Dysplasia is the term used when something doesn’t grow properly – in this case the elbow joint. The elbow is the coming together of 3 bones – the humerus in the upper leg, and the ulna and radius in the lower leg. If any of these grow incorrectly the joint will not be able to […]
Archive | Lameness in Dogs
Joint Pain – 5 clues to help you spot the signs
Joint pain is generally caused by arthritis. Arthritis occurs following damage to the joint and causes extra bony growths to form which wear away the cartilage which usually protects the joint. The surfaces of the bones which form the joint then rub against each other during movement and that causes pain. The damage to […]
Cruciate Ligament Damage – Signs and Treatment
Cruciate ligament damage in dogs has become more common in recent years. It used to be an injury seen almost exclusively in working and sporting dogs but is now seen very frequently in the general pet population. The cruciate ligaments are 2 ligaments which cross over in the knee or stifle joint and when they […]
Front Leg Lameness
Limping on a front leg can have many causes and the problem can come from the foot, the wrist, the elbow or the shoulder. If the limp comes on very suddenly the first thing to check is the foot in case anything is sticking into the pads or between the toes. In this case the […]
Massage – Proactive or Reactive
There are 2 aspects to massage. The proactive aspect where massage is used when your dog doesn’t have any mobility issues and the reactive aspect where massage is used to address mobility issues resulting from old age, joint problems or accidents. Massage is used proactively from puppyhood right through a dog’s life. With puppies massage […]
Which dogs are suitable for massage?
Almost all dogs are suitable for massage. Most of the dogs I see are simply pets but some have also been involved in activities such as agility or obedience work or attend shows or are worked. Dogs are just like people in that their everyday life can have an effect on their muscles and can […]