Gait abnormality with hydrotherapy - doing more harm than good?

April 10, 2012

Hi All,

I have 2 related questions - but 2 very different cases.

The first involves a 1.5 year old MN Min Pin/Pug mix. He had an FHO in Dec.

2011 after jumping off the bed and fracturing the hip. He came for therapy for

about 6 weeks post-op. He was doing very well, so the owners stopped coming.

They felt he was reaching a plateau at home - so they returned to try to focus a

bit more on strengthening and endurance. He has gotten to be quite a nervous

dog and now, when he gets in the underwater treadmill - he tucks his tail,

arches his back and has an awkward gait in the water - always looking over his

shoulder. This is how he walks on the street when he passes big trucks or

" scary " things - so I'm wondering if this is too stressful for him and I'm doing

more harm than good. He's too nervous for me to work with land exercises - he

shies away from me and hides behind his mom. Should the owners just focus on at

home exercises rather than bringing him in to see me?

In the same vein, but a completely different case - I have an obese 5.5 year old

FS dachshund recovering from back surgery on 11/20/11. She is doing well and

slowly regaining function. The owners do some exercises at home, but I don't

think they do as much as they should. We have struggled to get her weight down

(likely because at home the owners feed too many treats - aargh!). She comes in

weekly at this point to do some land exercises and to work in the underwater

treadmill. She walks well, but then as she fatigues, her gait in the water

deteriorates. She will still have a relatively normal walking gait, but she

will start to knuckle more and occasionally drag a foot. Should I make sure she

doesn't get to this point or is it ok for her to knuckle occasionally in order

to help build up her strength and endurance and help with weight loss?

Thanks to all for the input!

Tina

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