TITLE: Small Animal Practical Bracing Solutions: Creating, Modifying, Adapting Braces to Fit the Patient

DATE/TIME: Tues. April 13th, 8:30am - 12:45pm (1/2 day lab)

LAB RATING: Intermediate

MAX PARTICIPANTS: 15 seats

CONTACT HOURS: 4.0 CE credits; RACE approval pending

DESCRIPTION: This intensive hands-on lab is designed to give practitioners the skills and confidence to take greater control of brace fit and function—troubleshooting problems, making modifications, and optimizing devices in-house rather than relying solely on repeated adjustments through the manufacturer. In this lab, participants will work with a variety of over-the-counter and custom braces while learning practical techniques to modify, optimize, and fabricate braces and assistive devices for dogs and cats. Using neoprene, interface padding, fasteners, straps, and other readily available materials, participants will learn how to improve fit, comfort, pressure distribution, and functional support. The emphasis is on transferable problem-solving skills that can be applied to braces, orthoses, and mobility aids from a variety of manufacturers, as well as to devices fabricated in-house.

Participants will be given materials to bring back to their clinic for immediate use to create and modify braces.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this laboratory, participants will be able to:

Select appropriate neoprene, padding, and strapping materials based on the patient's anatomy, functional deficit, skin integrity, activity level, and desired degree of support.
Fabricate and fit a basic custom neoprene brace using practical patterning, trimming, fastening, and fitting techniques that can be performed in the veterinary clinic.
Evaluate brace fit and function and make appropriate modifications to reduce migration, rubbing and pressure, avoid unnecessary restriction, and increase or decrease support as the patient's needs change.

Cancellation & Registration Transfer Policy

We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel or transfer your STAAR Canine 2027 registration, please complete the Cancellation & Registration Transfer Policy.

Creating, Modifying, Adapting Braces to Fit the Patient

$525.00

DAY / TIME

Ilaria Borghese MS, MA, OT - Founder, President, Thera-Paw, Inc; Founder, CEO, Vital Vet, LLC; Co-Founder, CEO, STAAR Conference

Ilaria earned her MS in Neuroscience from the University of Connecticut. She served as Clinical Coordinator for the Brain Research Center at Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC, where she was responsible for evaluating emerging drug therapies for children with autism. She later continued her academic work at Yale University School of Medicine and published multiple articles in peer-reviewed medical journals.

She went on to complete her MA in Occupational Therapy at New York University, where she combined her research background with clinical practice. This work led her to focus on canine patients, and in 2001 she founded Thera Paw, Inc., a company dedicated to the design, development, manufacturing, and distribution of soft orthoses, mobility aids, and other assistive products for animals with special needs. Ilaria collaborates closely with small animal practitioners to advance innovative approaches to custom splinting and bracing. She teaches internationally and contributed to the 2013 publication Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation published by J. Wiley & Sons.

In 2010, Ilaria co-founded STAAR, the Symposium on Therapeutic Advances in Animal Rehabilitation, a conference created for veterinary professionals seeking advanced, comprehensive education in animal rehabilitation, sports medicine, and fitness taught by leaders in the field. In 2020, Ilaria founded Vital Vet, a online, multi-platform supercenter created to improve the lives of animal companions. Vital Vet brings together veterinary rehabilitation, animal physical therapy, mobility, fitness, and wellness in one central destination, supporting both veterinary professionals and dedicated pet parents as they learn, connect, and make informed decisions.

Creating, Modifying, Adapting Braces to Fit the Patient

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