Front Matter

222 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

splash the water gently. Retrievers will often be
less anxious if they are given a ball, toy, or
bumper when in the water. These should be
sanitized between patients. Having a stuffed or
real animal in front of a pet aggressive dog, can
spur motivation.

Breed tendencies

Large, overweight, trusting breeds such as
Golden Retrievers tend to float rather than
walk on the tread. These patients are started
with carpus‐height water. The assistant can tug
on the harness, providing verbal praise.
Dobermans and Great Danes tend to abduct
their limbs to stand on the stationary edges.
The assistant places hands on the patient’s pel-
vis and/or shoulder to control this. For very
large patients, two people may be needed on
the first visit. Shelties and Collies in their first
visit tend to fall forward into the water as the
tread pulls their feet behind them. Before they
can fall, the assistant pulls the harness verti-
cally and back, stimulating the forelimbs to
move. Some patients want to ride to the back of
the tread. If the assistant pulls on the harness,
the patient will act like a donkey, leaning into
the harness. This is corrected using gentle tugs
on the harness with lots of verbal encourage-
ment. Some dogs (especially working dogs)
do not like having anyone behind them. The
assistant or client should stand beside the tank,
asking the patient to heel, or stand in front,
encouraging them to come forward.

Assistive and resistive devices

Balloons

Balloons can be attached to the limbs to increase
resistance due to increased surface area
(Figure  9.13).  The long, tubular balloon, not
fully inflated, is tied off, squeezed, and twisted
once in the middle, then bent into a circle with
the knot end tied to the nipple at the balloon’s
tip. It must be tight enough to fit snugly on the
patient’s leg so it will not float up to circle the
thigh. Balloons can be doubled on large patients
for added resistance. The balloon also causes
increased buoyancy, requiring more muscular

effort to get the foot down to the tread after the

swing phase of the stride. When used just above

the tarsus, stifle flexion increases due to added

buoyancy at the initial swing phase.

Flippers

One author (L.M.) uses a device to create tarsal

flexion with digital extension for patients too

weak to accomplish this movement. A hook‐

and‐loop strap with four holes is placed around

the patient’s limb just proximal to the tarsus.

Two to four rubber bands run from the holes to

encircle one to two toes each (Figure 9.14). If this

works for the patient, a more durable device can

be used long‐term, weaning off its use as the

patient gains strength. This type of device should

not be left on for long periods of time as it can

put a stretch/strain on the digital flexors causing

discomfort and a reluctance to ambulate.

Hair bands

Hair bands can be used to increase propriocep-

tive input for patients who knuckle, drag, or

slide their feet. The type of band, from tiny

soft bands to large fluffy ones, is determined by

the size of the patient and degree of desired

skin contact. Bands can be placed above the

foot, twisted into a figure  8 with the smaller

ring around middle two toes, or the pads can

be incorporated, so the band is between the toe

pads and central pad (Figure 9.15) or above the

Figure 9.13 Clown balloons make great tools as they

increase surface area, increasing resistance, and increase

limb buoyancy, which enhances flexion of the stifle.