Coast is a 5 year old, Border Collie who competes regularly in agility. Agility is a high impact fast sport where dogs navigate obstacles guided by their handlers at high speeds. It’s very popular in the UK with shows being held most weekends all over the country during the summer months.
Coast came into us in early February as his owner felt he just wasn’t quite performing at his best when competing at agility. He fatigued quicker than usual, was a little stiff after working and then rising from rest and he was struggling with certain skills on course which he had not done previously. His owner had also notice since January that his hind limb gait pattern had changed especially his right-hind and he had become grumpier with the other dogs in the home.
At his initial appointment Coast presented with slight right hind lameness, had a wide fore limb and hind limb stance with his hocks rotating internally, particularly the right hind. His centre of gravity was shifted forward with a tendency to overload the left forelimb. He struggled to walk on a circle, the left bend being more difficult for him than the right, but both caused an increase in lameness on the right hind. On the treadmill his gait pattern was very flat footed. He lacked proprioception and tried to grip with all four limbs. The left fore shoulder had reduced movement and he compensated by over using his carpus (wrist) and rolling out onto his outer digits of the foot. His hind limbs lacked flexion and extension and his trunk was “stuck” and did not flex side to side as it should when moving.
On palpation his overall muscle mass was ok but lower than would have been expected for a dog on his level of exercise. He showed some discomfort through his neck and a long his lower back. His scapular (shoulder) motion was restricted on both sides. The left carpus (wrist) was sore and restricted. Coast resented palpation through his lumbar area and resisted the right hindlimb being retracted.
On that first appointment there was quite a bit going on and it’s difficult to say what was the cause and what was compensatory issues. But the owner was keen to get him back to peak condition ready for the summer season. This was going to take commitment to his home exercise plan and travelling the significant distance to get to us here on a regular basis in clinic for his treatment. On all his appointments, Coast received a combination of acupuncture, gait training, exercise modalities and soft tissue work.
On his first appointment he was given heat therapy and a stretching program to continue with at home and his next appointment was booked 3 weeks later. The plan was to look at further imaging at that next appointment if no significant improvement was seen.
On Coast’s second appointment there was a significant improvement. He had a much improved gait pattern and less discomfort on examination. There was a more neutral limb stance up until he fatigued, (which still happened more quickly than it should) when this happened his stance would become wide again. Although he remained very flat footed in fore his hind limb movement had improved, with more extension and less rotation of his hocks.
After this appointment his home exercise plan was increased and exercises were set to work on his endurance and to encourage him to work in extension. This was to be done alongside his original heat therapy and stretches.
Coast has now returned to us a further 3 times for intense treatment days, every appointment we have seen significant improvement in his discomfort levels, gait, endurance, proprioception and flexibility. Each appointment has seen his gait pattern and endurance improve on the treadmill and his has gone from doing very short sets with guidance to longer sets without assistance, demonstrating much more strength, function and endurance. He has gone from a dog who found settling for Soft Tissue difficult and needed a lot of bribery (food) to a dog who happily settles for his massage.
After his 3rd appointment we introduced some agility jump grids into his home exercise plan which he tolerated well. This meant after his 4th appointment he was allowed to return to further basic agility training.
Coast has continued to go from strength to strength and is much more functional in his movement pattern. His owner has been and continues to be very dedicated to his home exercise plan which has helped Coast return to what he loves, agility.
Coast is back out competing for the summer season and not only is he jumping and performing well, but has also gained a win since his return, making him closer to Grade 7, the highest level in agility competition.
