Front Matter

198 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

the dog from stepping aside to avoid complet­
ing the stretches. A cookie is first placed in front
of the patient’s nose, then moved to the point of
one shoulder to initiate cervical lateral flexion
as the patient’s head follows the cookie. Next,
the cookie is moved slowly along the body wall
in a straight line from the shoulder to the hip to
encourage thoracic stretching. Some patients
can reach their nose to their tuber ischium.
Next, the cookie is moved distally along the
pelvic limb to the rear foot to engage spinal
rotation.

The second stretch begins with the cookie at

the manubrium. It is then moved to the floor

between the front feet, gradually moving cau­

dally along the floor with the goal of reaching a

point where the top of the patient’s head is par­

allel to the floor (Figure 8.23) .

For the third exercise, the patient’s front

feet should be on a surface elevated at least as

high as the dorsal rim of the patient’s scapula.

The cookie is held above the patient’s eyes,

encouraging the nose to be held perpendicular

to the floor creating cervical, thoracic, and

Figure 8.22 Lateral flexion of the spine and thoracic stretching are achieved by having the dog follow a cookie placed
at the shoulder then moved along the body wall from the shoulder to the hip.

Figure 8.23 Ventral flexion of the spine is achieved by placing a cookie at the manubrium, then moving it to the floor
between the feet and gradually moving the cookie caudally along the floor until the patient’s head is parallel to the floor.
Source: Photo by Whitney Rupp.