Arthrex recently hosted its first Vet Systems community education event at the global headquarters in Naples, Florida.
As a new addition to the annual Orthopedic Patient Education Seminar (OPES) series, attendees learned that in addition to offering over 23,000 products to treat humans, Arthrex is the premier provider of veterinary products, too.
“Our mission of Helping Surgeons Treat Their Patients Better® applies not only to people, but to animals, too,” said Senior Vice President of Global Medical Education Christopher Adams, MD, who kicked off the event. “Thanks to President and Founder Reinhold Schmieding’s vision and commitment, we are a family that cares about you, your family and your pets, as well.”
Arthrex introduced the Vet Systems line of products in 2004, with a blood therapy called IRAP (Interleuken Receptor Agonist Protein), designed to treat osteoarthritis (OA) in animals. Today, Arthrex produces hundreds of products to treat everything from wounds to fractures and provides cameras, light sources, scopes, fluid management equipment and drills to veterinarians all over the world.
“Arthrex specializes in patient-specific products designed just for animals,” said Vet Systems Senior Product Manager Matthew Houbre. “Many other companies take human products off the shelf and try to make them fit in animals. Arthrex develops products expressly for animals, which leads to better outcomes for them and an improved experience for veterinary surgeons.”
Vet Systems Manager of Medical Education Ashley Bouhebent shared with the audience that her family experienced that first-hand, after her beloved dog Willow ruptured her CCL jumping off a retaining wall. Willow also made her on-stage debut, showing how well she walks now.
“The CCL acts like a parking brake in the knee, and when it fails, it’s very painful and osteoarthritis sets in immediately,” she said. “The Arthrex TPLO Locking Plate System takes away the need for the parking brake and gives dogs stability again.”
Ashley also shared several other stories of animals who were successfully treated with Arthrex products, including Tony the Pony, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, and an injured bobcat that was returned to the wild, thanks to a collaboration between Arthrex, a surgeon at Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Naples Zoo.
The audience also learned that Arthrex works with other organizations like the Shy Wolf Sanctuary in Naples, helping animals like a domesticated red fox named Gypsy, and offers support to the Naples Humane Society.
“Arthrex has provided training for our veterinary staff, along with donating equipment and giving us grants,” said Sarah Baeckler, the outgoing CEO of the Naples Humane Society, who presented on stage. “We are also proud to have Arthrex board members. We appreciate the time, treasure and talent that Arthrex provides to us.”
For Naples residents Diane and Howard Booth, the event was eye-opening.
“We are lifelong learners, so we attend every Arthrex community event that we can,” Howard said. “It’s just unbelievable to have Arthrex in our own backyard and it is exciting to see what this company is developing, not just for people, but for pets and other animals.”
And that is exactly why Manager of Corporate Engagement Meg Hardt says events like this are so important at Arthrex.
“This is our opportunity to engage directly with the people in our community,” Meg said. “It is so impactful to be able show them what Arthrex is all about and how much we contribute here locally and all over the world.”