Learn & Go With Dr. Laurie
Dr. Laurie Featured on the Petability Podcast
This week, Dr. Laurie was featured on the PetAbility Podcast with Cathy Symons CVT, CCRP, and Chris Cranston MPT, CCRP.
How to Improve your Geriatric Dog's Healthspan & Lifespan – with Dr. Laurie McCauley
This week, Dr. Laurie was featured on the PetAbility Podcast with Cathy Symons CVT, CCRP, and Chris Cranston MPT, CCRP, to talk about geriatric dogs and using an exercise program to extend their optimum life.
She answered the questions
When is my dog geriatric?
What happens to my dog's body and brain with aging?
How can I positively prevent or reverse some of the natural effects of aging?
How to perform Rhythmic Stabilization, one of Dr. McCauley's Top 5 Exercises for Geriatric Dogs.
Signs to look for before, during , and after exercise
How to create an exercise program for your dog?
What is Myos and how can this supplement help build muscle?
Learn 24 exercises to strengthen your dog’s core, increase their mobility, and improve their brain function.
The most common laser mistakes – #1
In this series I’m covering The 5 Most Common Laser Therapy Mistakes. If you’re not getting amazing results with your laser you should listen
The number one mistake I see most often is…aiming.
It’s not too surprising given that most manufacturers instruct users to place the laser perpendicular to the skin, which is absolutely true if you’re not in contact with tissue. BUT, once you have contact with tissue, aiming makes all the difference.
Did you know if you shine most lasers on a special surface (see below) you can see the beam that comes out of them?
Why aiming matters
Once the laser energy enters the tissue, there is refraction or scatter, meaning that the surface size of the treatment area expands, yet the tissue directly under the laser gets significantly more energy than the tissue around it. If you are treating a specific area, such as an OCD lesion or the cranial cruciate ligament, changing the probe’s position and the aim will significantly change how much energy gets to the target tissue.
Treating the cruciate ligaments
You can target the laser energy to have a direct effect on the cranial cruciate ligament. One way is to treat from the back of the stifle, through the popliteal fossa, aiming your beam and fanning the line of the CCL.
Treating the menisci
Feel the joint line and aim your light energy along this line to treat directly into the menisci on the cranial, caudal, and at least medial surfaces. Most meniscal tears are in the medial meniscus. If there is a lateral tear, or if you are not sure if there is a tear, treat the lateral surface as well. By aiming directly on the joint line, parallel to the meniscus line, significantly more energy will be absorbed by the menisci than if there is an angle to the probe and the energy has to pass through bone.
Are you feeling like there is more to using a laser machine than turning it on and pointing at the tissue you want to treat?
There absolutely is!! We want to help you have optimal outcomes with all of your patients, and that comes with a better understanding of what is going on in the tissue and how the laser can affect it. Improving your outcomes leads to happier clients and believe it or not, improved job satisfaction. We have had hundreds of veterinarians take the Optimum Laser Therapy course and rave about how much it has helped them and their patients.
What Others have Said
“Now our team feels very confident, and they are seeing results from the treatments. Thank you Dr. McCauley for offering this course, it has made a huge difference in our use and success of laser therapy.” — Angel Mitchell, DVM, CVA
Learn more & Sign up
The most common laser mistakes – #2
In this series I’m covering The 5 Most Common Laser Therapy Mistakes. If you’re not getting amazing results with your laser you should listen
Have you ever watched someone pick up a laser they weren’t used to using expecting the same results from their normal go to? Maybe that’s been you.
Different lasers have widely different treatment (dosing) parameters depending on the variables of the laser. Using the wrong dosing unintentionally means your patient isn’t being treated properly. They could get no effect from the treatment, they could fell discomfort or in worst case scenarios, the laser can hurt the patient.
Let’s get into the variables.
The SECOND mistake I see most often is not knowing the variables of the laser.
Hopefully after watching the video your interest is piqued, and you will investigate your laser.
The power of LEDs
LEDs in the 600nm range can be used to heal corneal ulcers, wounds and burns; they can a be great for treating acupuncture points, anxiety and depression, and strokes. They may not, however, perform as well in treating arthritis, according to current research.
High Wavelengths
980 nm wavelength lasers have been shown to have significant effects when treating dogs with degenerative myelopathy and elbow arthritis. In fact, research has shown that when using this wavelength,10-19 J/cm2 had optimum effects when treating elbow arthritis. If you were to use that dosage with some of the other wavelengths there would be deleterious effects.
Considering your patient’s skin color
Melanin has to be considered when treating in the 800nm wavelength range because it absorbs a significant amount of laser photons in the range, and the tissue will heat up more than we want if the appropriate amount of energy is delivered too quickly.
Power with Pulsing
When looking at power of the laser machine, any laser that has 904nm or 905nm will need significant Peak Power. You may see 36 W, 50W, 75W or even 100W of peak power.
That is because in order to deliver this wavelength without severely heating the tissue it, needs to be either chopped (i.e., on 50% of the time, then off 50% of the time), or super-pulsed (i.e., on for nanoseconds, then off for a proportionally longer time). We usually need the least amount of total energy to have a significant effect with this wavelength.
Are you feeling like there is more to using a laser machine than turning it on and pointing at the tissue you want to treat?
There absolutely is!! We want to help you have optimal outcomes with all of your patients, and that comes with a better understanding of what is going on in the tissue and how the laser can affect it. Improving your outcomes leads to happier clients and believe it or not, improved job satisfaction. We have had hundreds of veterinarians take the Optimum Laser Therapy course and rave about how much it has helped them and their patients.
What Others have Said
“Now our team feels very confident, and they are seeing results from the treatments. Thank you Dr. McCauley for offering this course, it has made a huge difference in our use and success of laser therapy.” — Angel Mitchell, DVM, CVA
Learn more & Sign up
The most common laser mistakes – #3
In this series I’m covering The 5 Most Common Laser Therapy Mistakes. If you’re not getting amazing results with your laser you should listen
It’s been said that expectations are the precursor to disappointment. Maybe that’s true with some things, but laser therapy is not one of them.
With laser therapy, expectations are extremely important. And not having them is the third top mistake I see professionals make. What are the other expectations we should be looking at; they are equally important? In this video, I walk through what to expect when targeting muscles, nerves, tendons, wounds and burns, discolored tissue, and urethras.
Not knowing what to expect is the 3rd top mistake that I see
Without an understanding of what to expect with a laser, you are likely not getting what you could. It’s similar to getting into a Ferrari with the belief that it drives just like any other car. Sure you can drive it that way, but you will be missing out on a lot of performance.
A clear understanding of what you’re treating and what you’re measuring is key with laser Therapy
If, for example, you are only looking at pain management as the parameter with your treatment, then you may not be watching at how quickly the wound you are treating is healing. You could also miss noticing that the effusion in the stifle is gone (remember it is chronic inflammation in the stifle that is the biggest predeterminer of a torn CCL).
High Doses vs. Low Doses of energy
With laser therapy, high doses of energy are used to treat pain because it decreases ATP production, which reduces nerve impulses and creates a form of an axonal nerve block. But that high dose of laser energy does not actually aid healing. It has been shown that high doses of laser energy have been shown to reduce fibroblast migration.
Lower doses of energy, on the other hand, may not have as big of an effect on pain, but it can accentuate healing because it helps to increase ATP in the targeted cells, which allows them to do what they need to do faster and more efficiently.
Knowing your goal to set your dosing
In short,
Pain calls for higher doses
Tissue healing calls for lower doses
Learn more about laser power and ATP production in this Learn & Go.
get the most from any laser
Learn essential concepts and application techniques needed to use any laser with maximum efficiency and efficacy in this learn-at-your-own-pace course.
Learn more
The most common laser mistakes – #4
In this series I’m covering The 5 Most Common Laser Therapy Mistakes. If you’re not getting amazing results with your laser you should listen
Every year more research comes out on when to use laser therapy, which parameters have superior effects. Changes in power, wavelength, frequency, and total dosage can make significant changes in outcomes.
In one study, athletes were treated with laser therapy in four different situations: before working out with placebo after, before and after working out, after working out with placebo before, and placebo both before and after working out. Researchers found that athletes increased their endurance when they were treated both before and after working out. Strength, on the other hand, was built the fastest when athletes were treated before exercise and had the placebo after.
With so much that can be done with lasers, let’s make sure you’re doing everything right. Ready for the fourth most common mistake I see in laser treatment?
The #4 the most common laser mistakes covers dosing.
Using the wrong dosE is the 4th top mistake that I see
Laser manufacturers provide a dosing guidelines for each of their lasers, and this is always where you should start. They get a lot of input on the best dose for different ailments, but you will know what is going on with your patient on the day of treatment better than anyone else, especially the laser manufacturer.
Laser Tip
The easiest way to know when you need to add more laser therapy treatments or when to stop treatment earlier than recommended, is when dealing with trigger points. If the trigger point dissipates when you are treating, then ceasing treatment is a good option.
Get used to feeling the tissue before and after a treatment so you can quickly differentiate a trigger point that needs more energy from one that is resolved.
get the most from any laser
Learn essential concepts and application techniques needed to use any laser with maximum efficiency and efficacy in this learn-at-your-own-pace course.
Learn more
The most common laser mistakes – #5
In this series I’m covering The 5 Most Common Laser Therapy Mistakes. If you’re not getting amazing results with your laser you should listen
I have spent over 20 years studying, researching and working towards perfecting laser therapy, and I want to share some very important points with you that will help you improve your laser outcomes today.
Today we’re starting with #5 of the most common laser mistakes.
One of the most common laser mistakes I see Vets make is Not using their laser!
You would be amazed at how many vets say, “yeah, I've got a laser and it's sitting over there in the corner.”
But let’s get into why this isn’t working for them.
Everybody knows about the contraindications – the reasons not to use a laser. But some vets don't realize what all the indications are. So let's talk about both.
Contraindications
Cancer
Cancer seems like a clear contraindication. Except laser therapy can be a great treatment for palliative reasons.
Injection Sites
When we inject something into the tissue, it can have a direct effect or it can be metabolized, and the metabolites can have an effect in the body. The effects of the injection have been studied, so we have an expected outcome, but if laser energy, with or without heat, may change that outcome.
The substance may be altered and/or the tissue around the substance may be altered. We know there are effects on circulation, usually vasodilation and changes in the permeability of the blood vessels. The cells in the treatment field can have changes in electrolyte transmission through the cell membrane, and we may even affect cell messenger complexes. We just don't know how laser therapy can affect the injected substance or how it is metabolized, so for now, it is best to consider this a contraindication until we know more.
Indications - These are just a sampling of those you may not have thought of
Dental issues
Surgery healing
Osteoarthritis
Stroke
Nerve Regeneration
Kidney Perfusion
Bronchitis
Chronic Cystitis
Degenerative myelopathy
Behavioral issues
Cellulitis
Perianal fistulas
Snake bits
Anal glands
and more!
get the most from any laser
Learn essential concepts and application techniques needed to use any laser with maximum efficiency and efficacy in this learn-at-your-own-pace course.
Learn more
How the shape of a laser’s lens changes the beam and affects the power
Did your laser come with flat lenses, convex lenses, or both? Did you know that depending on the surface of the laser lens, and the distance the lens is from the tissue you are treating, there can be a huge difference in the amount of energy you are putting into the tissue?
Did your laser come with flat lenses, convex lenses, or both? Did you know that depending on the surface of the laser lens, and the distance the lens is from the tissue you are treating, there can be a huge difference in the amount of energy you are putting into the tissue?
Flat vs. Convex Lenses and the impact on power
Light energy flows through a convex lens in a converging manner, meaning it becomes more and more intense as it reaches its focal point. This focal point is where all of the energy that comes out through the lens is concentrated into a pinpoint size space if there is just one diode and into the most focused pattern if there are multiple diodes.
Different lenses treat tissues differently. A convex lens will provide the most energy in one place, making it great for precise applications, like when treating an acupuncture point. While a flat lens with a more diffuse and weaker beam is better when treating skin where the goal is to have minimal penetration.
Why do we need to know this information?
The more we know, the better effects we can have each and every time we use our lasers. and better effects mean better patient care, better outcomes, and better job satisfaction.
Learn everything you need to know about lasers in our Optimum Laser Therapy Course
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Learn everything you need to know about lasers in our Optimum Laser Therapy Course 〰️
The Top Starter Exercise for Athletes
Learn the best exercise to start with athletic dogs. Understand how to perform it correctly, decrease the chance of injury, and help make Your dog, and your patients, stronger, faster, and smarter.
Do you have a canine athlete? Or do you work with canine athletes? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you are going to want to watch this video.
This is one of the first exercises I teach to all of my clients who have athletic dogs. And I guarantee you would be amazed at how many athletes can't do this exercise or can't do it correctly.
With the help of a peanut ball this single exercise strengthens the rear limbs, the core, and the front limbs. It also stimulates the brain in a way that very few exercises can.
In this video, I'll teach you how to choose the correct size ball, I explain the importance of the dog’s and your positioning, and I give viewers a sneak peek of what this exercise could lead to – the ninja dog.
Learn to perform this exercise correctly, decrease the chance of injury, and help make your dog, and patients, stronger, faster, and smarter.
If you have ever done ball work with a dog, you will find that dogs learn how to cheat. If you've never done ball work, then you likely don't know what to look for, giving your dog more room to "cheat" and maybe even setting them up to fail.
When done correctly, this exercise can strengthen a dog's whole body and engage the brain.
By strengthening the rear limbs in this manner, we are targeting the muscles for propulsion, power, jumping, and speed.
When done correctly, this exercise strengthens the muscles that support the carpal joints/wrists, elbows, and shoulders while putting less stress on the joints than if the dog were walking on the ground.
So many working dogs, especially agility dogs, have acute or chronic repetitive stress injuries of the carpal, elbow, and shoulder joints. This exercise allows us to strengthen the tendons and ligaments that support these joints without any of the stress seen with so many other exercises.
New Laser Study - Power, ATP & Oxidative Stress
Turns out that you need higher power when using a laser with a 980 nm wavelength to increase ATP production and decrease oxidative stress.
A recent study on different power levels and their effect on ATP production and oxidative stress had some surprising results.
We always want to increase ATP to help cells heal, or do whatever they need to do, better. Concurrently, we want to diminish oxidative stress, i.e., reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. The problem lies in the fact that when mitochondria make ATP, ROS are a byproduct.
In this study ATP production and ROS are measured when cells are treated with a laser with 980 nm wavelength with power levels of 0.1W to 1.1W in 0.1 increments. Watch the video below to see the results, you may be surprised!
MORE ON LASER
We have known for a long time the effects of therapeutic laser (photobiomodultion) on tissues. Laser treatment can reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and reduce pain. We know that wavelengths from 400-1064nm can affect tissues. We know the overall mechanisms of how lasers work but in some cases we are still figuring out the specific details for each wavelength.
Mitochondria
As we know, mitochondria generate ATP, which is then used by the cell as a source of energy. Oxidative stress from ROS, which are generated during the metabolism of the mitochondria, is a by-product that cannot be avoided.
These ROS will uncouple the mitochondria, increasing the oxygen consumption. Overall, this makes the mitochondria work harder but not increase ATP production. A normal cell will have a balance of ROS and ATP production that will keep the ROS from further damaging the cell. However, a cell that has been affected by local trauma will become out of balance, the ROS production will go up and there will not be enough ATP to prevent further damage to the cell. By increasing the ATP production in a cell, balance, homeostasis, is returned to the cell.
The 980 nm wavelength is commonly used in several of the lasers we use in veterinary medicine. We know these lasers work, and as we can see from this study, we know we will need higher levels of power at our target tissue to have beneficial effects. With laser therapy we can definitely create those beneficial effects. By increasing the energy metabolism of the mitochondria, and therefore the ATP level, the oxidative stress is reduced and an unhealthy, out-of-balance cell can be moved back to health and homeostasis.
For the full article, see: Photobiomodulation and Oxidative Stress: 980nm Diode Laser Light Regulates Mitochondrial Activity and Reactive Oxygen Species Production
Take the Optimum Laser Therapy course
〰️
Take the Optimum Laser Therapy course 〰️
Dog Brain Shapes and Why I Care
Dog Brain Shapes and Why I Care
A cool new MRI study looked at the actual shape of different dog breeds brains and how they fit inside the skull. This is interesting in and of itself, but it can also help us plan better when we use laser to treat the brain.
In this video, I’ll show you how to select which areas of the brain to target.
Using lasers to treat the brain
There are studies that show that in the 800 nm wavelength range and with 904/905 nm wavelengths, we can penetrate the skull and treat the brain. With this information and knowing where to treat, we can treat dogs for a variety of issues, including OCD-like behavior, anxiety and depression, aggression, syringohydromyelia, and stroke.
For the full article, see: Digital Endocasting in Comparative Canine Brain Morphology. Kálmán Czeibert1, Andrea Sommese, Örs Petneházy et al. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. published: 06 October 2020 doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.565315
Take the Optimum Laser Therapy course
〰️
Take the Optimum Laser Therapy course 〰️
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.