Front Matter

Chapter 10 Conditioning and Retraining the Canine Athlete 255

The canine sports medicine/rehabilitation
professional should examine the client’s dog
whole‐istically. In addition to providing informa­
tion on fitness exercises and sports‐specific train­
ing, the rehabilitation professional should advise
the client on the following if appropriate:

● The patient’s diet and any changes that
might be made to improve healing and
promote muscle strength. For example, the
sports medicine/rehabilitation profes­
sional may advise the client on levels and
digestibility of proteins and fats in the
patient’s diet to help provide the building
blocks for healing and energy for exercise.
● Nutritional or other supplements that might
aid in healing or prevent additional injury.
A client might need advice on whether the
patient should be administered joint‐pro­
tective nutraceuticals, for example, as well
as which ones are best and what dose is
appropriate for the patient.
● Ancillary therapy such as massage, heat/ice
treatments, and so on, that should be provided
to promote healing and prevent re‐injury.
● The most stressful activities of common
sports. For example, the components of dog
agility that produce the most stress on an
injured canine body are:
❍ Sudden stops, such as fast 2‐on, 2‐off
contacts (where the dog is trained to
land with the two front feet on the

ground and the two rear feet on the

obstacle), particularly on the A‐frame,

which meets the ground at a more acute

angle than the other contact obstacles.

❍ Sharp turns such as serpentines, tight

pinwheels, and 180‐ or 270‐degree turns.

❍ Extreme lateral flexion of the spine, such

as happens with dogs that do fast, one‐

footed weaves (Figure 10.38).

It is important to also be aware of the potential

for obstacle‐associated re‐injury, such as falling

off the dog walk or having one foot slip off the

teeter or dog walk, even if the dog doesn’t fall.

Figure 10.38 Dog showing the extreme lateral flexion

that often occurs when dogs weave rapidly, particularly

when landing on only one thoracic limb.

Case Study 10.2 Agility dog post shoulder rehabilitation retraining program

Signalment: 6 y.o. 35 lb intact male Border Collie.

History: The patient is one of the top five Border

Collies in the country based on the AKC point sys-

tem. He had a 3‐month history of progressive left

thoracic limb lameness and was diagnosed with

moderate medial shoulder instability by arthro-

scopic examination. He underwent radiofre-

quency therapy followed by rehabilitation therapy

three times per week for 2 months. Patient is now

able to go up and down stairs, sit and stand

quickly, and go for a 30‐minute walk on leash that

includes 10 minutes of trotting. The rehabilitation

therapist feels that it is time for the patient to

continue the rehabilitation program at home

and  to begin to retrain in preparation for agility

competition.

Physical examination: The patient is in good physical

condition and has not been allowed to gain weight

during rehabilitation. Measurements of foreleg cir-

cumference 3 inches proximal to the olecranon pro-

cess reveals equal circumference of both thoracic

limbs. Abduction of the left thoracic limb with the

patient in a standing position is approximately 22

degrees on the left and 30 degrees on the right. No

pain or discomfort can be elicited.

Sports retraining plan

Strength exercises: Three stationary exercises are

assigned for the whole body and each of the thoracic

limbs, the core, and the pelvic limbs as follows:

Whole body:

● Rolling a peanut ball

● Sit‐to‐stand with elevated front

● Stand‐down‐stand without moving feet

(Continued)