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The Importance of Identifying Injuries in Puppies

05 Aug 2018

By Margaret Kraeling, PT, CCRT

We all know that puppies are rambunctious and play hard with their littermates and sometimes other family dogs. They are also just learning to use their muscles and perfect their balance and coordination. We often see tumbles or falls or body checks during that play time. Usually the pups bounce up and do not appear to have any injury. That, however, may not be the case.

Unless an owner has specific expectations of a particular puppy these minor injuries likely go unnoticed.

Wings is one of those special puppies that was born to an excellent breeder and destined for a variety of activities – conformation, field trials, hunting, rally and obedience. She was one of a litter of 10 very active puppies.

Typical activity for her was 30 to 60 minutes of off leash play but no specific injuries were noted during those play sessions. She did however fall down the stairs in the house on two occasions.

Her owner was starting some basic structural assessment and stacking practice in preparation for the show ring and noticed that Wings was stacking with one hind foot more forward than the other. She also was not able to assume a “square” sit.

When Wings came in for her initial physiotherapy assessment in April she was less than 3 months old. She was found to have several rib dysfunctions on the left side – ribs 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 as well as tenderness to the left of L6-7 and a rotation / upslip of the left ilium (SIJ dysfunction).

She was treated with manual therapy techniques and specific exercises to improve muscle coordination, balance and proprioception. Immediate response to the treatment was an even stance in the hind and a square sit.

Wings has been seen on five occasions following the initial evaluation. She required some further manual therapy to the left SIJ but more importantly she required some very specific exercises to teach her how to recruit the muscles of the left pelvic girdle. The left side of her pelvis was not held up level with the right and she advanced the LH in a circumduction motion and also exhibited some poor control of the left tarsal joint. Her actual proximal thigh girth was equal.

Check out this exercise: 

https://www.facebook.com/caninefitnesscentre/videos/1816131625096880/?notif_id=1533506871583498&notif_t=page_fan

As well as the manual therapy we added myofascial release to the left pelvic girdle, pelvic diaphragm and even tail to sacrum. We used some K Tape to increase her awareness during exercises (which became quite challenging but fun for her). Her owner is very committed to the program and Wings progressed well.

By mid-July Wings was in her first conformation show as a baby puppy (under six months old) and won two Best Baby Puppy in Group and one Best Baby Puppy in Show.

Now I am anxiously waiting for her next show where she will go out as a Junior Puppy and can actually earn points toward her Championship.

However, as her owner commented – the best part is having a puppy that is able to grow and function well and will not go on to have future problems.