34 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
limb, and core musculature. Just have the client
increase the distance between the poles by 0.5 to
1 inch (depending on the size of the dog) every
one to two training sessions. Once the poles are
at a distance that the dog finds difficult as
indicated by taking two steps between poles,
have the client reduce the inter‐pole distance by
1 inch, then train for 7–10 days (10–12 passes/
day). During this time, the dog develops the
musculature to be able to continue increasing
the distance. Have the client keep increasing
the distance between poles and reducing by
1 inch when necessary until the dog cannot pro-
gress to a further distance. By this point, the
dog’s musculature will have been optimized,
and its ability to trot will be completely second
nature.
Gait analysis
Visual observation of gait
A systematic and disciplined approach should
be used to clinically evaluate a patient’s gait.
To document this clinical evaluation in the
medical record, findings are often semi‐quantified
using a numerical rating scale (Table 2.2) or
visual analog scale.
Both the numerical rating scale and visual
analog scale were developed to provide a
systematic approach to visual observation of gait.
However, it is important to realize that, while
visual or subjective gait analysis is often helpful
in identifying lameness, the gold standard for
characterizing lameness is quantification of gait
characteristics with a form of objective gait analy-
sis, such as force plate analysis.
Evans and colleagues compared visual obser-
vation of gait with force plate analysis (Evans
et al., 2005). This study evaluated 148 Labrador
Retrievers—131 that were 6 months post‐
surgery for unilateral cranial cruciate ligament
injury and 17 that were free of orthopedic
disease. The observer identified only 11% of the
131 dogs that were 6 months post‐surgery as
being abnormal, whereas force plate analysis
revealed that 75% of the 131 dogs failed to
achieve ground reaction forces consistent with
sound Labrador Retrievers.
While force plate analysis has been shown to
be superior to visual observation, visual obser-
vation is still a practical tool in clinical practice,
and its importance should not be discounted.Videography for gait analysisThe camera is a readily accessible, underutilized
tool for lameness assessment, and is particularly
useful for identifying subtle injuries. Most stand-
ard smartphones have cameras that will take
video at 120 frames per second, which is ideal
for slow motion examination of a dog’s footfalls
and gait patterns. Videos should be taken in as
high resolution as possible, and many phones
are large enough to view the video with the
client without having to upload to a computer.
The dog should be recorded from the side
and while going toward and away from the
camera; however, the best information often
comes from the side view. Always video the
dog on a flat, hard surface like concrete; out-
doors is preferable because there is adequate
space and lighting to maximize the camera’s
frames per second. The trot is the most useful
gait to video. Dogs that are short striding on the
thoracic limb can often be seen placing one
front foot down prior to the landing of the con-
tralateral rear foot (Figure 2.15). It is also useful
to have the client send you high‐resolution vid-
eos of the patient either training or competing
at both recent trials and prior to recognition of
the injury. Performance videos will often reveal
a dog avoiding the use of the correct front lead
leg when turning, or flinching on landing from
a jump or when turning at speed.Table 2.2 Numerical rating scale for visual assessment
of gait
Lameness
gradeDescriptionGrade 1 Sound at the walk, but weight shifting
and mild lameness noted at trot
Grade 2 Mild weight‐bearing lameness noted
with the trained eye
Grade 3 Weight‐bearing lameness, typically with
distinct head nod
Grade 4 Significant weight‐bearing lameness
Grade 5 Toe‐touching lameness
Grade 6 Non‐weight‐bearing lameness