The customization enabled by 3D-printed parts has been celebrated for how it can advance medicine, from prosthetic limbs to better pacemakers. At the same time, it’s been hailed as a potentially greener approach to manufacturing. Not only can these designs be fabricated by anyone who has access to a 3D printer, thus reducing the need to ship specialized parts, this additive process can cut down on material waste.
The technology has also inspired animal lovers and veterinarians to help all kinds of creatures, from ducks to horses. Below, we’ve collected heart-warming and innovative ways 3D technology is helping animals have better lives.
1. Stumpy the box turtle
Credit: Savannah Morning News
Stumpy is a box turtle, who at the age of 12 lost a leg to injury and infection. Lesley Mailler, a veterinary at the Oatland Island Wildlife Centre of Savannah, performed the amputation, reports the Savannah Morning News.
But she had another idea of how to help, and brought the turtle to her daughter’s elementary school. A class of 5th graders designed Stumpy a new leg with a ball caster design and made it with the school’s 3D printer. Although the turtle can’t retract her new leg into her shell, it does help her roll along her way.
2. Buttercup the duck
Buttercup was born without a foot, and was adopted by the Feathered Angels Waterfowl Sanctuary. To make life more normal for their feathered friend, the sanctuary enlisted the help of 3D modelling company Nova Copy. Because a duck’s foot needs to be made from flexible materials that aren’t ideal for 3D printing, a 3D-printed mould was created to cast the custom foot from silicone. Since helping Buttercup, this approach has been used to make a new foot for Trooper, another duck who lost a leg to a fishing line.
3. TurboRoo the chihuahua
Credit: Via Designboom
Despite their small size, chihuahuas can be tough and resilient. TurboRoo was born without front legs, but he still captured the heart of vet tech Ashely Looper. After a couple of ad-hoc carts and a crowd-funding campaign, TurboRoo’s story caught the attention of Mark Deadrick, the president of the 3D printing firm 3dyn. Deadrick designed a custom cart with roller-blade style wheels for the chihuahua.
One of the other cool things about 3D printing is that many designers share their work on open-source platforms. A doggy wheelchair design is available from a Brazilian 3D printing enthusiast on MakerBot’s Thingiverse here.
4. Derby the dog
Credit: YouTube
Derby was born with deformed front legs, and was once at risk of being euthanized. But the dog got a second chance when Tara Anderson, a project manager at 3D Systems in Massachusetts, fostered him. She put a CAT scan and 3D modelling to work to create new limbs for the dog. He eventually found a forever home with Stephanie Portanova and her family, who continued to work with Anderson and her colleagues to perfect the design.
5. Holly the horse
Credit: CSIRO
Laminitis is a disease that affects horses' hoofs, causing pain and inflammation and often leading to lameness. Holly suffered from this condition for three years before she got a set of special 3D printed titanium shoes made by the Australian firm CSIRO, which has also been customizing horseshoes for racing. According to CSIRO, the new shoes help redistribute Holly’s weight away from the painful area and give her a chance to recover. Veternarian Luke Wells-Smith said she appeared to be walking normally and without pain thanks to the new shoes.
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