Understanding a Dog Gait Assessment during Therapy Sessions

Well, it is October Issue and the sun is finally starting to warm our bones, and our older dogs are starting to soak in some rays and move much more freely!

So, at the end of September I arranged a last-minute Canine Conditioning - Come and Try Day, with a good turnout booked and a wonderful variety of dogs and nice weather coming, it is looking to be a great day. Will update in November issue!

I am hoping to increase understanding about Canine Conditioning and have larger groups set up in Redesdale and Bendigo so that everyone can access it, so it’s not just my Myo-Manipulative Functional Therapy Clients.

So, this month I am going to have a little waffle about knowing your dogs’ gait (walking movement).

You might think “Oh it’s a dog Walking how hard can it be?”. Well, every movement, good and bad actually tells me a story about them.

When I do a dog gait assessment on your dog when they have a session, some movements I am looking for are:

·         Favoring one or more legs

·         Weight baring / observing which legs holds more and less weight

·         Weight Balance 60% forward 40% rear

·         How the dogs head and neck is held and moves with each step.

·         How the tail is set and how it moves with each step

·         Tracking/Forward Flexion of the hind legs to place where the front legs take off

·         How far all of the legs extend and flex

·         What movement the legs take to make the entire step itself

·         Flexion or Hyperextension of whole limbs and all joints

·         Toes, nails and how they wear

·         Hip sway and full body movement.

Assessments are conducted on dogs at all gaits and speeds of movement

Understanding a Dog Gait assessments i super interesting, if you have a mobile phone with slow motion camera or an app, I highly recommend you make videos of your dogs in Slow motion. You can watch for changes in their gait and learn what their normal is. It is also a great extra way for a therapist or vet to view your dog at a visit, as some dogs are not relaxed when attending a new place, or have a stranger nearby.

Some Severe Lameness issues you may run into with farm and country living dog and are also get to your local Vet asap situations:  

·        Ruptured CCL (Ligament that joins the Femur and Tibia at the stifle aka Knee joint) Often Dogs will not weight bare at all on that leg, or partial Rupture they may use minimally. This is often caused by hard turns and uneven surfaces and repetitive games like fetch.

·        Hip Dysplasia – From genetics, Trauma, Age or Bone issues. Increasing stiffness in the hind end, unable to sit relaxed, have excessive sway of the hips to swing the leg forward, they are also unlikely to track correctly on gait assessment.

·        IVDD or Paralysis of the hind legs. Paralysis, screaming on moving, biting others or people in pain, minimal back flexion and hind legs not lifting well, refusing to get out of bed, incontinence, unable to crouch under fences, hesitation on activity. Often already present in the dog however IVDD can be exacerbated by rough playing, uneven surfaces, unfit, of leash dogs playing to rough, run-ins with livestock, uncomfortable sleeping spots.

Once assessed by a veterinarian for any of these or other issues, you can then get Clearance to proceed with Complementary Therapies, pre and post-surgery. This can support your dog’s recovery or maintenance once medical homeostasis is achieved.

It’s not just bodywork and physical therapies that can help, but nutrition can play a large part in recovery and maintenance. I myself have experienced my own canine go from unable to move and meds weren’t strong enough, to living to the age of 17 because of a huge diet change and introduced a specific supplements to her diet. She then only needed her prescription pills if she has played to hard or as a senior, been knocked over by rough play. As a nutritionist I can point you in the right direction for optimal nutrition to suit your dogs’ needs too.

You can also opt for conservative management for any ailments if you choose, which is where Conditioning and Myo-therapies also slot in.

 Thanks for reading yet again, see you all next month.

Big pats for all your pets

Chevelle Williams, CMFT, HCN, CCFC, DipCanCom, DipMBSR