brace. These include over-the-counter and made-to-measure.
With the passage of time and experience, we will become more able to help our disabled pets and as always, these devices will become more available as competition forces cost down.
Sadly Naki’o has passed on, but Kuno continues to enjoy his retirement with his prosthetic paws, along with so many others. It is rare to see a dog with prosthetics today, but in the years to come, I am convinced that they will be a more common sight.
“A friend is a friend and a dog is a dog. A friend will never be a dog but a dog won’t ever quit being a friend.”
Jean Paul Malfatti
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