RE: Depth of Snow for Strengthening

[Guest guest]

I would think this depends on where in the healing the stifles are-is this a postop.case

I would think that pwder snow would be great -interesting question- would encourage dog to activley put leg thru ROM

Depth of Snow for Strengthening

Hi everyone! I am just curious if there is any rule of thumb forrehabbing any given dog in the snow in regard to the depth of thesnow. I have a doctor concerned with taxing stifles in the snow. Just curious with what others thought. Thanks.Niki Van Lente

[Guest guest]

The specific case the doctor is asking me about is a hip dysplasia dog but I was also wondering for in general purposes. I personally think 3-4 inches would be a workout anything deeper will allow for some great flexion! Just what I was thinking but wanted to make sure I was thinking correctly.Thanks,NikiSubject: Re: Depth of Snow for StrengtheningTo: VetRehab Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 10:53 AM

I would think this depends on where in the healing the stifles are-is this a postop.case

I would think that pwder snow would be great -interesting question- would encourage dog to activley put leg thru ROM

Depth of Snow for Strengthening

Hi everyone! I am just curious if there is any rule of thumb forrehabbing any given dog in the snow in regard to the depth of thesnow. I have a doctor concerned with taxing stifles in the snow. Just curious with what others thought. Thanks.Niki Van Lente

[Guest guest]

I would be very careful if there is any crust on the top. That is how my dog tore his ACL...slipped and fell thru:(

Pavlakos, CCRP

-----Original Message-----From: VetRehab [mailto:VetRehab ]On Behalf Of rfreedmanSent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 10:53 AMTo: VetRehab Subject: Re: Depth of Snow for Strengthening

I would think this depends on where in the healing the stifles are-is this a postop.case

I would think that pwder snow would be great -interesting question- would encourage dog to activley put leg thru ROM

Depth of Snow for Strengthening

Hi everyone! I am just curious if there is any rule of thumb forrehabbing any given dog in the snow in regard to the depth of thesnow. I have a doctor concerned with taxing stifles in the snow. Just curious with what others thought. Thanks.Niki Van Lente

[Guest guest]

Snow is really hard on a dog's joints, and I personally would not use

it as a rehabilitation tool. A dog is likely to tear ligaments etc. in

the snow due to the hold on the tibia when the femur and or calcaneus

are trying to go somewhere else; also, hard on the tarsus and the

shoulder when the humerus is trying to move and the radius/ulna are

stuck. I would highly recommend not using snow as a rehabilitation

modality. Liz Powers, PT

[Guest guest]

I was just getting ready to chime in on the snow discussion! Here in Utah,

the land of fluffy,dry, perfect powder, I routinely use snow as a

therapeutic exercise tool. In the spring, when we start getting heavier

wet snow, snow over thick mud or snow with breakable crust, then I start

to be REALLY careful about having an owner use it as a tool. It is fairly

easy here to take small dogs out for therapeutic exercise in 3-4 inches of

snow and by afternoon the big kids get a foot or more to maneuver through.

BTW, Utah snow is no fun to ski on at all, I hear Colorado is fantasic

though!!!

Pam Nichols DVM, CCRP

Snow is really hard on a dog's joints, and I personally would not use

> it as a rehabilitation tool. A dog is likely to tear ligaments etc. in

> the snow due to the hold on the tibia when the femur and or calcaneus

> are trying to go somewhere else; also, hard on the tarsus and the

> shoulder when the humerus is trying to move and the radius/ulna are

> stuck. I would highly recommend not using snow as a rehabilitation

> modality. Liz Powers, PT

>

>