Brutus is a two-year-old Rottweiler and a quadruple amputee. After months of training and with the help of modern technology, he is now walking again.
Believed to be just the second dog to be fitted with four prosthetic limbs, Brutus received his new legs through OrthoPets of Denver.
His foster mom said it is difficult to explain to the dog why he has contraptions, but he has to have them after suffering from an extreme case of frostbite, which his former trainer decided to remedy by poorly amputating the dog's legs.
Brutus is now adopted by Laura Aquilina, who has been working diligently with the dog to take him on walks.
"He just has these little peg legs to get around on and he does a pretty good job inside the home," she said.
Walking outside, however, is a different story. While his high steps have him sometimes looking like a bucking bronco, Brutus is slowly easing into using his new limbs, with play and exercise helping him develop his balance.
When he has gotten the hang of his new set of legs, Brutus, Aquilina hopes, will be able to play and run around with other dogs and go on hikes with her.
The dog was fitted with prosthetic legs for his hind limbs first in September 2014. After eight weeks, his front prosthetic legs arrived.
Martin Kauffman, OrthoPets founder, said Brutus is the perfect example of a beautiful dog dealt with a short hand. OrthoPets manufactures prosthetics for around 250 animals every year all over the world. Seeing Brutus get out and do what normal dogs do feels good, said Kauffman.
Aquilina also feels good that her Brutus can be an inspiration to other animals living with disabilities. She was concerned that if he ended up in a shelter, he would be considered unadoptable since he was missing his feet.
"I think it's good for people to know we can work with animals like this," she added.
As part of his recovery, Brutus will be receiving physical therapy from the Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital. As he grows into his new legs, he will be given an improved set to ensure he gets around with ease.
Several cases have already been reported of double-amputee dogs receiving prosthetic legs to help them move around. However, quadruple amputees like Brutus are rare.
Photo: Lorraine Yeung | Flickr
