Rosypaws Canine Rehab

29/04/2023

In our recent post about IVDD prevention, we mentioned that dog owners who own breeds that are prone to IVDD should avoid playing tug-of-war. Here’s a more detailed explanation regarding the strain that tug-of-war can have on your dog’s spine and neck.

Dogs at risk for IVDD include:

🐶 Dachshund
🐶 Beagles
🐶 Basset Hounds
🐶 Pekingese
🐶 Shih Tzus
🐶 French Bulldogs

25/04/2023

25/04/2023

We say this a lot...

Ball . throwers . are . not . good . for . your . dog!

They might be having a great time, but the wear and tear on their joints is no joke.

What is it doing to your dog's joints?
- Repeated micro-trauma to muscles and cartilage is a cause of long-term damage.
- Chasing or even carrying items like a ball can shift your dogs weight distribution to their front legs, putting excessive weight through the joints of the front legs.
- Joints weakened by arthritis will be especially prone to further damage.
- High speeds can double the forces generated in the muscles.
- Braking is thought to be the most dangerous part of ball chasing and often responsible for shoulder injuries.

What can you do instead?
- Make sure to have a short warm up period before more intense exercise.
- Only ever throw the ball a short distance, on surfaces that avoid slipping and sliding.
- Throw below waist height so as to avoid jumping and don't do it repetitively
- Consider alternatives like scent work, varying location of the walk to keep things exciting, or playing hide and seek with the ball rather than playing fetch.

25/04/2023

Is your dog learning to walk again?

Short grass is a perfect ground surface for their early attempts at standing and walking 😊 🐶🐾

For dogs with neurological problems such as IVDD:
Watch out with concrete or pavers. It's fine to let your dog walk slowly over hard ground once they can step a bit with their paws the right way up. But they mustn't drag their feet or legs over concrete – you don't want them to hurt themselves!

And avoid gravel – if your dog has any difficulty walking, they'll find this really uncomfortable to step on. The little stones get caught up between their toes. We steer clear of gravel even for dogs with mild lameness of any cause.

Many thanks to Maia d'Costa-Kalsi and family for this fab picture of Attie. This was taken a few days after spinal surgery for an IVDD episode. He went on to recover very well.

13/04/2023

Ideas to deliver effective STRICT crate rest recovery during post-op (surgical) or conservative (medical treatment).
Crate rest is not your dog in a cage. It’s a “recovery suite” with room service! https://dodgerslist.com/2020/05/14/strict-rest-recovery-process

29/03/2023

Excellent video from Lisa at Canine Physio showing the importance of a correctly fitted dog wheelchair and one that is specific to your dogs anatomy and medical condition. Wheels can be a great tool for assisting mobility but only if fitted correctly and introduced at the right time, to prevent further damage, hinder recovery or cause discomfort. We offer advice and fittings at Rosypaws Canine Rehab and Mobilityhound.

29/03/2023

Great post