Pet Parents Dashboard

Rehabilitation

Hind limb kinematics during therapeutic exercises in dogs with osteoarthritis of the hip joints.

Summary:

To assess joint kinematics in dogs with osteoarthritis of the hip joints during walking up an incline or down a decline and over low obstacles and to compare findings with data for nonlame dogs.

Conclusion:

Osteoarthritis of the hip joints led to complex changes in the gait of dogs, which involved more joints than the affected hip joint alone. Each exercise had specific effects on joint kinematics that must be considered when planning a rehabilitation program.

Author & Journal:Bockstahler BA, et al, Am J Vet Res. 2012 Sep;73(9):1371-6
Learn More

Integration of a physical training program in a weight loss plan for overweight pet dogs.

Summary:

To investigate whether a controlled physical training plan for overweight dogs during a weight loss program would improve cardiorespiratory fitness and better preserve lean body mass, compared with results for dogs undergoing a weight loss program based on caloric restriction alone.

Conclusion:

Conclusion:The controlled exercise plan used with a dietary weight loss program prevented loss of lean body mass in dogs. This finding supports inclusion of controlled physical training for obesity management in dogs.

Author & Journal:Vitger AD, et al. JAVMA 2016
Learn More

Effect of swimming on clinical functional parameters and serum biomarkers in healthy and osteoarthritic dogs.

Summary:

This study aimed to determine whether swimming could improve function of osteoarthritic joints in canine hip OA.

Conclusion:

Conclusion, swimming over 2-day period, 8 weeks continually, can improve the function of OA joint.

Author & Journal:Nganvongpanit K et al. ISRN Vet Sci 2014
Learn More

Photobiomodulation directly benefits primary neurons functionally inactivated by toxins: role of cytochrome c oxidase.

Summary:

Far red and near infrared (NIR) light promotes wound healing, but the mechanism is poorly understood. Our previous studies using 670 nm light-emitting diode (LED) arrays suggest that cytochrome c oxidase, a photoacceptor in the NIR range, plays an important role in therapeutic photobiomodulation. If this is true, then an irreversible inhibitor of cytochrome c oxidase, potassium cyanide (KCN), should compete with LED and reduce its beneficial effects. This hypothesis was tested on primary cultured neurons. LED treatment partially restored enzyme activity blocked by 10-100 microm KCN. It significantly reduced neuronal cell death induced by 300 microm KCN from 83.6 to 43.5%. However, at 1-100 mm KCN, the protective effects of LED decreased, and neuronal deaths increased. LED significantly restored neuronal ATP content only at 10 microm KCN but not at higher concentrations of KCN tested. Pretreatment with LED enhanced efficacy of LED during exposure to 10 or 100 microm KCN but did not restore enzyme activity to control levels. In contrast, LED was able to completely reverse the detrimental effect of tetrodotoxin, which only indirectly down-regulated enzyme levels. Among the wavelengths tested (670, 728, 770, 830, and 880 nm), the most effective ones (830 nm, 670 nm) paralleled the NIR absorption spectrum of oxidized cytochrome c oxidase, whereas the least effective wavelength, 728 nm, did not.

Conclusion:

The results are consistent with our hypothesis that the mechanism of photobiomodulation involves the up-regulation of cytochrome c oxidase, leading to increased energy metabolism in neurons functionally inactivated by toxins.

Author & Journal:Wong-Riley MT, et al, J Biol Chem 2005;280: 4761-4771
Learn More

Effect of Targeted Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Canine Postoperative Hemilaminectomy: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Summary:

Intervertebral disc disease is one of the leading causes of paralysis in dogs. Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy has been advocated for improving wound healing and pain reduction; however, robust clinical trials are lacking. The present prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated targeted PEMF therapy administered to 53 client-owned dogs who underwent hemilaminectomyfor naturally occurring disk extrusion intervertebral disc disease.

Conclusion:

No untoward effects were recorded in either treatment group. More frequent evaluation of outcome measures with larger patient numbers, as well as histologic samples, may be useful in future studies. Dogs receiving PEMF therapy following postoperative hemilaminectomy demonstrated improved wound scores at 6 wk and reduced mean number of owner-administered pain medications compared with the control group therapy.

Author & Journal:Alvarez LX, et al, J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2019; 55:83-91
Learn More

Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

Summary:

The book covers a wealth of topics related to sports medicine and rehabilitation.

Author & Journal:Zink MC, et al, eds. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Chichester, UK. 2013
Learn More

Kinematic motion analysis of the joints of the forelimbs and hind limbs of dogs during walking exercise regimens.

Summary:

To assess forelimbs and hind limb joint kinematics in dogs during walking on an inclined slope (uphill), on a declined slope (downhill), or over low obstacles (cavaletti) on a horizontal surface and compare findings with data acquired during unimpeded walkingon a horizontal surface.

Conclusion:

These evidence-based data indicated that each evaluated exercise, except for downhill walking, has a specific therapeutic value in physical therapy for dogs.

Author & Journal:Holler PJ, et al, Am J Vet Res 71(7):734-740, 2010
Learn More

The thermal effects of therapeutic lasers with 810 and 904 nm wavelengths on human skin.

Summary:

To investigate the effect of therapeutic infrared class 3B laser irradiation on skin temperature in healthy participants of differing skin color, age, and gender.

Conclusion:

The thermal effects of LLLT at doses recommended by WALT-guidelines for musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions are negligible (<1.5°C) in light, medium, and dark skin. However, higher LLLT doses delivered with a strong 3B laser (200 mW) are capable of increasing skin temperature significantly and these photothermal effects may exceed the thermal pain threshold for humans with dark skin color.

Author & Journal:Joensen J, et al, Photomed Laser Surg 2011:29(3):145-153
Learn More

Rehabilitation of dogs with surgically treated cranial cruciate ligament-deficient stifles by use of electrical stimulation of muscles.

Summary:

To determine effect of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) on rate and degree of return to function of the limb and development of degenerative joint disease (DJD) after surgical creation and subsequent stabilization of the cranial cruciate ligament(CrCL)-deficient stifle.

Conclusion:

Improved lameness scores, larger thigh circumference, and decreased radiographically apparent bony changes observed for the treated group of dogs support the hypothesis that dogs treated by EMS after surgical stabilization of the CrCL-deficientstifle had improved limb function, with less DJD, than did dogs treated with the currently accepted clinical protocol of cage rest and slow return to normal activity. However, results of force plate evaluation did not support the hypothesis. Increased meniscal damage in dogstreated by EMS may be cause for concern.

Author & Journal:Johnson JM, et al, Am J Vet Res 58:1473-1478, 1997
Learn More