# US 2021/0275350 A1 · Equine cryotherapy dual compartment boot

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- Number: US 2021/0275350 A1
- Document ID: US20210275350A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/205,662
- Filed: 2021-03-18
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-18
- Inventors: Susan B. Orr; Joan C. Gariboldi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210275350A1

## CPC

- A61D 9/00: Bandages, poultices or compresses specially adapted to veterinary purposes
- A61F 7/103: {refillable}
- A01K 13/007: {Leg, hoof or foot protectors}
- A61F 7/10: Cooling bags, e.g. ice-bags
- A61F 2007/0043: {Lower leg, calf}
- A61F 2007/0045: {Foot}
- A61F 2007/0096: {with a thermometer}
- A61F 2007/0228: {with belt or strap, e.g. with buckle}
- A61F 2007/0231: {hook and loop-type fastener}
- A61F 2007/0249: {with a layer having low heat transfer capability}
- A61F 2007/0258: {with a fluid permeable layer}
- A61F 2007/105: {Closures specially adapted for icebags or packs}
- A61D: VETERINARY INSTRUMENTS, IMPLEMENTS, TOOLS, OR METHODS
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS

## Abstract

An equine cryotherapy overleg device that encircles the lower limb of a subject horse and provides cryotherapy to the subject horse. The one-piece device includes upper and lower fasteners, a pastern area that will hold ice and ice water and a vertical zipper. The arrangement of the hoof cover, and hoof slipper allow for free movement of the subject horse and for a thermal fluid to contain ice and prevent the ice from migrating under the subject horse hoof.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for administering cryotherapy to a horse, the method comprising the steps of:
a) turning a cryotherapy boot inside out, said cryotherapy boot comprising a hoof cover, a hoof cover bottom, a hoof fastening device, a lower shell, an upper shell, upper compartment tether, and an upper compartment access device, and the step of
b) placing the hoof cover device in an unfastened state;
c) with the cryotherapy boot in an inside out hoof cover device in an unfastened state, placing the hoof cover bottom against a bottom of a hoof of a patient horse;
d) with the cryotherapy boot in an inside outstate state and the hoof cover device in an unfastened state, and the hoof cover bottom against the hoof of the patient horse, pulling the hoof cover over the hoof of the patient horse;
e) fastening the hoof cover fastening device to hold the hoof cover in a state snugly positioned around the hoof;
f) with the hoof cover fastening device in a fastened state and the hoof cover positioned snugly about the hoof of the patient horse; and the upper shell in an open state with the upper compartment access device in an unfastened state, fastening the upper compartment tether thereby causing an outer shell to be supported in an upright position on a patient horse's leg;
g) with the hoof in the cryotherapy boot and secured by in the lower shell by the hoof cover, and the upper compartment tether secured around the patient horse's leg thereby supporting the outer shell in a vertical position on the leg of the patient horse, inserting ice into an ice containment area within the upper shell; and
h) raising an upper containment access device to cause the upper shell to form a contiguous perimeter around the leg of the patient horse.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, additionally comprising, weeping fluid resulting from melting ice through the upper compartment access device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method claim 2 wherein the upper compartment access device comprises a zipper.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the zipper is at least partially unfastened at step d) in a sufficient amount that an interior surface of a pastern component is viewable during step d).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the zipper is fully closed at step h) and the cryotherapy boot is sufficiently supported in a vertical position by the upper compartment tether, and secured to the hoof by the hoof cover and hoof cover fastening device, to allow the horse to move about a stall without the cryotherapy boot becoming dislodged.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the step of turning a cryotherapy boot inside out comprises exposing an inner shell of the hoof cover to view.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the step of turning a cryotherapy boot inside out comprises exposing a hoof slipper to view.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the hoof cover fastening device comprises a hook and loop fastening device and the method further comprises the step of fastening the hook and loop fastener.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein the upper compartment access device comprises a zipper.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein when the zipper is unfastened at step d) an interior surface of a pastern component is viewable.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein prior to set c) leg of the patient horse is pulled upward and backward to better access the hoof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the step of fastening the upper compartment tether comprises fixing a first tether side to a second tether side.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, the first tether side comprises a hook fastener and the second tether side comprises a loop fastener.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of fastening the upper compartment tether by fixing a first tether side to a second tether side comprises sufficient mechanical support to maintain the boot in an upright position but not so constricting that it adversely restricts circulation or imparts some other adverse physiological symptom to the horse patient.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the tether is fastened about the leg of the patient horse covers a portion of a pastern region and a canon bone region of the patient horse.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the tether is fastened about the leg of the patient horse causes the outer shell to be supported in an upright position on the patient horse's leg.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein with the hoof of the patient horse in the cryotherapy boot and secured by hoof cover fastener, and the upper compartment fastening device secured around the horse's leg, the method further comprise the step of supporting the outer shell in a vertical position so that the cryotherapy boot encompasses the hoof, a middle phalanx, a pastern region and a canon bone region of the patient horse.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, additionally comprising the steps of incrementally raising the zipper as a level of ice placed in the cryotherapy boot is incrementally raised.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein, if a volume of ice placed within the Cryotherapy boot does to fill an ice containment area, the zipper may be raised enough to retain the ice within the ice containment area, and also allow access to the upper compartment to insert additional ice into the ice containment area.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 additionally comprising the step of supporting the cryotherapy boot in a vertical position via the upper compartment tether and securing the cryotherapy boot to the hoof of the patient horse via the hoof cover and hoof cover fastening device; and weeping fluid through one or both of the zipper and a weep portal.