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| With Dr. Mark Walter, friends from Bayer Animal Health and a few of my pet blogger friends at Capital Veterinary Specialists in Jacksonville, Florida, opened in 2015 by Dr. Walker BVSc, DACVIM |
Dr. Walker opened Capital Veterinary Services, JAX , a specialty veterinary clinic in Jacksonville Florida, to serve Northeast Florida and South Georgia pet parents. We loved meeting Dr. Walker and his compassionate, expertly trained staff! It's easy to see their high level of expertise and feel their passion and love for the exciting work they do.
Dr. Walker gave us a tour of this beautiful state of the art facility and some of the specialized veterinary equipment they use to help the pets that visit them for expert veterinary care and services, including:
If I can be honest, I'm embarrassed to say I thought it was some kind of machine used to repair a piece of equipment in the room! I saw the spool of what looked like white wire at the top and I thought, is this Veterinarian going to repair something?! Don't they have a maintenance guy for that? He's a doctor for heaven's sake!
It's funny now to think of how perplexed we were, but this weird looking machine is actually a 3D Printer! They use it at the clinic to treat pet's injured limbs or other bones. I think we were all transfixed on this strange looking machine, trying to figure out exactly How they use a 3D printer to treat an injured pet's bone and exactly how it works.
The spool of white "wire" you see on top of the machine is actually the material used by the machine as it forms a precise replica of a pet's injured bone.
Digital files are created from Images taken of a pet's injury, such as from an MRI or CAT scan. These files can then be translated into a format the 3D printer can recognize and understand.
The printer then prints out layer upon layer of the material to create a bone replica, based on digital files of the injured bone that have been sent to the printer.
The materials used by 3D printers can vary; plastics, rubbers, etc. can be used. One example of a material used is a plastic polyactic acid (PLA) filament.
Displayed on the table in the photo above are 3 model replicas that were created by the 3D printer, based on injured dog limbs.
In the below photo you can see what the inside of a piece of 3D "printed" bone replica looks like.
The replica created by a 3D printer isn't actually placed inside the pet's body, it is used to form an exact replica of the injured limb or other skeletal body part. This enables the Veterinarian to handle a model of the pet's injured body part to gain a better, more precise understanding of the injury prior to a surgical procedure.
The material that will be placed inside the pet can be more precisely and accurately formed using the replica crated with the 3D printer. The replica is used as a model to create and accurately form the piece of metal orthopedic material, or other material, that will be placed inside the pet's body. Replicas created with a 3D printer can also be helpful in testing out multiple treatment options.
It was so interesting to see a 3D printer and learn how it works, and how it can be used to improve treatment of skeletal injuries to pets!
In their Canine Rehabilitation Department, Capital Veterinary Specialists has both a hydro therapy tank and a swimming pool. Both can be used for Canine Rehabilitation.
In the hydrotherapy tank, dogs receive treadmill therapy, where dogs walk on an underwater treadmill. The buoyancy of the water helps the dog get a low impact treadmill workout. This type of rehab therapy for dogs is becoming very popular with pet parents.
Canine rehabilitation focuses on improving postoperative outcomes for orthopedic, neurological and soft tissue surgical procedures.
It is also used to treat nonsurgical diseases like osteoarthritis, canine athlete injuries, weight management and non surgical spinal injuries. It's also useful for field trial and agility conditioning and strength training.
It's amazing how Veterinary services have become so advanced and specialized! That makes me really happy knowing that such advanced therapies for treating pets are available. I would do whatever it took to help my dogs recover from an injury or disease. I know you would too!
We had some really interesting conversation with Dr. Walker and some of his staff. We talked about how they run their practice, the significant advancements that have been made in pet food over the years, and specialized veterinary medicine in general.
As most of us know, in recent years many pet food companies have been consolidated into huge corporations, like Belgian company Mars Petcare. What I didn't know is that similar to the health care community for humans, many veterinary providers are also being consolidated into larger corporations.
It was interesting to hear that corporations in the pet industry have acquired a large number of Veterinary services providers. For example, Mars Petcare has acquired Banfield Pet Hospital, Veterinary Centers of America (VCA Animal Hospitals), and BluePearl Veterinary Partners. They even own the Wisdom Panel Dog DNA test kit company.
Just like in human medicine, consolidations abound! In case you're wondering YES! it's the same Mars company that makes M&M's, my personal fave, as well as Twix, Snickers, and other delicious candies, including the Mars chocolate bar of course!
We'd like to say a giant THANK YOU to Bayer Animal Health and Dr. Mark Walker for making this visit to Capital Veterinary Specialists possible! It was so educational, and really Fun meeting Dr. Walker and his talented veterinary staff!
On our trip to Jacksonville, we also had the privilege of visiting K9s For Warriors where we learned how they are helping military Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disability (PTSD).
Have you ever used hydro therapy for dogs or experienced 3D printing to treat a pet's injury? Let us know in the comments!
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| A 3D Printer being used to treat pet injuries at Capital Veterinary Specialists in Jacksonville, Florida |
It's funny now to think of how perplexed we were, but this weird looking machine is actually a 3D Printer! They use it at the clinic to treat pet's injured limbs or other bones. I think we were all transfixed on this strange looking machine, trying to figure out exactly How they use a 3D printer to treat an injured pet's bone and exactly how it works.
The spool of white "wire" you see on top of the machine is actually the material used by the machine as it forms a precise replica of a pet's injured bone.
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| Replica of injured pets' bones, made utilizing this 3D printer |
Digital files are created from Images taken of a pet's injury, such as from an MRI or CAT scan. These files can then be translated into a format the 3D printer can recognize and understand.
The printer then prints out layer upon layer of the material to create a bone replica, based on digital files of the injured bone that have been sent to the printer.
The materials used by 3D printers can vary; plastics, rubbers, etc. can be used. One example of a material used is a plastic polyactic acid (PLA) filament.
Displayed on the table in the photo above are 3 model replicas that were created by the 3D printer, based on injured dog limbs.
In the below photo you can see what the inside of a piece of 3D "printed" bone replica looks like.
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| View of the inside of a pet bone replica created using a 3D printer |
The replica created by a 3D printer isn't actually placed inside the pet's body, it is used to form an exact replica of the injured limb or other skeletal body part. This enables the Veterinarian to handle a model of the pet's injured body part to gain a better, more precise understanding of the injury prior to a surgical procedure.
The material that will be placed inside the pet can be more precisely and accurately formed using the replica crated with the 3D printer. The replica is used as a model to create and accurately form the piece of metal orthopedic material, or other material, that will be placed inside the pet's body. Replicas created with a 3D printer can also be helpful in testing out multiple treatment options.
It was so interesting to see a 3D printer and learn how it works, and how it can be used to improve treatment of skeletal injuries to pets!
In their Canine Rehabilitation Department, Capital Veterinary Specialists has both a hydro therapy tank and a swimming pool. Both can be used for Canine Rehabilitation.
In the hydrotherapy tank, dogs receive treadmill therapy, where dogs walk on an underwater treadmill. The buoyancy of the water helps the dog get a low impact treadmill workout. This type of rehab therapy for dogs is becoming very popular with pet parents.
Canine rehabilitation focuses on improving postoperative outcomes for orthopedic, neurological and soft tissue surgical procedures.
It is also used to treat nonsurgical diseases like osteoarthritis, canine athlete injuries, weight management and non surgical spinal injuries. It's also useful for field trial and agility conditioning and strength training.
It's amazing how Veterinary services have become so advanced and specialized! That makes me really happy knowing that such advanced therapies for treating pets are available. I would do whatever it took to help my dogs recover from an injury or disease. I know you would too!
We had some really interesting conversation with Dr. Walker and some of his staff. We talked about how they run their practice, the significant advancements that have been made in pet food over the years, and specialized veterinary medicine in general.
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| I'm glad so many advancements have been made in Veterinary medicine! |
As most of us know, in recent years many pet food companies have been consolidated into huge corporations, like Belgian company Mars Petcare. What I didn't know is that similar to the health care community for humans, many veterinary providers are also being consolidated into larger corporations.
It was interesting to hear that corporations in the pet industry have acquired a large number of Veterinary services providers. For example, Mars Petcare has acquired Banfield Pet Hospital, Veterinary Centers of America (VCA Animal Hospitals), and BluePearl Veterinary Partners. They even own the Wisdom Panel Dog DNA test kit company.
Just like in human medicine, consolidations abound! In case you're wondering YES! it's the same Mars company that makes M&M's, my personal fave, as well as Twix, Snickers, and other delicious candies, including the Mars chocolate bar of course!
We'd like to say a giant THANK YOU to Bayer Animal Health and Dr. Mark Walker for making this visit to Capital Veterinary Specialists possible! It was so educational, and really Fun meeting Dr. Walker and his talented veterinary staff!
On our trip to Jacksonville, we also had the privilege of visiting K9s For Warriors where we learned how they are helping military Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disability (PTSD).
Have you ever used hydro therapy for dogs or experienced 3D printing to treat a pet's injury? Let us know in the comments!
30 comments:
3D printers are so amazing! I would love to see one in action.
This is fascinating, and it must have been great to see this in person. Luckily I've never had a pet with an injury, but I would want it treated like this if I did!
I'm glad to know more about 3D printers. I admit, I wouldn't have known what that machine is, and I didn't understand how they worked either. It looks like an amazing facility!
Wow, what a great vet practice! That 3D printing machine is awesome! We haven't used hydro therapy or needed a 3D printer for our dog, but it's great to know that there are places out there that have these available.
What a wonderful opportunity you had to visit and learn so much about the technology that is used today to help our pets! I believe 3D printers are going to do so much for both humans and pets when it comes to health care
I love that veterinarians are advancing with technology. Just because I perform an alternative therapy doesn't mean I don't use every available option to help my pets! It is so cool to learn about the 3D printer. I had no idea!
Wow, a 3D printer. I wouldn't have known what it was either - BUT HOW AMAZING! Sounds like you had such a great trip and the Capital Veterinary Specialists sounds like a truly wonderful place!
P.S.: Are you going to BlogPaws? I finally bought my ticket about a week ago. Hope to see you there!
Oh my goodness. Would you believe the only time I heard of 3D offers was on the magic show the Carbanaro Effect? The 3D printer feature is so interesting and remarkable how it's used to help ortho surgeons. It's amazing how technology can help pets in so many ways.
That was the coolest thing ever, how lucky we got to see it. Sandra and Dolly
I had the opportunity to see a 3D printer in action a few years back, but I never thought that it could be used by a veterinary clinic. It's wonderful to see it used in a medical setting to help pets who have been injured. I would imagine it's also a very helpful aid in showing a pet owner exactly how a pet's bone is broken and how it will be fixed.
I'm thinking about taking a 3D printing class so it's interesting to see one in action. It's great how many advanced methods there are to treat pets these days.
We can use 3D printers on print shops here but the price of basic ones is coming down all the time. Amazing.
I have realised how amazing it could be to help with pet health and I am so jealous you got to see all this up close!
I would love to see a 3D printer work WOW, this clinic looks amazing and would of course make a pet parent more comfortable knowing they are in good hands.
That sounds like a wonderful and very informational trip! I was interested to see how they would be using the 3D printer, I was thinking it was going to be for making casts for broken or fractured bones but I guess it's a pretty similar idea. I'm so pleased that technology is developing to aid in help in different aspects of our lives like our pet's lives !!
I find all the new advances in vet med very exciting and awesome. The only thing frustrating about that is that the more is possible, the more expensive treatments get, and the more guilt it generates when funds are short.
WOW!!!!! I am SO impressed, amazed even! This is just pawsome!! Tech has come so far and I am so thankful for it! I never would have known what that machine was either lol. Thanks for writing about this!
I have not seen a 3D printer before or known how it works. Thanks for providing those photos. I've been hearing about amazing things these machines can do.
My husband actually owns a 3D printer! We got it to play with and create small projects, and I love seeing it used in veterinary care. Such exciting tech!
This is so impressive! Imagine a few years ago 3D printers seemed like a novelty for people with too much money. Now it's being used in veterinary medicine. It is very exciting.
Thanks for the pictures describing the 3D printer and the explanation of how they actually use the replicas. Veterinarians have greater expenses today with this newer equipment. It is no wonder that the larger corporations are behind these facilities. The single vet hospital may be a profession of the past.
3D printer technology is so fascinating. Lucky you getting to see it up close!
Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets
How exciting to have the opportunity to visit such an impressive facility, and knowing how many animals will be saved through new technologies. There's a vet show I watch here in England and it's fascinating to see the inventions he has come up with. I was blown away when he featured the components created by a 3D printer. Hard to believe what a printer can do!
While I prefer the use of natural approaches wherever possible, I also like taking advantage of latest medical advances; particularly for diagnostics but also for treatments. Interestingly, the treatments I gravitate toward the most are the science version of natural approaches - such as regenerative therapies, immunotherapies, laser therapy, oxygen therapy ...
Reading about advances in medical technology for pets always make me feel better. While I haven't had to use hydrotherapy or 3D printing for our dogs, I know that at least one facility in Tucson has state-of-the-art technology. The emergency pet hospital that we love is also a speciality center for all sorts of pet-related issues like dentistry, surgery, and valley fever. Plus they have rehab services. If we ever need those services, I know where we can go. And I trust those doctors. One of those doctors is the person who took Bernie's wacky general symptoms and thought to suggest testing for Addison's Disease. So thankful that these services are available if needed.
It is incredible what people are doing with 3D printing now. Lucky you getting the tour and explanation- fascinating. The hydrotherapy is great for low impact physio. That tank looks pretty compact- I bet more facilities start offering it. I'll have to see what high tech places we have near me.
Oh my goodness, I wonder if 3D printing is being used in human medicine. This was the 1st I've heard of it and it is AMAZING! I love that there is a Veterinary office that has it all including hydrotherapy as one stop shopping. I haven't been able to find it in our area yet.
This clinic sounds like an amazing place to take your pets. I had some professors to submit a grant proposal for a 3D printer a couple of years ago and we couldn't justify the cost for what the purpose of the grant was, but I'm amazed to see what these printers can do.
Terrific post!! This sounds like the most amazing experience ever! I had to laugh though at your comments about the 3D printer....I thought it was a table saw or a tile cutter. Haha! The consolidation piece I find as unnerving as I do with its impact on human medicine. I’m not so sure I feel comfortable with a chocolate company in charge of my dog’s healthcare - food or medicine. Perhaps that’s unfair, but it’s how I feel.
This is so cool! I am going back to school to get my DVM at University of Georgia and they have all of this high tech stuff too. I am excited to get to learn about it all and use it to help pets!
So cool! Thanks for sharing! True story, our STEM students and Engineering Club students have a 3D printer and they were using it to print roses for students to buy for valentine's day. I stood, transfixed and mouth agape, watching the printer work, for WAY longer than was socially acceptable. It was just so cool to see! I'm so glad to know more about how this technology can be used to help pets in need!
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