Industrial designer Galia Weiss has created a hip harness to help dogs suffering from the skeleton condition known as hip dysplasia.
Dogs with this condition experience abnormal development in the place where their leg's femur bone fits into the pelvis, according to Discovery News. The bone can pop out of the joint over time and disconnect from the pelvic bone, which can cause the dog a great amount of pain and prevent it from walking and running the same ever again.
The harness, called the Hipster, is designed to keep the joint from disconnecting and strengthen the muscles surrounding it. The muscles can keep the femur bone in place when strengthened, preventing it from popping out.
Canines have an 8 percent chance of developing hip dysplasia, which is an inheritable condition, Designboom reported. The condition also comes with environmental factors, such as diet, gender, exercise (the amount and type) and a soft tissue laxity that leads to agitated friction in the affected joint.
The Hipster comes with a rigid yet lightweight frame and straps that are located on the back leg muscles.
The frame, straps and velcro are used to keep weight from burdening the dog's hips and bottom, as well as put resistance on the leg muscles and give them more strength, Discovery News reported. Weiss believes dog owners will see improvements in their pet's condition after the dog wears it for a month.
The Hipster is designed to be machine washable, and pet owners can get it in multiple colors.
