Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.
Can physical therapy help your dog with hip dysplasia? What is hip dysplasia? Lots of people think hip dysplasia is a tight, sore, arthritic hip. However, it is really a hip that is too loose and lacks stability. The hip consists of a ball-and-socket joint formed by the head of the femur (ball) and the acetabulum of the pelvis (socket)…
Ah, what a tangled web they weave, those fascia bundles! Fascia is a network of connective tissue that surrounds body organs, muscles, groups of muscles, nerves, etc. It is a dense maze of collagen fibers that provide structure and support for these internal body parts. My first semester of PT training involved literally tearing through the fascia layers to get…
Hind leg lameness has been my biggest fear. Yet, a sore front leg can be way more complicated. The most common causes of hind limb lameness in dogs include: cruciate ligament injuries hip dysplasia arthritis (often secondary to one of the above) Front leg lameness can have various causes, the most common ones being elbow dysplasia and shoulder injuries. Neck…
As you proceed with any treatment plan, it essential to continue to evaluate its effectiveness. About 2 months ago I was evaluating a new patient named Molly, a chocolate Lab, in the client’s home. While taking a history the client mentioned that Molly had prior cold laser treatments in the veterinarian’s office. “We bought a package of twelve treatments”, she…
Here’s an interesting fact: all (or nearly all) puppies are born with normal hips. So how does hip dysplasia in puppies develop? Hip dysplasia timeline Radiographs taken of their hips appear normal for the first few weeks of life. Puppies with hip dysplasia will start showing changes in the shape and congruity of the hip joint as early as 2…