Doggie Ear Implants

While we're all familiar with the sight of dogs' ears perking up when they hear something interesting, some dogs' ears stay constantly droopy. That's because their ears have become broken. The good news is that one man has found a solution!

From Droopy to Dynamic

Some dogs have broken ears, due to birth defects, diseases, accidents, and so on. Just as with humans, having body parts that don't function properly can be quite devastating to your pet pooch. Until recently, pet dogs with broken ears simply had to live with them.

But that changed when a man named Gregg Miller invented PermaStay Ear implants. Miller saw a need of certain pet owners, and met that need with his revolutionary ear plants for dogs. What exactly are the implants? These devices are extremely thin, light, and tiny. In fact, they only weigh 3x4 inches! The bulk of the implant is comprised of ultra-thin surgical mesh. A string of "fluroplastic" is located in the middle of the implant, and supports the ear somewhat like a backbone supports a back. Within 10 days of the implant being inserted into the ear, tissue actually starts growing inside the mesh!

A Work in Progress

While first developing the implant, Miller had to make some adjustments. That's because the first models, comprised entirely of fluroplastic, caused infections in the dogs' ears. He then used silicon sheeting, but half of the dogs still experienced ear infections. Miller then realized that surgical mesh was the solution for preventing infections in the dog's ears. He sold his first prototype to a German man, and doggone it-it worked! A patent for the ear implant is still pending.

New and Exciting

It remains to be seen how popular the dog ear implants will be. The implant itself is $400, while the surgery cost can range from $300-$600. It's safe to say that while the PermaStay implants definitely improve the appearance of dogs' ears, the price may simply be too steep for many dog owners. Another issue is that it's tough to gauge how popular the implant would be after the current recession ends. While most of the purchasers of the implants have been wealthy pet owners, more dog owners may find the implants to be more affordable, after the worldwide economy starts to improve.

The process of manufacturing the ear implants is somewhat complicated, and the pieces undergo four stages during their production. Each step is crucial in creating the finished product.

From Newspapers to New Ideas

Miller worked in the newspaper and advertising fields, before becoming an inventor in 1981. Have you heard of Neuticles-plastic testicle implants for pets? Miller invented them roughly 15 years ago. He hopes to focus all of his future inventions on implants for pets. After creating testicle and ear implants for pets, Miller is ready to tackle any other pet implants that would be marketable to pet owners.

If your dog had its ears cropped as a puppy, then you can restore it to its original form by using PermaStay ear implants. You can prove that every dog has its day, by turning droopy ears upside-down!

Photo Credit: Schantzilla