3D-printed prosthetic legs enable Derby the rescue dog to run for the first time

Derby the dog was born with a congenital deformity characterised by small front legs and no front paws. While always cheerful, Derby was, until now, only able to get around on soft surfaces. Hard surfaces cause severe abrasions on his front extremities. Having fostered Derby back in October, through the dog rescue group Peace and Paws in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, Tara Anderson, a director at 3D Systems, decided to help. Anderson first decided to get Derby a cart, which he actually could use quite well.



However, she felt as though it was inhibiting him from playing with other dogs, and could not provide Derby with the full motion of running. So, with the help of 3D Systems, their Freeform Product Manager, Kevin Atkins, and ABC Certified Orthotist at Animal Ortho Care, Derrick Campana, the team was able to come up with a design for two prosthetic legs, after creating several different iterations. Using a plethora of different 3D technologies, including 3D scanners, as well as highly sophisticated 3D modelling software, the team was able to create very unique prostheses for Derby, which fit him perfectly.





At first, they created Derby a “running man” like prothetic, but Anderson was concerned that they would too easily dig into the ground. So, she came up with more of a looped design, which the team created and then printed on a 3D Systems’ ProJet 5500 MultiJet 3D printer. This printer allows for the printing of dual materials, creating rigid as well as flexible parts on the same object. Derby’s adopted parents, Sherry and Dom Portanova were extremely impressed by the results that were provided by Anderson, 3D Systems and Campana, in the creation of the dog’s prosthetic legs. 


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“When I saw him sprinting, it was amazing,” exclaimed Dom Portanova. “I couldn’t believe it! He runs with Sherry and myself every day, at least 2-3 miles. He runs faster than both of us, he never really tires out [and] he’s just so happy to [run].” The very first time the prosthetic legs were fitted to Derby, he immediately started running, as if it was totally natural for him. It is almost as if Derby was born for these legs, and the legs born for him. Derby, Anderson, and the Portanova’s are very pleased with the results. While it originally took some time for Derby to get used to his new prosthetic legs, and the development team a while to get just the right fit and iteration, in the end they turned out perfect.