Learn how OrthVet -Grace was born
In our family, dogs aren't just pets; they're part of our home, our lives, and our hearts. We've always shared our daily lives with them, and we currently live with three of them: Lucy, the oldest; Tommy, the middle brother; and Grace, the youngest, who is also Tommy's sister. All have been adopted, and each has left a special mark on our lives, but Grace changed our course forever.
From a young age, Grace presented multiple health problems. Despite her energy and tenderness, she began having seizures, and without us knowing, she also began experiencing joint problems. Family walks, which used to be her favorite time, began to become difficult for her. She tired easily, could no longer climb onto couches or the bed, and relied on us to get around normally.
Worried, we took her to the vet, who gave us the diagnosis: osteoarthritis in all four legs. Her cartilage was beginning to wear away, and her paws had lost their natural angles. It was a hard blow, not only because of the disease itself, but because we hadn't previously recognized our little one's silent suffering.
The recommended treatment included laser therapy and the use of orthopedic splints. But when we searched for these splints, we got another surprise: there were no custom-made orthoses for dogs in El Salvador. The only ones available were imported, generic, and poorly suited for a case as complex as Grace's.
After trying different models purchased from abroad, from neoprene splints to those with aluminum plates, none of them provided adequate support for Grace. Her condition continued to worsen, and time was running out. As parents of a dog who is like a daughter to us, we couldn't just stand idly by.
It was then that we made a momentous decision: to resume our careers as professionals in orthotics and prosthetics, a vocation we had put on hold for various life reasons. We are both graduates of Don Bosco University, with specialized training, but now the focus would be different: to create canine orthopedics with the same level of precision, love, and respect applied to humans.
Inspired by Grace, we began a deep dive into the anatomy, biomechanics, and specific needs of dogs with osteoarthritis and other conditions. We designed, tested, and fine-tuned prototype after prototype until Grace had her own custom-made orthoses on all four legs. Today, thanks to these lovingly crafted, high-tech devices, Grace no longer suffers from pain or inflammation and has regained her quality of life.
Thus was born Orth-Vet Grace, the first canine orthopedic clinic in El Salvador. A project of love, science, and empathy. We joined forces with veterinarians and specialists to offer high-end, customized orthopedic devices designed to adapt to each pathology and each dog or cat that needs them.
Because we know that animals can't say "it hurts," but they do deserve to live without pain. Because like you, we love them too.
