animalrehabilitation.com Blog

I received this very question this week (and many times previously), hence today’s posting topic.

- “Is it possible that my dog broke her tail? Do dogs’ tails break?”
Yes.

- “Isn’t a tail comprised of cartilage?”
No.

- “If my dog carries his tail to the side does that mean he broke it?”
Not necessarily.

A dog’s tail is comprised of individual boney segments much like the vertebrae of the rest of the spine. If a dog does fracture his tail and it is not reset, it may regrow at a funky angle.

The signs and symptoms vary wildly:
- Some dogs show pain and others don’t,
- Some dogs will still be able to wag their tails once broken and it is not necessarily indicative of a tail break if he or she suddenly can’t (it can mean other things too),
- It can be as insidious as hitting against an entry door or something as conspicuous as having had it stepped on (it happens to, or because of, the best of us!),

When in doubt, get it checked out!

(source of pic is http://sketchedout.wordpress.com/2007/11/11/tail-wagging-the-dog/)

In this month’s Pulse magazine, recent research suggests that x-raying dachshunds at approximately 2 years of age is a good method of predict the possibility of future disc herniations and intervertebral disc disease.

The OFA and Penn Hips are well known and widely used radiographic ways to evaluate dogs like retriever breeds for the future possibility of hip dysplasia. The use of x-rays with chondrodystrophic dogs could function in the same manner as the above “diseases” are primarily genetic.
The article goes on to state that the incidence of disc herniation in “doxies” is 18% which is significant. Therefore, x-rays can be a cost-effective, non-invasive tool for owners of chondrodystrophic dogs to gain specific health knowledge of their dogs!

Dog breeds such as corgis, cocker spaniels, and “doxies” are called chondrodystrophic because of the shape of their bones. The breeds are described as having disproportionate legs (dwarfism) in relation to the rest of their body mass which makes it appear as their spines are abnormally long.

The incidence of spinal issues with these dogs is high when compared to other breed-types especially. Left untreated, such dysfunctions can most certainly compromise their quality of life and function when problems like pain, incontinence and even paralysis occur.

Using x-rays as discussed in the article listed in Pulse (from JVMA 2008; 233:1090-1095), may not only help to determine which dogs would be suitable for breeding programs but which ones will need early preventive measures to maintain healthy spines.

Some rehab methods we employ for dogs at risk or diagnosed with disc degeneration include, but are not limited to: core strengthening, weight control & restricted jumping activities (i.e., on/off the bed)!

The average dog’s bodyweight is distributed more heavily to his/her front legs- approximately 60%.

Given that fact, are you more appreciative of the skills of this dog in the video?
latinlbrador_1

…the PUPPY CAM, that is.

They started a revolution when they did a live stream of their first litter over a year ago.
Now, they’re back with a smaller litter born just a week ago. How fun it’ll be to watch when the pups get older and starting playing.
Better than watching a scrolling ticker tape of market updates and newsfeeds…

CLICK HERE

If you have been considering helping out additionally to the relief effort for the victims of Haiti’s recent earthquake, please take a look at what the good people of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (recipients of my donation dollars!) are doing for the animals affected!

PLEASE CLICK HERE

More information HERE
and HERE
and HERE

That’s the signature on one of my email accounts. But this month, January, IS National Walk Your Pet Month!

It’s also Train Your Dog month (also a very good idea). And, today (the 21st) is National Squirrel Appreciation Day. Though I know many pet parents of…ahem…some post-TPLO dogs who probably WON’T be celebrating that one.

What if your veterinarian was using a recalled drug — and didn’t know it?
That’s not a hypothetical question. On Sept. 4, at least two veterinary drugs made by Teva Animal Health, Inc., a division of Israeli-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, were recalled by the FDA, which shut the company down in July. But few veterinarians or pet owners were aware of the recall until the end of December.

READ more about the recall and which drugs were affected HERE

I promised…last year (<-I can say that now) that I would write more on this topic as the incidence is quite high in canines. As such, ligament deficient doggies, post surgery or not, often have (& certainly need) rehabilitation.

Today I’d like to clarify some information that is frequently brought up in private emails I receive: you cannot specifically diagnose a CCL tear (partial or otherwise) via x-rays.
In fact, this is a “truth” for all ligaments including human ACLs because of the specific and different “properties” of body tissues.

It can be suspected with x-rays but to truly know you will need something more invasive like an MRI or surgical intervention. Often the diagnosis does not come about until after surgery when the joint is “opened up” and examined. Yes, this may be a little too late situation but the fact of the matter is ligaments do not heal themselves (<-Another future blogging topic and fact of ligament tissue.) so the good news is that if you chose surgical intervention, your dog has a better chance of returning to full function and will not experiencing a joint that will degenerate faster (than having not done any intervention).

These are just things to consider when are in this situation and the vet, or your orthopedic physician, suggests an MRI or suggests surgery. They are not (I would HOPE) trying to “get more money” out of you or are (necessarily) “knife happy”.

An x-ray can show substantial effusion (=swelling) around/in the knee joint. It can also show if there is extensive damage; for instance, like when the ligament tears and rips off a piece of bone with it or when there is degeneration from osteoarthritis or another arthritic condition.

The degree and severity, therefore, of a tear is also not decided through a regular, non-invasive exam (gait assessment, range of motion, palpation…) though these things are certainly helpful in assessing function and can be useful in conjunction with more invasive procedures to confirm the tissue’s status.

CLICK HERE to read more information about this topic.

Remember: the Cranial Cruciate Ligament functions as the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, or ACL, that we hear of seemingly all the time in people! Cranial is simply the term used in vet speak to describe or identify direction.

This article of mine was supplemented with excerpts from Whole Dog News!

There are more choices in bedding than ever! You may prefer a more natural fiber such as organic cotton or hemp. Or how about sleeping sacks? A “Snuggie” to match yours? Or even a good fleece blanket (frequently found at a low discount at Walgreens…).
Or just sleep on any couch you can find!
office:

living room: