By: Terry Lackmeyer, My Pet’s Brace Customer Service Representative
You’ve had your dog’s leg brace for a few months, and everything is going well until you notice that one of the straps is wearing out. Now what?
Never fear, we stand behind our dog braces and try to make replacing parts as easy as possible. Straps, pads, buckles, soles, foam liners and suspension sleeves are covered under our 90-day warranty.
We keep measurements of all the straps, so we know the exact size of the items on your dog’s brace. This means that all you need to do is call us or send us an email telling us what parts you need. We will gladly send the parts out to you in the mail. Straps are easily changed with a flathead screwdriver.
If you need a part we can’t mail to you, like a sole or foam lining, the brace will need to be brought or mailed back to us for maintenance. These repairs will be done the same day or mailed out the following business day.
What if your dog chewed a strap? The same procedure applies, the items are still covered under the 90-day warranty. If your dog does chew anything, it’s usually when you first get the brace. Keep in mind, your dog should be supervised the entire break-in period as they do not yet understand what the brace is or why they are wearing it.
However, having the dog chew the straps or pads could mean that something is irritating your dog’s leg. Be sure to check your dog’s leg carefully at the site of the chewed item. Is hair rubbing off? Does it look like an irritation may be starting? If so, please take a picture of the dog in the brace and another picture without the brace, clearly showing the rub mark or irritation and email those pictures to us. We will have a clinician review the photos and determine what steps to take to solve the issue.
So, what do you do if your dog chews the plastic portion of the brace? The plastic is warrantied for one year, so there is no fee for refurbishment during this time. In order to repair any chewed portions of the plastic, the brace will need to be returned to us. If the brace arrives early in the day, we will repair it the same day it arrives and send it out to you. If we can’t get it out the same day it arrives, it will be sent out the following business day.
It is normal wear and tear on a brace for straps and other parts to need to be replaced over time. How long items last depends on your dog, their activity level and their environment. It is standard for straps and soling to need to be replaced every six months to a year. Once the 90-day warranty has expired, there is just a small charge per item.
We understand making a good quality product is only half the job. Standing behind our product completes our responsibility. Our top-notch customer service and fabrication team are here to ensure that your dog’s brace stays in tip-top shape for as long as they wear it.