4Dvets

17/11/2025

Meet Aiko.
A six-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog with a story that reminds us why “cleared joints” don’t always stay that way.

At the age of one, Aiko had pristine joint scores: 0/0 elbows, AA hips. But earlier this year, he presented with intermittent forelimb lameness, first right, sometimes left (!!)

Clinical and radiological assessment revealed clear signs of elbow pathology, including sclerosis and early arthrosis. A CT scan confirmed bilateral medial coronoid disease, and both elbows were surgically treated via osteotomy.

This case highlights an important truth: Joint health is dynamic, not static. Even dogs with excellent early scores can develop orthopedic issues later in life, influenced by factors like:
• repetitive mechanical load
• trauma
• movement patterns
• ⁠and environmental stressors

The video shows Aiko during sensor-based gait analysis, an essential step in understanding how the body compensates before and after diagnosis and treatment.

Because monitoring movement over time is key to long-term musculoskeletal health.

12/11/2025

4Dvets Case Study: Cane Corso with Functional Shoulder Impairment & Compensatory Collapse

This 3.5-year-old Cane Corso presented with persistent lameness in the left forelimb, months after bilateral cruciate ligament surgeries. Despite extensive diagnostics, including imaging and PRP suggestions, no structural pathology could fully explain the ongoing dysfunction.

Clinical and visual assessment revealed multiple biomechanical compensations:
• overloading of the right forelimb, leading to frequent collapsing
• hang-leg lameness left, and abnormal shoulder protraction
• a twisted pelvis, lordosis, and O-shaped knees

Kinematic analysis confirmed what the eye suspected:
• severely reduced motion in the left scapulohumeral joint
• asymmetrical shoulder height and positioning
• hypertrophy of the right shoulder due to chronic overload

Manual orthopedic treatment included repositioning of the scapula and cervical spine adjustment. Immediately after intervention, motion symmetry improved visibly.

The follow-up gait video showed:
• significantly improved stability
• reduced collapsing episodes
• restored alignment of the forelimbs

Structural findings (e.g., mild tendon calcification) were deemed clinically irrelevant. The primary issue was functional and treatable once the biomechanics were correctly identified.

A reminder that not all lameness is structural: some is functional, compensatory, and dynamic.

06/11/2025

Meet Mira, a 13-year-old Labrador retriever with a six-month history of persistent left front limb lameness.

Despite medical management and an initial diagnosis of a “golfer’s elbow,” Mira’s condition had not improved. Clinical examination revealed a marked atrophy of the left shoulder musculature, restricted elbow flexion and supination, and compensatory overloading of the right forelimb and hindquarters.

To understand the full functional picture, we performed a 12-sensor kinematic analysis.
The data showed:
• significantly shortened stance time on the left side
• clear asymmetry in elbow range of motion
• right shoulder and pelvic overload

Following an elbow nerve block, the gait became visibly more fluent. Kinematic reassessment showed a 30% improvement in left stance time, and better load distribution between the forelimbs confirming joint-related pain and functional restriction.

Subsequent imaging validated the clinical suspicion: advanced medial coronoid disease.

This case illustrates the diagnostic value of sensor-based motion analysis: not just for identifying primary dysfunction, but also for visualizing compensation and tracking therapeutic response.

Real data. Real movement. Clinical decisions made visible.

05/11/2025

MOVE! eBook coming soon in English.

A groundbreaking book by Dr. Patrick Blättler-Monnier, redefining how we understand movement, growth, and function in young dogs.

After years of success in the German-speaking veterinary community, MOVE! will soon be available in English, making its unique approach to functional orthopedics and early movement training accessible worldwide.

This book bridges science and practice, challenging outdated training myths and revealing how movement reflects the interplay of form, function, and health.

Coming soon on orthovet.ch

Follow us to stay updated on the English release and exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from the author.

04/11/2025

Real movement. Real data. Real clinical insight.

What you’re watching here isn’t just a dog walking. It’s a full-body functional motion analysis using our 12-sensor IMU system, developed for advanced clinical diagnostics and research.

Only a 20m walk. That’s it.

Each step is captured with precision:
• Joint-specific kinematics (incl. pelvic and scapular motion)
• Asymmetry, coordination, compensation
• Dynamic patterns during turns, deceleration, and real-surface gait

Unlike treadmill-based labs, our mobile sensor system allows us to collect data in real-life conditions, including turns, variable terrain, and natural movement patterns.

The result: 34+ objective, evidence-based parameters that translate movement into clinically actionable insights.

Because dogs don’t move on treadmills in real life. They move in the world. And that’s where diagnostics should begin.

02/11/2025

Does your dog spend less time on one paw while walking?

A shortened stance phase is often the very first sign of pain, asymmetry, or compensation, long before a visible limp appears.

With motion analysis, clinicians can objectively measure:
• how long each limb stays in contact with the ground
• side-to-side weight-bearing differences
• changes over time or after therapy and surgery

Understanding the stance phase helps detect early functional changes, guide treatment, and monitor recovery with precision.

At 4Dvets, we transform canine gait into objective data enabling earlier detection, targeted interventions, and better outcomes for dogs at every life stage.

30/10/2025

In every step a dog takes lies valuable clinical information, but most of it goes unnoticed in the early stages of dysfunction.

Subtle shifts in symmetry, stance time, or stride length often precede visible limping by weeks or even months.

At 4Dvets, we decode these silent messages through sensor-based gait analysis. Our mobile IMU system captures 34 kinematic parameters enabling clinicians to detect asymmetries, side preferences, and reduced joint mobility before structural damage occurs. This isn’t about replacing your clinical judgement. It’s about refining it. Objective motion data supports a more nuanced, proactive approach to orthopedic and neurologic diagnostics.

When movement becomes measurable, early intervention becomes possible.

From pain prevention to rehabilitation monitoring. Motion is the earliest biomarker.

28/10/2025

Every reliable diagnostic tool starts with research.

Our motion analysis system was developed together with veterinarians, engineers and universities and scientifically validated in peer-reviewed studies.

These studies show that movement data can reveal subtle gait changes that are not visible on imaging or during a standard exam. In clinical practice, this allows for objective assessment, tracking of rehabilitation progress, and early recognition of functional problems.

Research continues to evolve, but one principle remains: The better we understand motion, the better we can protect it.

27/10/2025

A dog’s movement can look smooth to the human eye, yet still be unbalanced.

Even small asymmetries or differences in how long each paw touches the ground can indicate that something isn’t working as it should.

Our gait analysis system records detailed motion data using sensors placed along the body. It measures how each limb moves, how weight is distributed, and how stable the gait pattern is over time.

By comparing more than 30 biomechanical parameters, we can identify changes long before a limp becomes visible. That’s what early detection means: recognizing the first signs of discomfort, not the last.

26/10/2025

Not every gait problem is easy to see.

Sometimes a dog moves almost normally, but one side carries more weight or takes shorter steps.

By measuring stance time, swing phase, joint angles and range of motion, these small differences become visible as objective data. They often appear weeks or months before any visible lameness develops.

Understanding these early asymmetries allows for targeted prevention, before compensation patterns turn into chronic strain or joint disease.

25/10/2025

Movement always adapts to the surface beneath the paws.

A dog walking on grass moves differently than on a treadmill and both differ again from underwater walking.

These changes affect the way joints flex, how muscles contract, and how long each paw stays on the ground. That’s why rehabilitation and movement assessment need to take the surface into account.

With motion data, we can see how each environment influences symmetry, stride length and range of motion, helping clinicians choose the right training conditions for safe recovery and balanced movement.

24/10/2025

We’re proud to see our technology in action at CS Animal Hydro & Physio in Wales 🇬🇧

At this centre, LupoGait is used to support advanced gait evaluation, rehabilitation, and performance assessment for dogs recovering from orthopaedic or neurological conditions.

By combining hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, and objective motion data, the team can detect subtle asymmetries, monitor progress and tailor each therapy plan with precision.

A great example of how data-driven diagnostics empower clinicians and help dogs move better, sooner.

CS Animal Hydro & Physio, Wales
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