Pup With A Rare And Dangerous Condition Gets A Custom 3D Printed Helmet To Protect Him

I think there's nothing rarer nor more beautiful in this world than genuine help.

A few weeks ago, the Humane Educational Society (HES) received a Chihuahua named Niblett who was born with a rare medical condition: 'water on the brain.' Recognizing the seriousness of the puppy's condition, the shelter was determined to seek assistance, and thanks to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, they were able to find a solution.

More info: Humane Educational Society

When Niblett came to HES, he weighed just over 2 pounds. The tiny, adorable Chihuahua with an energetic soul immediately captured the hearts of the entire team working in the shelter, yet they all soon noticed that there was something wrong with the dog.

"It soon became evident that Niblett had a serious medical condition: hydrocephalus, or 'water on the brain', which caused a soft spot on his skull that had not fully fused. The condition made him extremely vulnerable to minor injuries, posing a significant threat to his life," HES shared in a press release.

It was obvious that the dog needed a fast solution to be able to survive. Therefore, HES started brainstorming ideas on how to protect Niblett’s skull. Officer Leigh Stacy advised that Niblett needed a cap, and after getting support from another HES team member, Dr. Samantha Blair, they contacted the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s College of Engineering and Computer Science for help.

"When we realized that we were going to have to make a cap, I immediately thought of my experiences when I was doing the RET program at UTC," Blair shared, "and I remembered the amazing 3D printing abilities that the graduate students had. I called Bradley Harris, and he immediately put me in touch with Dr. Elliott," she added.

Right after receiving the unusual request, associate professor Dr. Trevor Elliot and recent graduate Connor Mackey instantly started to work on Niblett’s case.

"As soon as I saw Niblett’s cute little face, I said, 'We’ve got to help,'" Dr. Elliot said.

“I knew exactly how to do this. I knew I could actually help this dog,” said Mackey, who will begin studying a Master of Science in engineering at UTC this fall.

First, the team had to carefully measure Niblett’s skull. They therefore collaborated with Volkswagen’s Justin Stephens, who helped to scan Niblett’s head and create a 3D image. Then they had to create something that would be between a football helmet and a skull cap.

After several iterations, on July 15, they were finally ready to meet the 10-week-old puppy to try on the one-of-a-kind protective headgear.

"It was honestly a very simple process of getting a scan and then modeling around that. It’s really cool that you can save a dog’s life using this kind of manufacturing process," Mackey shared excitedly.

"It was pretty cool to see him walking around with it and knowing that it looks like at least one of our solutions is going to help him on his journey," Dr. Elliot added.

Now that Niblett's little skull is protected, he's looking for a loving family that will give him a chance to grow, learn, and play. The Chihuahua is currently waiting for adoption at HES, and anyone who is interested can fill out an application on the shelter's website. They will then call to schedule an appointment with the adorable little champ Niblett.

The story of Chihuahua Niblett shows that with genuine teamwork, creativity, and new technologies, there's nothing impossible, no matter how difficult it may seem at the beginning.

It's truly heartwarming to see how many people worked in a selfless way to be able to save this little guy's life.