3D Printing Save Animal Lives

The technology of 3D printing has exploded ever since it became easily accessible to the public. Anyone with a few thousand dollars can invest in a 3D printing machine and create small scale models, replicas, tools and artwork in all manners of shapes and size without the need for state of the art facilities.

One surprising benefit of 3D printing is how the technology is being used to save the lives of animals who have sustained life threatening injuries. From missing teeth to prosthetic appendages, 3D printing is a cheaper alternative to traditional prosthetic technology. It provides durable, long lasting and better fitting results while keeping costs relatively low.

One case involves a tortoise that was missing 85% percent of its shell due to a forest fire. It survived for over a month in this state until it was found by a volunteer group called Animal Avengers. One of the members had access to a 3D printer and, through trial and error, was able to create a replica shell made entirely out of plastic materials and nursed the injured tortoise successfully back to full health. The plastic shell was later painted to make it indistinguishable from a real shell. However, it will still need to be replaced every few years for safety and sanitary reasons.

Another example comes from a red-crowned crane with a missing beak under the care of Guangzhou Zoo in China. The crane apparently had a fight with another bird in her cage and, after losing the altercation, suffered a broken beak. As a result, it is unable to feed itself and would surely perish if left alone.

Instead of letting the injured crane die of hunger, the zoo keepers decided to hire a 3D printing expert in an attempt to save its life. Fragments of the broken beak were compared to other healthy birds to see what the ideal size and weight of a functioning replacement beak would be. The final design is a snug fit made with titanium which is strong and lightweight, making it perfect for a prosthetic beak.

Using prosthetics on animals is no new science. In fact, plastic and metal appendages have been used on pets with birth defects or major injuries as early as the 2000s. However, 3D printing brings accessibility and ease of use to the table. Just about anyone can get their hands on a 3D printer and make their own design as long as it is architecturally sound and doesn’t collapse under stress. An experienced 3D printer could make a cheaper and stronger prosthetic compared to traditional means.

Another benefit of 3D printing is that it can be made into any fathomable shape and size. Due to technological limitations in the past, only large to medium sized animals like dogs can be fitted with prosthetics. But today, everything from a tortoise’s shell to the beak of a crane can be replaced. Oh the ingenuity!

Printed prosthetics on animals is just the beginning. There are already pioneering companies looking to make 3D printed human limbs a possibility. Test models are already available so commercial production is just around the corner. 3D printed organs will soon be a reality helping to make veterinary medicine even more effective in treating life threatening injuries and diseases. In due time, it may even be cleared for human testing in order to prolong our life expectancy. Diseases like cancer will be less of a problem since organs can simply be swapped out. 3D printing technology is not only saving animal lives, it is also paving the way to human longevity which is a win-win situation!