Large Dog Back Brace For Sale (2024 Update)

Last year our darling Tibetan Spaniel became suddenly paralyzed, with near complete immobilization involving both rear legs and one front leg, with no bowel or bladder control, barely able to lift his head, and in obvious pain. Our vet recommended an MRI and immediate surgery. Unable to afford the roughly ten grand involved in taking that approach, and deciding NOT to opt to put him down but rather to go the home-care route, our vet prescribed Vetprofen for pain and an antibiotic to prevent a urinary tract infection, recommended at least six weeks of strict crate rest, and he wished me well, saying it was a shame that the dog had long hair (for hygiene sake), and that attempting to treat him at home would involve the equivalent in effort of "a thousand men with shovels digging a tunnel." (We no longer see this vet). I hit the internet. First thought was doggy wheel chairs. Oh dear! With only one semi working limb… not a very viable option. I moved on. In addition to finding some encouragement at Doggerslist Forum: https://dodgerslist.boards.net/ I found that YouTube has some excellent and extremely helpful videos: ECPR – IVDD Physical Therapy Tutorial: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFzzx-epOeA Acupressure for Common Dog Health Problems: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxg68xV1Oxg Canine Physiotherapy – How to do Physiotherapy on your pet at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErgDpqYa5DQ Dog Back Massage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiNCeid3eWw The most important and immediate thing was crate rest – stabilizing his spine and restricting movement. Wearing the L'il Back Bracer proved to be an absolute essential! for accomplishing both. He took well to being crated, and got a good measure of pain relief from his medication. We began almost immediately with multiple daily sessions of very gentle doggy massage, acupressure, and physical therapy (removing the brace for these sessions). I also eventually added resistance training (with bungee cords!). Diet-wise? We also took him off of all GMO containing foods, put him on an all-organic diet, supplemented with probiotics, enzymes and glucosamine chondroitin with MSM. Over an intensive period of many weeks of persistent and slow work, lots of love, upbeat praise and encouragement… and potty pads, mini-baths, non-skid floor covering, laundry, and, of course, giving ALL due credit to our little dog for his amazing spirit and determination, we were able, together, to gradually get him strong again, moving again, teetering and toddling, falling, and getting up again, and then finally walking… lifting his leg to pee without toppling… and eventually even running and romping once more. His recovery has been total. (Though twice when we thought it might be okay to go without his L'il Back Bracer, he experienced near complete relapses. Truly frightening and heartbreaking! But to our great relief, he rebounded under the same regimen both times. Remember: No jumping off of furniture, curbs, stairs, anything spine jarring; be vigilant in the early months!). He now simply wears his L'il Back Bracer most of the time. It's apparently comfortable, and very well constructed and durable. Note on easy care: Regularly toss the brace in the wash, cold water, and air dry. Also be sure to remove the brace and check for burs and foxtails when he's been outdoors before putting it back on. It attracts "stickers." Final thought? L'il Back Bracer helped me save our dear and darling little fluffy companion and wonder dog. A miraculous recovery – without surgery – is possible! Absolutely worth every minute of effort and intensive care, and every cent it took… while not insignificant, still minimal, considering that home-care and L'il Back Bracer helped us save close to nine grand in the end!Carolyn

I have a younger Corgi, less than 2 years old at the time of purchasing. He had hurt himself pretty badly at around 6-7 months old by being a rambunctious pup- as nothing showed up on the x-ray, he was diagnosed with a torn groin muscle and put on crate rest. A nightmare for a rambunctious pup! Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of his pain and it continued to get worse. Over the next almost year, he would randomly not be able to walk well for a few days and would clearly be in pain. The vet was at a loss and finally recommended an orthopedic specialist, with a price point of several thousands of dollars. Although we were willing to do anything and pay anything, it seemed like relief was still way too far away. The final straw was when he was going through another episode and it was the worst one yet. He couldn’t even sleep as he was unable to get any relief without taking the weight off of his neck completely. He would seek out a pillow and rest his head/weight on it. I said that was it and immediately began searching for braces. I offered a lil back bracer the same day. This was 4 months, possibly 5 months ago now- and my baby has not had a single episode since. We make sure he wears it when he plays but doesn’t need to wear it otherwise. The only possible time he’s had any mild signs of pain is when we’ve forgotten to put it on prior to a play session, though this has actually only happened once. Going from episodes once a month, to none in 4-5 months has given my, still very young and rambunctious, Corgi a new lease on life and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. He has been tested for any genetic, blood, bacteria, and viral diseases- but we suspect the injury when he was still young never had a chance to heal and continued to get worse as it’s impossible to keep him down for long. I know he will be forever grateful as well, though he doesn’t even know how lucky he is we found this brace. We were even advised that he did not need to visit the orthopedic specialist if the brace is working and he is no longer showing signs of pain, though we still may in the future just to be sure. I never want to see my baby in the pain he was in prior to the brace and I don’t believe I’ll ever have to. Thank you so much for giving him his life back!Naomi M.

Our 15 year old mini dachshund Roxy was just recently diagnosed with IVDD and was walking very wobbly and barely able to keep her balance in her back legs as well as not having much of an appetite. After a few days of wearing her brace she was miraculously able to walk perfect like before her diagnosis and has been eating much better. Now on a sore or hard day for Roxy we put her brace on as maintenance and she seems to be doing alot better and we are so glad to have found this product. We felt like there was little we could do for her before. This product is a miracle for helpless feeling dog parents who were looking for anything to help out their sweet old lady.Lianna C.

I ordered two of these backpacks, in both sizes, for my two pups, 40 and 60 lbs, respectively. The smaller pack doesn't hold much, some supplies and treats. The Big Baxter I'm able to pack with a day's worth of water for both of them. I love these packs and both dogs are happy to wear them. Kurgo advertises eight adjustment points….USE THEM ALL! Backpacks should fit snug. Loose backpacks sway, which causes chafing. The bags themselves I moved up as close as I could to the dog's spine to avoid unnecessary swinging. I conditioned my dogs over the course of several weeks, increasing weight and adjusting straps as necessary to make sure both stayed well and comfortable, checking for indentions from a too tight pack and raw places from chafing. We found our sweet spot relatively quickly and we've had zero issues with several day hikes. Once it's adjusted, it stays there! They can run and also rest while wearing these packs. One of my dogs has a strong prey drive and this pack keeps her focused and on trail. And while it's important to balance the two sides, a couple of pounds difference isnt a big deal in this pack as long as it's properly fitted. I've used other packs where that wasn't the case, and also packs that needed constant adjusting. I use zip ties to secure the loose length of strap. One of my dogs is a pitbull so has very little hair, and she's had no issues with rubbing or hair loss. I keep medical tape in her pack along with a towel so I can dry her off if she gets wet to help protect her skin, but so far so good! It seems durable, I've seen no fraying or seams tearing. I'm happy to recommend this pack!!DebJ

The Baxter Dog Backpack has a been a great addition to Gunny's and My hiking routine. I don't have to carry as much of his stuff into my day pack and that helps me keep up with his high speed pace in little ways. The fact that he can now carry out his own waste, after I bag it, in his own pack is a nice little accent to our trips. Getting the weight right in the saddle bags at the start of each hike takes a bit, but nothing we haven't gotten used to. Along with carrying his own travel bowl he can often carry some of his own water for the day. The sizing and buckle points are easy to access and attach, and he always seems plenty comfortable. The Loop Tackles on the side are a nice aesthetic, in that they look like what is on my own packs, but are not really useful for much since most things I could attach would be so weighty they would immediately put him out of balance. I have made use of them with bug spray spray pens but that's really about it, and those were already on my own gear and hardly impacting my own space requirements. I think if you wanted to loose tie quick access dog waste bags the loops could serve some good use, of course that's assuming you don't access them from a roll already, but I haven't been able to find much use of the cargo loops as of yet. Overall, a great pack for your dog to hike around with.Chris J

Needed a smaller pack for our shepherd. Picked up the small Baxter. Carries a smaller load well, straps don't cause any rubbing issues on the dog. However, the straps attaching the packs to the harness keep slipping, and the packs drop lower and lower. I cut off the sewn in tabs and doubled the webbing back through the buckle, but they still dont hold. Might have to sew the webbing on. Maybe stiffer webbing and/or better quality buckle is needed. Id give it a much higher rating if there was no slippage. Cant comment on long term durability yet, but three days of with extensive thrashing through Dwarf Birch hasn't shown any obvious wear issues. Additionally, maybe waterproof fabric and zippers could be used?PCYT

Too big for my Doxie I used the chart and measured his chest and it showed he should be able to wear a medium, but it is too big. It's a great harness and well made, I will see if I can pass it on to someone else that can use it.lilacresfarm

My dog has a torn ACL. Shes 13yrs old and really needed the assistance. And this sling is really doing the job. I had bought a different one before this one that was just a thick band that went around her waist & had handles at the top but it just kind of slipped down even thougn it was her size when we were trying to help her get down the stairs. This one she felt so much more comfortable. & we could keep the vest on like a coat & just take on & off the straps highly reccommendbrandy1220112012

Purchased 2 of these, one 'used', one new. They were both in excellent condition & I prefer the 'used' as it is manufactured better using industrial Velcro to attach the underdog piece to upper harness. The newer model uses clips & does not fit as well. Still an excellent product.pntdldy

I was tired of paying enormous bills at the vet for them to tell me it was a strain. They gave my dog anti-inflammatories and said she should rest for three weeks. Well, she is a lab, so rest out the question. I figured a brace could not hurt and googled " dog brace". I picked the least expensive and what do you know! It was easy to apply on her ankle joint and it stayed put. This simple act healed her in two weeks. For lower leg injuries, you can't go wrong with this brace.Julia

I have a 14 year old Golden who's rear hind legs are weak and has difficulty getting around. Your rear leg hock joint wrap provides the support and strength she needs to move naturally and effortlessly. We put them on in the day and take them off in the evening. I highly recommend this brace, they are easy to put on and are affordable! It's win win for both of us!!Libby R.

Thank you for this wonderful product. I swear my dog Dumbo was smiling last night when he realized he could walk across the room. He was so crippled in his left rear leg and a friend said a splint might help. Well, I’d never thought of that and the vet had suggested it either. Anyway I ordered the hock brace in extra large for next day delivery and am so glad I did. It was easy to adjust. I just ordered another for the right hind leg as it’s also a bit weak. It will come on Tuesday. My dog is senior and I know I won’t have him forever, but this has been a true gift for me to be able to return some mobility to him. Thank you.lynn J.

Was very hard to get on the dog. Too Much Velcro. Kept sticking to other parts of the support system and was difficult to unfashionable. Not very good for dog who has trouble standing.Faye

Great concept – I would like to see this product evolve – unfortunately, we did not find it useful – the 2 x velcro straps that wrap around each hind leg to secure it were not adequate support of the device for my dogmichellesrq

We adopted our 10 yr old boy just three months ago. Romeo’s back legs were very weak so we thought we’d give this a try. He was able to walk the entire walk without falling once!! Romeo took to it right away and he seemed very pleased with himself. :-). We also purchased the cross assist attachment but didn’t have to use it…yet. 🙂Emily G.

I tried a couple different styles of packs to carry my Shichon dog Louie with me on my motorcycle. I never felt really comfortable till I found your site. He loves it! He gets all excited when he sees me grabbing it and makes it easy for me to get him in it. We travel all over the place. The pockets are perfect for a bag of biscuits, a collapsible water bowl, a leash and the waste bags. My husband and I go on some longer rides, so we stop, let him stretch his legs, relieve himself and he is ready to hit the road again. Your packs are extremely well made and I really like that the straps securely hold him in. He got a biscuit at a drivethru and I made his picture into a meme. Thank you for making a product that allows me to bring my adorable side kick with me safely.JB

Since receiving and using the EM (electromagnetic pulse therapy) device which comes with the back brace, our almost 15-year old dog with IVDD has had incredible changes!!! Please note: we haven't used the brace yet. We attach the EM device to his Thundershirt and it works really well! We leave it on for an hour or so each day along his spine or neck. Prior to using it, he slept most of the day. His back was slumped. He hobbled and his back legs had started giving out. We've been using it with him for about a month each day, and now, his eyes are bright and clear again. He seems very present and oriented. His back is straight and he runs — RUNS — around the house and on walks! He has more energy and seems like his younger self from like 5 years ago!!! He still takes short walks, but, the walks he takes are filled with interest and vigor rather than lethargy. I cannot say enough good things about this device! Please also note that we do take him to acupuncture 1x/month or so, but, the effects of acupuncture prior to this device lasted about 2 days. The effects of consistently using the EM device are profound. I am SO grateful & hope every dog (or cat) parent can experience this kind of relief and joy! I'll update the review once we use the actual back brace! 😉Heather S.

My small poodle hurt his back, IVDD, and was on crate rest for several weeks. The Vets where all confident he would recover with time. After several weekly appointments for acupuncture and laser therapy he really improved. However he still wasn’t back to normal and driving an hour for treatments was taking a toll. I came across animal ortho care And the embrace system while reading about IVDD treatments online. Even with the decent price tag it was still cheaper than the time and money associated with even one acupuncture and laser treatment. Without much to loose I gave it a shot. Our poodle followed the prescribed treatment plan wearing the vest for full days for two weeks and doing daily treatment sessions. It was amazing to see him improve— it took about a week. He’s now back to his normal self and we do the treatments ones a week or when he seems stiff as maintenance. Thanks so much!!!Ashley R.

Our 5 year old mini Dachshund's hind legs & tail were paralyzed due to IVDD. He started to walk again after 2 months crate rest, and many acupuncture treatments. We are hopeful that the back bracer with EM therapy will have helpful effects on healing and strengthening, as well as preventing any more problems for our sweet pup. It is a well made product and does give good support. The EM disc and charger are nifty, and the science behind the therapy sounds very good. Right now, we are just using it for one 2 hour EM session a day, may start doing 2x a day. Our dog doesn't seem to know what to do with it on, he doesn't want to move or walk with the brace on. He CAN walk, was walking ( not perfect, but walking) before we got this. We were just hoping this would help improve his walk, be healing and protecting. We will see. We figured it was worth a try…trying DIY help like this to cut back on his acupuncture treatments. Trying to be more economical. Hopeful that he may yet get used to it and wear the brace longer during the day.InWyoming

If you’ve ever tried to carry a German Shepherd for 800 yards, you’ll see why I really love the GingerLead! The padding makes it comfortable for her, the outside construction is durable, light nylon, the handles are adjustable and padded for my comfort, and the unit has an attached lead that hooks onto my dog’s harness. This has made life much easier for both me and my dog.JP

After trying another walking harness I bought from the US, I tried the ginger lead with great results. This product is really easy to use without any complicated straps etc. Loki was walking much better and its saved my back no end as I can walk him in an upright position.Nigel

He insists on going up the stairs at night to sleep with our family, and downstairs in the morning, but he waits patiently for his GingerLead. Of course we use it all the time, and Bruno seems very comfortable with it. He now WANTS to go out for a walk rather than laying around the house – he's on the go again! The GingerLead has really added to Bruno's quality of life.A.S.

I was really impressed by the quality of the brace. It is well made and the outer material (neoprene I believe) looks like a wet suit. There are a lot of straps and adjustments to make in the beginning, but it’s great that it’s so customizable. My dog didn’t seem bothered by the weight; it is fairly light. I don’t have any comments as to the effectiveness of the brace as I’m waiting for an exchange because the one I ordered was too big. However, I can’t speak highly enough of the quality of the brace. Now I understand reason for pricing. It’s worth it.Elizabeth

The brace feels very sturdy, made of high quality materials. I think it would be extremely helpful for supporting the spine/rear end. Overall rating a 3 star because I really don't know how well it works. I bought this for my elderly Bulldog/Boxer mix with spinal arthritis affecting her hind end mobility. I ordered a large based on her body length and weight from the website measurement chart; however the large is significantly too large for her. Even cinched down to it's smallest setting, the whole thing floats around on her body and provides no support. I reached out to customer service to exchange for a smaller size and have received no response. So I'm out $180 until/unless customer service follows up. Disappointing because I think this brace would help her if I got a size that fit. I found the same product on Amazon for about $20 more so will probably order a medium from there.Nicole T.

Love everything about this product. Would absolutely recommend and I have! Shipped out super fast, was easy to choose a size based on the guide provided. Thanks again!!Tell p.

Our beautiful boy Gio has terminal Cancer but is responding well to his palliative Chemo treatment. At the same time, he completely tore his hind left leg ACL. Due to his age and his cancer, he is not a candidate for surgery. Because he is still feeling good, I wanted to find something to help support his leg. I ran across this Labra product, read the reviews and thought "what the heck–can't hurt to try!" I put it on him as soon as we received it, and it has really helped his mobility. While he is NOT going to be running any marathons, you can tell HE feels more stable and comfortable, and he hasn't messed with it at all. We leave it on for most of the day and take it off when he sleeps. There has been NO irritation at all. I highly recommend this product if you either are in a situation such as ours OR if you cannot afford the very expensive surgery required to repair the ACL. Thanks, Labra, for a great and affordable alternative! BTW–he is a 100 lb GSD, and the Large fit him perfectly.Kimberly T.

I bought the product the see if it would help my 12 1/2 year old Australian. She is on rimdyl and Adequan for ACL and arthritis. In one knee. Both have been helpful; however she is favors the leg and puts limited weight on it. When i put on the brace she took a little while, then starting putting weight on it and walking better. At her age I am not looking for permanent solution , just quality of life. This product has definitely helped, and she is getting around better.. Great product and customer service.Kathy

My female pitbull has a partial ACL tear and while this brace isn’t technically for ACL issues, it’s been a great support for her. We opted not to do surgery, so we limit walks to no more than 5 mins and use the brace when we do. At first she tried to bite at it but we used treats to get her to walk with it on and after just a few minutes, she was fine with it. Now she allows us to put it on and will leave it on until we take it off. I actually think she likes it!! We don’t use it for more than 2-3 hours at a time and I believe it’s been a huge part of her recovery. It’s just a simple design with wonderful support. So happy we found this!!Sarah M.

My yorkie loved her brace from the beginning. She actually barks to put it on. It's like this 13 1/2 year old is 3 again. She plays, jumps and runs freely again. Thank you so much for making this.jimmy Caraway

It cost as much or more as adult person leg brace , and not at all as much material. Should be cheaper. It did not have on it ,which is left or right leg. It didn't come up as far as i thought it would on the leg. Very uncomfortable my fur baby didn't like it . Its just collecting dust . I am going to have to modify it myself, to make it work.evannit21

Our dog tore his ACL a little while back. The doctor is trying to treat it to see if we can get by without surgery. He recommended knee braces but all the ones we found didn't have the support in them like these do.Erica