How do we start a revolution within the veterinary community? How do you create that industry yourself?
When a human suffers a devastating leg injury, there is often a surgery that can fix it, or an orthotic or prosthetic device that assists in their mobility. So, why can’t the same be done for animals? This was the thought process behind Westminster, Colo.-based small business OrthoPets. Founded by Martin Kaufmann in 2003, OrthoPets is a device manufacturing company that specializes in orthotic and prosthetic options for animals.
Kaufmann was specializing in orthotics for humans when a phone call from his cousin changed the course of his career. His cousin’s dog had suffered a stroke and injured its leg, and the vet was going to amputate the entire leg. “When people have strokes, you don’t cut their legs off. You give them simple braces so they can get around functionally and enjoy their quality of life,” says Kaufmann. “Maybe I can do the same thing with animals that I do for my human patients.” He was right.
The challenge that Kaufmann faced was that he was starting his small business in an industry that didn’t exist. “So it was a matter of, how do we start a revolution within the veterinary community, and how do you get to the level where you can train veterinarians on how to use this stuff?” For Kaufmann, the best way to overcome this barrier is through creating a demand within the market of pet owners.
The more people and vets who realize that orthotics and prosthetics are an option for animals, the more this industry can continue to grow, which is something Kaufmann hopes will happen. The goal is to “get the right people in place, get the right structure, so that it can take on its own identity and be more than just one part – just myself.” It would also create more jobs, something that Kaufmann views as his additional role in the local community.
But for Kaufmann, there is one thing that trumps everything else. “Besides changing veterinary medicine for the better, helping owners so they don’t have to put down their pets is at the top of the list.”
Photos by Christina Clusiau