532 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
country or other parts of the world, it is advis-
able to verify that the dog has been checked for
blood-borne and gastrointestinal parasitic dis-
eases that may be common in the region of
deployment (Toffoli & Rolfe, 2006). Many areas
of Europe are prone to Borrellia species not com-
monly found in the United States (Alho et al.,
2016), which could create underlying musculo-
skeletal and joint inflammatory abnormalities.
Nutrition
Many working dogs are trained and used for
more than one job purpose. While herding dogs
only herd and sled dogs only pull, most law
enforcement and military working dogs are
trained to be dual purpose—patrol and appre-
hension, or patrol and detection (explosives or
drugs). Search and rescue (SAR) dogs (wild-
land, urban, avalanche) must multitask by
maintaining scent focus while also scrambling
over difficult terrain; this creates a great demand
of energy for scenting, neurological, and muscu-
lar functions. Returning to these functions after
an injury layoff can be fatiguing. Handlers need
to be cautioned to watch for a dog shutting
down and adjust work and food as needed.
It is outside of the scope of this chapter to dis-
cuss working dog nutrition in detail, but it
bears repeating that it is important to maintain
these dogs in proper body condition. In this vein,
providing appropriate sources of energy and
protein for tissue repair is critical during reha-
bilitation (see Chapter 4). Borrowing from the
marathon sled dog world and from clinical use
with wildland SAR dogs, post-loading the body
with a source of readily absorbed glucose after
a rehabilitation session may speed body recov-
ery and minimize fatigue. It can be beneficial to
feed a small carbohydrate meal of simple sugars
(honey, berries, rice-based glucose polymers)
within 30 minutes of a strenuous rehabilitation
session (whether in or outside the clinic), espe-
cially if the dog seems mentally and/or physi-
cally fatigued (Reynolds et al., 1997; Wakshlag
et al., 2002; Reynolds, 2014). Handlers report
that dogs seem to recover faster from rehabilita-
tion exercises with this treatment, and many
successfully continue the practice of glycogen
post-loading after training and exercise, even
after the dog is completely healed.
HandlingWorking dog compliance with rehabilitation
exercises can sometimes be challenging due to a
dog’s drive, intensity, and sensitivity. Being
able to communicate well with the dog is a criti-
cal key to successful recovery. More than with
pet, competitive, or service dogs, many detec-
tion and patrol/apprehension dogs are trained
to respond to commands in another language
to keep personnel who are not involved in law
enforcement from trying to confuse or delay an
attacking dog with conflicting commands. The
most common command languages in patrol/
apprehension and protection dogs are English,
German, Dutch, and French.
Improved compliance with many working
dogs can be achieved if the handler is allowed
and encouraged to participate in the rehabili-
tation exercises. The therapist should also
learn from the handler how the dog is usually
rewarded and adapt that reward system
to clinical therapeutic protocols. Working
dogs can be rewarded either by praise, play,
or food.Creative protocolsFlexibility and creativity are important keys to
developing successful therapeutic plans for
working dogs. With many working disciplines,
there are time and budgetary limitations on the
parts of the client or agency. Some service dog
organizations have contractually fixed proto-
cols for how certain diagnosed conditions must
be handled, thus restricting these clients to
obtain approval from the agency and its medi-
cal staff. Frequently a sponsoring agency will
pay for surgical repair, but will not cover reha-
bilitation. In these situations, the handler might
personally take on the responsibility and cost
of rehabilitation, performing exercises and
manual therapies in-between or after other
duties.
There can be additional restrictions and limi-
tations that make a therapist modify a patient’s
physical rehabilitation program. The veterinary
rehabilitation therapist should have the ability
and confidence to modify and adapt the plan to
fit the given circumstances. Often, the need for
modification leads to the discovery of new and