Cookie Stretches
Flexibility is an important component of fitness training. It plays a major role in overall health, fitness and function. But just like in human fitness, flexibility is often overlooked in our dog’s fitness program. Cookie Stretches are a great way to work on flexibility with our dogs. The goal of the exercise is to have your dog bring his nose to different parts of the body to get a nice...
Shockwave Therapy
This non-invasive modality can successfully treat a range of orthopedic and soft tissue problems in animals. Though most commonly used for horses, shockwave therapy also has many applications in small animal practice. Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that can speed the healing of many types of orthopedic and soft tissue injuries and conditions. It has been used in Europe in human medicine to treat tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, rotator...
Myofascial Trigger Points, Pain, and Therapy
Myofascial Trigger Points in Veterinary Patients abridged - see link at bottom for full article. Myofascial trigger points can be located within the belly, origin, or insertion of a muscle and are known to cause decreased changes in range of motion, muscle weakness, and postural imbalance as the patient develops gait pattern changes in order to function without pain. Observation of a patient’s movement and preferred postures with an understanding of...
Dog Conformation – Definition, Purpose, and Problems
Today, we are going to look at dog conformation. We’ll define what dog conformation means, look at the purpose of conformation and conformation dog shows, and at the problems that conformation can cause our dogs. Let’s dive straight in and look at the meaning of conformation Dog conformation definition Conformation is the shape and structure of your dog. The way he is constructed from the ground up. It’s about the...
Dog Dementia: What is Canine Cognitive Dysfunction?
Cognitive dysfunction is a progressive degenerative process associated with a pet’s brain aging. It is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. It can have a major effect on the dog's behavior, mood, and routine activities. The pet owner may see changes in their pet’s alertness, responsiveness to stimuli, altered learning capability, and a decrease in the pet’s memory. What causes cognitive dysfunction in dogs? The exact cause of this...
Know Your Knees: Understanding Concurrent Patellar Luxation and Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease
Your next case coming to the practice is a small breed dog with a history of progressive pelvic limb lameness. The top differentials for this presentation are patellar luxation and cranial cruciate ligament disease. But what about the patient with concurrent patellar luxation and cranial cruciate ligament disease? How do we reach a diagnosis of this challenging combination of diseases and how do we return the patient back to function?...
6 Tips For Practicing Social Distancing When You Walk Your Dog
People around the globe are adjusting to life under a pandemic, and social distancing is one of the best techniques we have at our disposal to do just that. The Cleveland Clinic defines social distancing as follows: "Social distancing involves avoiding large gatherings. If you have to be around people, keep six feet between you when possible." The CDC recently recommended that any gathering of 10 or people be...
Video Consults Help Your Pet And Save You Time And Money
If you're like me, your dog is right next to you. Take a moment to look at them now. Have they been a little "off" lately? Slowing down or having more trouble getting around? Maybe you're looking for exercises to help them recover better? Or some braces or aids to help them move better? Maybe you don't know if there's something wrong or even what questions to ask. If you've already followed your veterinarian's...