Learn & Go With Dr. Laurie
Can laser help CBD work better?
Can laser and CBD work together to help more?
When I was speaking at the Veterinary Encouragement Conference earlier this year on Therapeutic Exercises and Laser Therapy, I got a great question: Can laser help CBD work better because of the upregulation of the receptors? I’ll be honest, I didn't know the answer right off the bat but I did some digging.
And it looks like laser therapy can possibly increase the effects of CBD. Laser therapy works at the cellular level by affecting mitochondria, which, at lower doses, leads to an increase in ATP production, which then controls cAMP levels (cAMP is a secondary messenger that is essential for many biological processes).
One receptor that CBD acts on is CB1, which is highly concentrated in CNS cells. Agonists of these receptors are often linked to analgesic properties as pain pathways in the CNS have many CB1 receptors present on them. These receptors and their signaling appear to be dependent on cAMP regulating the inhibition of calcium channels and activation of potassium channels.
Putting it all together, as ATP in the CNS increases, there is a rise in cAMP, and with that, a secondary effect on CB1 receptors enhancing the analgesic effect of CBD on the CB1 receptors when it is present.
Have you ever used CBD with laser treatment? I would love to hear about it. Tell me about your experience in the comments below.
Sources:
Greineisen WE, Turner H. Immunoactive effects of cannabinoids: considerations for the therapeutic use of cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists. Int Immunopharmacol. 2010 May;10(5):547-55. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2010.02.012. Epub 2010 Feb 25. PMID: 20219697; PMCID: PMC3804300.
Farivar S, Malekshahabi T, Shiari R. Biological effects of low level laser therapy. J Lasers Med Sci. 2014 Spring;5(2):58-62. PMID: 25653800; PMCID: PMC4291815.
Chung, H., Dai, T., Sharma, S.K. et al. The Nuts and Bolts of Low-level Laser (Light) Therapy. Ann Biomed Eng 40, 516–533 (2012). https://doi-org.vmed-ezproxy.lsu.edu/10.1007/s10439-011-0454-7
Sebastian Mejia, Felix Michael Duerr, Gregg Griffenhagen, Stephanie McGrath; Evaluation of the Effect of Cannabidiol on Naturally Occurring Osteoarthritis-Associated Pain: A Pilot Study in Dogs. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1 March 2021; 57 (2): 81–90. doi: https://doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7119
Wilson RI, Nicoll RA. Endocannabinoid signaling in the brain. Science. 2002 Apr 26;296(5568):678-82. doi: 10.1126/science.1063545. PMID: 11976437.
Gamble L-J, Boesch JM, Frye CW, Schwark WS, Mann S, Wolfe L, Brown H, Berthelsen ES and Wakshlag JJ (2018) Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Clinical Efficacy of Cannabidiol Treatment in Osteoarthritic Dogs. Front. Vet. Sci. 5:165. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00165
Choosing the correct cavaletti height for different goals
We reviewed cavaletti spacing, but what about the height? It’s just as important to achieve our goals.
In a previous post, we reviewed the spacing of cavalettis, but what about the height? The height is just as important as spacing to ensure our pets and patients are set up to achieve our goals in as little time as possible.
If the cavalettis are too high, the pet will knock them or tick them with their nails. Their stride will also shorten to accommodate the height and it can be discouraging. But if the cavalettis are too low, we may not be able to achieve our goals.
As a reminder, we can use cavalettis to:
Strengthen the trunk and limb muscles
Increase balance in puppies, adults, athletes, geriatric, neurological patients
Improve proprioception for puppies, adults, athletes, geriatric, neurological patients
Increase reach and drive for confirmation dogs and athletes
Improve equal-limb weight bearing post surgery or injury
Eliminate pacing for confirmation dogs and athletes
Reduce the risk of contralateral cruciate injury
Reduce the risk of patella luxation
Be sure to watch the video above – we discuss the importance of starting low, teaching dogs the rules of the game, and then changing the height to achieve our goal in the least amount of time needed.
Shortcut on Cavaletti Heights
General heights are carpus or below, carpus to midway up to the elbow, and the highest chosen height is close to the elbow. If we set the cavaletti poles above elbow height the chest gets in the way and we don’t want them jumping over the bars so they do not hit their chest. We want them to have fun and succeed; work hard and play hard.
CAVALETTI EXERCISES ARE GREAT FOR:
Body awareness, balance, and proprioception (knowing where their body is in space)
Strength
Enhancing cognitive ability
Increasing reach and drive
Picking up, rather than sliding their feet while walking
Increasing flexion of the limb joints (think marching)
WHAT KIND OF DOG CAN BENEFIT FROM CAVALETTI EXERCISES? EVERY KIND.
Puppies – they can all benefit from exposure to proprioception exercises
Geriatric dogs or others that have weakness
Dogs that have had surgery and are less weight bearing on one or more limbs that is a habit (pain is controlled)
Working dogs that need better proprioception
Athletes that require intense foot-eye coordination
Dogs with patella luxation
Show dogs that need more reach and drive
Dogs that need neurological stimulation to stop or slow down cognitive decline
Dogs that slide their feet
Dogs with neurological disease or ataxia
A good exercise program teaches you a lot of simple activities, allowing you to tie them together into an exercise that is tailored to the specific needs of a dog. Ideally you want exercises that challenge every area of the body and enhance balance, proprioception, and cognitive function.
THE MOST VERSATILE CAVALETTIS ON THE MARKET – OPV CAVALETTI JACKS
Cavaletti Jacks are lightweight, durable, portable cavalettis designed for the Rehab Therapist or Pet Parent working on proprioception, strength, balance, weight bearing, flexion, and so much more. Quickly adjustable from 2” up to 11” with color coding for exercising fun.
Made to order in the USA.
Order today and get your own amazing dog gym pieces!
We have found shipping costs to locations outside the US, the West Coast and HI to be inaccurate/higher, please contact us for the most accurate price to ship.
Strengthening your dog’s iliopsoas muscle
Injuring the psoas muscle is so common nowadays, both in athletes and pets. It can happen during a simple slip on the floor, which is why strengthening is so important.
Injuring the iliopsoas muscle is a common injury nowadays, in both athletes and pets, but we can reduce the chance of injury dramatically with strategic strengthening.
Muscles are much more likely to get injured when they are in a stretched position
Muscles are much more likely to get injured when they are in a stretched position, especially if there is an explosive motion that puts that muscle into that stretched position.
In the video below, I explain how to position your dog to create an iliopsoas stretch, putting the muscle in a "long" position.
iliopsoas muscle's anatomy and function
Let's start by discussing the iliopsoas muscle's anatomy and function.
The iliopsoas muscle has two muscle bellies – the psoas major and the iliacus. The psoas major muscle originates on the lumbar vertebrae and the iliacus originates on the wing of the ilium. They come together to insert on the lesser trochanter of the femur.
The main function of the iliopsoas muscle is to flex and externally rotate the hip, it also functions to help stabilize the lumbar spine. This is important because if the iliopsoas muscle is injured, it may show up as pain on hip extension, especially if the lumbar spine is in extension when the hip is extended.
An acute injury can happen when a dog splays their rear limbs behind them or by falling off the A-frame or dog walk when one leg tries to hold on as the rest of the body is falling off. It can also happen from a chronic repetitive motion or during explosive activity with a muscle that is not warmed up and strong enough to keep the lumbar and hip joints stabilized, such as a dog running full out.
Spotting an iliopsoas muscle injury
A person with a trained eye may see an agility dog limping or having a rear limb that’s lower than the other as the dog travels over a jump. But the injury can show up as a slight slowing down too, as the all-out explosive motion is uncomfortable because it puts strain or stress on the iliopsoas muscle.
Sometimes, however, there are no signs at all until on exam we find resistance to hip extension or extension with abduction or possibly just pain on palpation of the musculotendinous junction.
Why do we tell you all this? So you can start to look for these signs, understand what they mean, and catch iliopsoas injuries when they are minor rather than waiting until the dog is limping because every step hurts. But perhaps more importantly, I tell you all of this because we want you to be able to prevent these injuries in your pets and patients.
Preventing iliopsoas muscle injury
Strengthening the illopsoas muscle is the best way to prevent injury; however, the key to strengthening it is doing it in a "long", or stretched, position.
If we only strengthen the iliopsoas in a short position, the dog is more likely to injure it when they return to a long or stretched out position as in cantering or galloping, especially if they get to this position with explosive activity.
The same is true for rehabilitation of an iliopsoas muscle injury. If the muscle is only strengthened in a short position, when the dog returns to explosive motion, which is stretching the iliopsoas muscle, they are much more likely to reinjured it.
An underwater treadmill is a great tool overall (of course I believe this, I designed the first one for dogs) and it is especially great for strengthening the iliopsoas muscle in a shortened position, as it uses water to increase resistance for hip flexion. But, it is important to recognize that it can’t be the only exercise used for dogs as they do not have full hip extension while walking or trotting in the water; they tend to stay in a more hip flexed position with less drive than we will see on land.
Land exercises must be incorporated with the underwater treadmill for the best rehab plan to build strength in both a long and short position.
So, how do we strengthen the iliopsoas in a long or stretched position? Watch the video for images and videos for great examples.
The down and dirty to strengthening the iliopsoas muscle
The first thing to think about is that the goal is to end up with the dog’s lumbar spine and the hips in extension.
To reach this goal we have the dog stand with their front feet on a raised surface. This may be starting with the front feet raised only a few inches on a step or a block. If the dog is recovering from an iliopsoas injury, we definitely raise their front feet in small increments.Start by holding this position for 5-30 seconds depending on the ability and comfort level of the dog.
Using a muscle without changing the length of the muscle fibers is an isometric exercise. It is the safest form of exercise and can be great for strengthening when used for longer periods of time. Think of holding a plank for 1-5 minutes.The thoracolumbar spine should be straight – not kyphotic/roachy or lordotic/swayback. Both of these positions can put stress on the spine.
Slowly, over time, increase the height of the front feet.
The higher the front feet, the more the hips are in extension and the more the iliopsoas stretches
Over time, you will want to work up to longer iliopsoas stretch positions, but make sure the dog’s back always remains straight.
When should you stop? How high should the front feet be raised?
This position can actually be held for several minutes or several repetitions of one minute. This allows us to build individual muscle endurance. We will explore that concept in another Learn & Go, so stay tuned.
You do not want the front feet higher than the shoulders in the standing on two leg position.
You also want to make sure the dog’s front feet are resting on a surface.
If the dog is leaning forward while on only their rear limbs, it can put stress on the epaxial muscles of the lumbar spine. These are the muscles that balance the iliopsoas muscles as they sit dorsal to the transverse processes on the spine. They are the same muscles that we rub after leaning over and stressing our backs.
Let's keep all the muscles healthy and strong.
How to Space Cavalettis for Multiple Outcomes
Are you sure you are spacing your Cavalettis correctly? Have you wanted to use Cavalettis but didn’t because you weren’t sure how to space them?
Are you sure you are spacing your Cavalettis correctly?
Cavalettis are an amazing tool that can be used with dogs (or pigs) of all ages and abilities – from young pups and geriatric dogs to competitive athletes.
But to get the best results, you need to ensure that they are spaced appropriately.
In this Learn & Go video, I talk through different goals depending on they type of dog you're working with and how to set up your Cavalettis to achieve them.
Cavaletti exercises are great for:
Body awareness, balance, and proprioception (knowing where their body is in space)
Strength
Enhancing cognitive ability
Increasing reach and drive
Picking up, rather than sliding their feet while walking
Increasing flexion of the limb joints (think marching)
What kind of dog can benefit from Cavaletti exercises? Every kind.
Puppies – they can all benefit from exposure to proprioception exercises
Geriatric dogs or others that have weakness
Dogs that have had surgery and are less weight bearing on one or more limbs that is a habit (pain is controlled)
Working dogs that need better proprioception
Athletes that require intense foot-eye coordination
Dogs with patella luxation
Show dogs that need more reach and drive
Dogs that need neurological stimulation to stop or slow down cognitive decline
Dogs that slide their feet
Dogs with neurological disease or ataxia
A good exercise program teaches you a lot of simple activities, allowing you to tie them together into an exercise that is tailored to the specific needs of a dog. Ideally you want exercises that challenge every area of the body and enhance balance, proprioception, and cognitive function.
The most versatile Cavalettis on the market – OPV Cavaletti Jacks
Cavaletti Jacks are lightweight, durable, portable cavalettis designed for the Rehab Therapist or Pet Parent working on proprioception, strength, balance, weight bearing, flexion, and so much more. Quickly adjustable from 2” up to 11” with color coding for exercising fun.
Made to order in the USA.
Order today and get your own amazing dog gym pieces!
We have found shipping costs to locations outside the US, the West Coast and HI to be inaccurate/higher, please contact us for the most accurate price to ship.
Sign up for the waiting list now!
The importance and versatility of a Foundation Exerise
Here’s a foundational exercise that is easy for dogs to learn and sets up a great foundation for them to use later in life.
Do you know what a Foundation Exercise is?
It’s an exercise that is reasonable easy to teach and for dogs to learn. And it establishes a set of behaviors and skills that the dog will use now and later in life. It will help them in other situations, allowing them to do much harder things. Even better, a Foundation Exercise can be used with puppies, geriatrics, and elite athletes.
One such Foundation Exercise is Cookie Dance.
The rules are simple – feet stay square, nose follows the cookie.
The Goals of Cookie Dance
Enhanced balance and proprioception
From puppies and geriatric dogs to athletes, Cookie Dance enhances body awareness decreasing the chance of injury
In patients with neurological challenges, Cookie Dance helps reset the nervous system to bring back optimum quality of life
Strengthening stabilization muscles
Beneficial for all dogs, Cookie Dance strengthens the muscles that stabilize the joints in all four limbs as well as strengthening the core
Weight shifting
Cookie Dance can be used post injury or surgery to create more even weight distribution
Watch the video below to see how Cookie Dance is performed and difficulty is increased with a 12-year-old Mastiff and a 4-year-old ninja athlete.
Want to make it a littler harder?
Changing the surface the dog is working on immediately increases or decreases the difficulty.
Flat stable surfaces - easiest
Mildly unstable surfaces
Difficult unstable surfaces
Stabilized movable surfaces
Non-stabilized movable surfaces - most difficult
A good exercise program teaches you a lot of simple activities, allowing you to tie them together into an exercise that is tailored to the specific needs of a dog. Ideally you want exercises that challenge every area of the body and enhance balance, proprioception, and cognitive function. Cookie Dance is one of the simple foundational exercises needed to create such an exercise.
Join us in learning more about exercises in our up coming course Optimum Geriatric Exercises for Veterinary Professionals as a debut to more in-depth education. Sign up now to get on our waitlist for the course. When we launch there will only be 30 Gold Level spots, and our waitlist members will have first access to these spots. Currently we have over 80 people signed up! Join them and sign up for this exciting course.
Sign up for the waiting list now!
The best starting exercise for geriatric patients (and other dogs)
Did you know that dogs lose up to 25% of their type II muscle fibers just by aging but type I muscle fibers don’t deteriorate?
Did you know that we can convert type II muscle fibers to type I muscle fibers by performing certain types of exercises?
Sarcopenia is a normal aging in which type II muscle fibers turn into fat and then into fibrous tissue. Certain exercises can slow this progression down.
Exercises that target type II muscle fibers are great for aging patients because these tissues are lost when not used. But these can also be quite beneficial for puppies, patients with neurological ailments, dogs that have had surgery, and athletes to help prevent injuries.
When animals start to have sarcopenia, the circumference of their muscles does not change as the muscle fibers turn to fat, but they do lose strength. However, as sarcopenia progresses, the circumference of the tissue diminishes as well as strength.
Type I muscle fibers are not affected by aging. These fibers make up the majority of muscles that control posture and joint stability. They are slow twitch, slow to fatigue, and use fat to create ATP. Helping these muscles to fire over a period of time can work to alleviate obesity, better stabilize joints, and enhance endurance.
It’s so important to keep our dogs moving, as these muscle fibers are lost from disuse atrophy. That’s why geriatric dogs, dogs that have had surgery, and dogs that have neurological issues are especially at risk.
However, we can keep these muscles strong in a safe manner with simple exercises. Watch this video to see the best starting exercise and learn how to modify it for different patients.
This exercise, when done correctly, targets the type I muscle fibers in the whole body.
Type II muscle fibers are also important, as they are the ones that give muscles their power. These fibers are found in higher numbers in muscles that create motion. They are quick to fatigue and are important for athletes that need speed and the ability to jump. These fibers hypertrophy to create thicker muscle bellies. We are not targeting these fibers with this exercise, but I will show you how to target them in the future.
When done properly, this exercise can be done with every dog, from two-day old puppies to athletes as a foundational exercise. As with every exercise there are nuances, be sure to watch the video to understand how to modify for each of the follow:
Puppies
Adult Dogs
Post-Surgical Patients
Dogs with Neurological Ailments
Geriatric Dogs
Athletes
For more geriatric-specific exercises….
Identifying canine weakness and a great exercise to combat it
Do you know the most important signs to clue you in to muscle weakness in a dog when you are asking them to perform an exercise? Do you know what to look for in a dog’s face to spot fatigue?
Do you want details on an exercise that can strengthen your pets or patients, puppy, adult, and geriatric alike?
In this quick video, Dr. Laurie reviews pictures and videos to show you how to spot when a dog has some weakness and then teaches you an exercise you can immediately implement into your practice or use with your pet.
Watch the video to meet Ollie and see how his expressive face changes when pushed to rapid fatigue and learn a great strengthening exercise.
How to spot weakness in a dog
When you ask a dog to do an exercise, the body position they take can give you a good idea of where they are weak.
If their posture changes to an abnormal position, it can mean they have pain, a lack of ability to get into that position, or muscle weakness that is not allowing them to hold the biomechanically correct position.
A dog’s inability to hold a position – think of wobbling during a “sit up” or “beg,” is indicator of trunk or core weakness.
And their facial expressions can give you an idea of their level of fatigue. Looking at the eyes, ears and mouth position help you read where the dog is at mentally.
Dogs need a fitness routine
An important goal of creating an exercise program for a dog is finding an exercise that the dog struggles with. This is our area of opportunity to build strength.
An exercise like a Three-legged Stand keeps the dog in a biomechanically correct posture but challenges their balance and core muscles. This is a great exercise that can be used for dogs of any age. The trick is to do them so that the dog has to do as much of the work as possible for them.
When practicing the Three-legged Stand:
Make sure the dog is standing square so they are in a biomechanically correct posture.
Lift a limb with just one finger, don’t grab the limb, or you are doing most of the work.
Hold the position until the dog starts to wobble, counting seconds, then hold it a little longer as this is when they are gaining strength.
If one position is significantly weaker, start and end with this position (one more repetition than the other three) and continue until all positions have the same strength.
When performing this exercise on a flat surface is easy, the next challenge would be to perform it on an unstable surface, like a couch cushion or bed.
When this exercise is easy, progress to Snoopy Exercises/ Diagonal Leg Lifts.
Coming soon! Be sure to sign up.
Sign up for the waiting list now!
Conducting a gait analysis on patient with multiple lame legs
Have you seen patients come in with more than one lame leg?
Have you seen lameness patterns change depending on where the dog is walking?
In this Learn & Go with Dr. Laurie we meet Tilly, look at cool radiographs on a little known patella luxation surgery technique done by Dr. John Dee himself, that makes it look like part of the tibial crest is gone. We identify a radiographic change commonly seen with stifle stress that you may not be used to looking at. And then we analyze Tilly's gait from multiple angles and on different angled surfaces, visualizing her multiple lamenesses.
Watch the video below to meet Tilly, see the x-rays, and look the multiple gaits that tell us her story.
Tilly has had a partial cut to her tibial crest with a pin creating the perfect wedge to help alleviate her patella luxation.
DOGS CAN HAVE PAIN AND LAMENESS IN MORE THAN ONE LIMB. SOMETIMES ONE LAMENESS HIDES ANOTHER.
Sometimes they injure a second limb trying to shift weight off of a limb that was previously injured, injure it in a separate incident, or be painful from a chronic disease like arthritis.
WHEN A DOG IS SIGNIFICANTLY LAME, THEY WILL USE THEIR HEAD, TO AID IN WEIGHT SHIFTING, TO DECREASE WEIGHT ON THE MOST AFFECTED LIMB.
In the case of a front leg lameness the dog will lift their head, shifting their weight back, when the sore limb starts to bear weight. This is a “Head Bob Up.”
In the case of a rear limb lameness the dog will drop their head down, shifting weight off of a rear limb as it starts to bear weight. This is a “Head Bob Down.”
IF YOU CAN SEE THERE IS A HEAD BOB BUT CAN NOT TELL IF THE DIRECTION IS UP OR DOWN, YOU CAN HAVE THE DOG WALK ON AN INCLINE AND DECLINE SURFACE TO DIFFERENTIATE IT.
When the dog walks uphill, their weight is shifted back to the rear limbs. If the lameness is reduced, it indicates a front leg lameness. If the lameness is exacerbated, it indicates a rear limb lameness.
When the dog walks downhill, their weight is shifted forward to the front limbs. If the lameness is reduced, it indicates a rear limb lameness. If the lameness is exacerbated, it indicates a front limb lameness.
Note that if there are multiple limbs affected, you may see multiple lamenesses. In the Case of Tilly, because her diagonal limbs were both significantly affected, she went back and forth between two significant lameness patterns trying to find a comfortable way to walk and having to alternate lameness patterns because each time she chose one pattern it made the diagonal limb more uncomfortable.
The best exercise for dogs with hip issues
Today, we're learning a great exercise to strengthen hip muscles and help with laxity, inflammation, and pain.
Do you know dogs that have hip dysplasia, laxity, or other hip issues? These issues are more common in larger dogs, like German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, or Saint Bernards, but can show up in other dogs too.
The exercise I’m showing you today will strengthen the muscles that hold the hip joint together to prevent laxity, inflammation, and pain. It can be used to help alleviate pain once laxity and inflammation have started, and it helps strengthen muscles in the front limbs and trunk.
Watch the video below to see the exercise and several ways to perform it correctly with your dog.
Sideways walking
Walking sideways has a number of benefits for dogs. To start, it strengthens the muscles on the inside and outside of the hip on the rear limbs.
Why it’s important to strengthen a dog’s hip muscles
Strengthening these muscles:
helps stabilize the hip (gluteal, biceps femoris, and pectineus muscles).
helps prevent a “splay” injury or fall in the rear limbs (pectineus, gracilis, and adductor muscles).
helps dogs stay standing - older dogs or dogs that are weak in these muscles, may sink in the rear when they stop walking, (biceps femoris, gluteal, gracilis, adductor, semimembranosus muscles).
propels the dog forward, which aids in running speed and jumping ability (biceps femoris, gluteal, and semimembranosus muscles).
helps stabilize the knee, support the medial and lateral collateral ligaments.
Walking sideways also helps strengthen the muscles on the inside and outside of the front limbs, the muscles that attach the forelimb to the body.
Why it’s important to strengthen the muscles on the inside and outside of a dog’s front limbs
Strengthening these muscles:
helps prevent a “splay” injury or fall in the forelimbs (superficial and deep pectoral muscles)
supports the shoulder joints (superficial and deep pectoral muscles)
OTHER BENEFITS OF WALKING SIDEWAYS
Walking sideways strengthens the tendons and ligaments that support side-to-side stability of the limb joints (carpal, tarsal, stifle, elbow, and digital medial and lateral collateral ligaments)
Walking sideways enhances proprioception (i.e., knowing where the body is in space) and balance, which keeps the body upright. This makes our pets less likely to mis-step or mis-jump and injure themselves.
It also strengthens the trunk or core muscles, which are key to overall stability.
TIPS FROM THE VIDEO
If you haven’t already, be sure to watch the video, as I discuss the different techniques for working with a small dog vs a large dog.
Hand position is extremely important, as pulling up on the dog or placing the rear hand on the dog can create miscommunication of what we are asking the dog to do.
Your body positioning is also important. Leaning forward at the waist or leading with only one foot, can increase the chance of discomfort or injury to the person leading the exercise.
Each dog is different, and we want to give you options on how to best perform Sideways Walking to allow you to use this as a foundation exercise for many more challenges.
Sideways walking is an amazing exercise with challenge levels for dogs that can barely walk to dogs that can walk sideways on a ball unassisted.
The best exercise for your dog
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Do you know the best exercise you can learn and teach to your canine patients? One that can be extremely beneficial for adolescents, adults, athletes, and geriatric dogs? This exercise can help dogs with hip issues, it will strengthen the muscles of acceleration for speed and jumping ability, and so much more.
Watch the video below to see the exercise and several ways to perform it correctly with your dog.
The Benefits of Backwards Walking
Walking backwards has a number of benefits for dogs.
It strengthens the muscles on the back of the rear limbs.
The muscles in the rear limbs:
help dogs rise from a sit or down position
help dogs stay standing - older dogs or dogs that are weak in these muscles, may sink in the rear when they stop walking, backwards walking helps prevent this
propel the dog forward, which aids in running speed and jumping ability
help stabilize the knee, support for the cruciate ligaments (gastrocnemius muscle)
help stabilize the hip (gluteal and biceps femoris muscles)
Walking Backwards strengthens the muscles on the back of the front limbs.
The front limb muscles:
support the wrists or carpal joints.
Older dogs or dogs that have chronic repetitive carpal/wrist joint injuries are weak in these muscles (forelimb flexor muscles)
Dogs that look like they are “down in the pastern” or hyperextend at the carpal joint can benefit from walking backwards.
are the major standing apparatus of the front limbs (triceps muscles)
control deceleration allowing for more controlled movements, faster stops, sharper turns (forelimb flexor and triceps muscles)
allow for better cushioning of the spine when the dog lands from a jump
Other benefits of walking backwards
Walking backwards helps enhance a dog’s balance and proprioception, meaning that a dog knows where their body is in space better, which makes them less likely to mis-step or mis-jump and injure themself.
It also strengthens the trunk muscles, which are key to overall stability.
Tips from the Video
If you haven’t already, be sure to watch the video, as we discuss the importance of head position in creating longer, more productive movements for quicker strengthening.
We also discuss how to help a dog that is weak in the rear and wanting to sit down or the dog who is stubborn and tries to sit down or spin out to the side to avoid performing the exercise.
Each dog is different and we want to give you options on how to perform Backwards Walking to allow you to use this as a foundation exercise for many more challenges.
Backwards walking is truly one of the most versatile exercises with challenge levels for dogs that can barely walk forward to dogs that can walk backwards on a ball unassisted on a hill.
How does Cooling Tissue before laser impact penetration?
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Do you ever wonder if your laser energy is getting deep enough into the tissue? Maybe you wish you could get better penetration into the tissue, or perhaps you just want to use less energy and still get maximum penetration. Today we’re talking about cooling tissue before lasering and how that affects the depth of penetration.
Common areas we want deep penetration include hip joints, the abdominal organs, the chest cavity to treat the heart or lungs, and dense connective tissue e.g. the calcaneal tendon.
So how can we get lasers to go deeper?
Watch the video below to learn about research that’s been done on cooling tissue before using different types of lasers.
*Please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals.
A 2017 study looked at how well lasers penetrated humans’ achilles tendons after 20 minutes of cryotherapy (ice). They compared how much energy passed through the tendons using an 810 nm 200 mW laser on continuous mode and a 904 nm 60 mW laser on superpulsed mode (superpulsed lasers produce high power impulses for brief durations that go deeper into tissue without creating heat).
There were differences in the original penetration as we well as penetration after the cryotherapy.
The 904 nm laser penetrated tissue better overall even though the average power was only 60 mW compared to the 810 nm that had 200 mW continuous power. Wavelengths play a big part of penetration and effect.
The 904 nm wavelength had an approximately 33% increase in penetration after icing compared to the 810 nm laser that had an approximately 25% increase in penetration after icing.
What’s causing the difference in penetration? It may be that since there is less blood in the tissue due to vasoconstriction and therefore less heme from the red blood cells, there is less absorption of the photons and so more penetration. It may also be that there is less tissue. In the study, they measured the width of the tendon, and the tendons were thinner after the cryotherapy. My guess is it is a combination of both and potentially other factors that we are not aware of at this time.
If you’re a member of our Optimum Laser Therapy Course, definitely check out Module 36: Pneumonia to learn about treating the lungs.
If you would like to learn more about USING lasers to treat pets, join us at Optimum Laser Therapy to earn 19 hours of RACE approved continuing education and join a community of like minded vets obtaining Optimum Laser Results.
Lordosis – the cause, effects, and Treatments
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Lordosis, or swayback, is an inward curve or hyperextension of the spine, which leads to back pain, gait changes, potentially shoulder pain, and other issues that compromise animals’ quality of life. There are several known causes of lordosis, some that are treatable with an easy fix, some that are moderately difficult to treat, and some that we can slow the progression of.
Lordosis can be caused by a number of things – weak abdominal muscle, weakness of the shoulder girdle muscles, postural changes that can be related to the front or rear limbs, and even nail care.
Lordosis can lead to back pain, shoulder pain, gait changes, and inflammation, which can be treated symptomatically, but if we can treat the root cause we can relieve these issues without medications. Sometimes all it takes is a nail trim. Really!
Let’s get into our video…
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Looking at pictures of Queenie – a 16-year-old (give or take a year) lab with severe progressive lordosis – we can see her progression over the years from simple abdominal muscle weakness to abdominal muscle and shoulder girdle muscle weakness.
Treating LORDOSIS
The Assisi Loop is a safe and easy way to help with pain and inflammation and can be used several times a day by a pet parent.
Chiropractic or manual therapy can be beneficial to relieve pain and allow the spine to move better.
Laser therapy can reduce pain and inflammation and can (and in my opinion should) be used concurrently with the Assisi Loop.
Nail trims can make dramatic changes in thoracolumbar posture immediately, if the nails are long and at least partially the cause for the lordosis. When a dog’s nails hit the ground it tells their nervous system that they are walking uphill and must change their posture to accommodate.
Cat Stretches can immediately relieve discomfort and increase spinal motion to help strengthen the abdominal muscles.
Exercises that target the abdominal and shoulder-girdle muscles include goosing at the chest, flank, and or abdomen, and with patients like Queenie, flexion cookie stretches in a lateral position.
Be sure to watch the video for examples of these exercise.
She may not have normal posture, but we have greatly improved Queenie’s quality of life, taken away the pain to make her happy. Her mom is continuing to see signs of improvement!
If you would like to learn more about how to treat the thoracolumbar spine and more than 25 other body conditions or areas join us at Optimum Laser Therapy to earn 19 hours of RACE approved continuing education and join a community of like minded vets obtaining Optimum Laser Results.
Helping Zoey, the hunchback
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Tell Us What You Think!
Today, we're continuing with our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets & patients.
Many dogs have posture issues that you many not even notice, yet it can be there because of pain and may in itself cause pain.
We look at Zoey as an example to see what to look for, what is causing the problem, and discuss a simple way to decrease her back pain as we treat her primary issues.
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Exercises to strengthen your dog’s wrists
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Tell Us What You Think!
Today, we're continuing with our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets & patients.
Does your dog have weakness or pain in their wrists? Do you want to know how to make them feel better and get stronger?
Digging is a great exercise to help strengthen the wrists. Watch how I teach Syd to dig. If you work with dogs you can teach your patients how to get stronger and feel better with this simple exercise.
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Helping stretch, the dog that couldn’t stretch
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Tell Us What You Think!
Today, we're continuing with our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets & patients.
Meet Stretch, a six-year-old Sheltie that had pain at his hips when he tried to extend them. Stretch couldn’t jump up and place his front feet on the couch or bed because it was too painful.
In this video we discuss how to do a joint mobilization called a “Spin” that can reduce or eliminate pain and significantly improve joint range of motion.
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Bromley – Exercises for a Frenchie with knee issues
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Tell Us What You Think!
Today, we're continuing with our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets & patients.
Meet Bromley, an adorable Frenchie with knee and back issues.
In this video we look at his posture and discuss exercises to help him live a pain-free life. We can see his progress; we even get him to wag his tail!
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
GaIt and Exercise with a Distant Pug
Today, we're continuing our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets and patients.
Tell Us What You Think!
Today, we're continuing with our series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets & patients.
Meet Chloe, she is a 17 yr old Pug in California I was asked to consult on.
We first look at her Posture and Gait.
Slow motion video gives you time to See what I See.
We cover some Helpful Solutions, what would Laurie Do.
Lastly, we highlight an Exercise - Both “How to Do It Right” and “How It Can Be Done Wrong”.
We are Always looking for "Optimum Results”
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Axel Does Cookies To The Sky: Optimum Exercise Outcomes
Today, we're starting a new series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets & patients.
Tell Us What You Think!
Today, we're starting a new series on how to get Optimum Exercise Outcomes with your canine pets & patients.
Ever tried Cookies to the Sky? Let's look at how it is commonly done wrong, and how, instead, you can do it optimally to allow quick strengthening of the muscles we want to target.
We commonly teach patients and pet parents how to do this exercise, but once home, it’s common for pets to cheat—and pet parents often do not see the intricate details that make the exercise optimal.
We show you the “Why” of the exercise, the “How” of the exercise, and the “Cheat” of a very smart dog. And of course, we’ll cover the “How to Outsmart the Very Smart Dog to have Optimum Results."
You can even stop half-way through and see what changes you would make to have Axel perform these exercises “Optimally.”
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Tips for Laser GoggLE Application—LEARN & GO WITH LAURIE
Here’s how to position laser goggles on a dog—safely & comfortably!
Tell Us What You Think!
Here are some tips for putting laser goggles on a dog safely & comfortably.
First, grab the strap that goes on the back of their head (the one with writing on it) and hold it near the glasses with the cutout for the nose facing down. Separate these two pieces from the chin strap.
Next, place the entire apparatus over the dog’s nose, keeping the chin strap beneath the dog’s chin.
Still holding the goggles up above the dog’s head, place the head strap behind the dog’s ears on the back of its head.
Now you’re ready to pull the goggles straight out in front of the dog’s eyes. Before placing the goggles on their face, be sure to gently brush any hair away from their eyes.
Finally, release the goggles straight over the pet's eyes.
If you notice the dog pawing at its face or rubbing the goggles, check again to ensure no hair is in their eyes.
A Note on OSHA Safety Guidelines: OSHA requires all people in proximity to the active Class 4 laser to wear safety glasses specific to the wavelengths of the laser. They recommend people wear these glasses when in proximity of a Class 3 laser.
If people 16' away from the laser have to wear protective glasses, shouldn't the pets whose eyes are within 1-2' have to wear them, and shouldn't they be comfortable while the goggles are on?
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
LEARN & GO WITH LAURIE - VETTEL CASE OVERVIEW
Let's review a crazy case—a 4-year-old Rottweiler that became ataxic, and was vomiting, wobbling, and drooling.
Tell Us What You Think!
Let's review a crazy case—a 4-year-old Rottweiler named Vettel that suddenly became lame, ataxic/wobbling, was vomiting and drooling. Was it a brain tumor, elbow issue, or something else?
Vettel had previously been diagnosed with Grade 1 elbow dysplasia, but was thriving in spite of it!
In November 2020, he suddenly became lame, ataxic/wobbling, was vomiting and drooling.
Vets discovered he had a stomach full of dirt, but treatment did not resolve the issue.
Vettel worsened and began flinching when his head and neck were touched, even lightly. He almost fell over when another dog just touched his nose.
A neurologist suspected a brain tumor and wanted to perform an MRI, but the owner declined.
Over 4 weeks of pain management therapy, Vettel slowly improved.
At this point Mom drove the 2 hours to bring Vettel to me to work with.
What did I discover during my exam and gait analysis? I’ll show you, plus recap what we’ve done to treat Vettel.
Ready to get optimum, life-changing results with your laser? join mY Optimum Laser Therapy online course + community.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COURSE + COMMUNITY!
*Pet parents, please note that this video was created for veterinary professionals. Your pet should always be examined, diagnosed, and treated by a licensed veterinary professional.
Connect with Us & Share this video
For More Videos from Dr. Laurie, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPV Newsletter
*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Privacy Policy.