Clean Run - March 2020 - 23

and observing trends is an excellent way to spot asymmetry. Try to
take monthly photos of your dog
in a natural stacked position from
all angles (both sides, front end,
and back end) and monitor how
your dog is standing. Is a particular foot forward? Does the dog's
head bend to the side? Is the dog's
stance staggered? These can all
clue you into asymmetry in your dog.
You can use these monthly photos
to help track changes that are occurring in your dog›s symmetry
and take better control of preventing injury and promoting health
and wellness.

How to Test Asymmetry
in your Dog
To start, walk your dog around on
level ground and get him to stop

suddenly. Does your dog stop in a
balanced position, or are either of
his front or hind feet staggered?
Next, have your dog stand on a
stable, level surface in a natural
stacked position. This means, the
dog's front feet are underneath
his shoulders and hind feet/hocks
are perpendicular to the ground.
Slowly lift one of the dog's hind
legs 1-2 inches off the ground. Ideally, your dog should appropriately
weight-shift and keep his pelvis
level with minimal pelvis/spine
movement or rotation.
You are gaining a sense of how
your dog is weight-shifting with
this test, and you should also
make sure to note how much
force you have to apply to lift that
hind leg up. Does your dog fight
you? Is it like lifting a heavy brick,
or does his leg lift up easily with
no difficulty?

Does he wobble around? Where is
the dog's weight shifting to? Does
he put his weight into his foot to
prevent you from lifting it from the
ground? Are you noticing any displacement or stress behaviors?
These are all clues to an underlying asymmetrical issue.
Repeat the exercise with the
other front leg and compare the
outcome.
Ideally, we want the dog to maintain his body without a great deal
of movement, even when he's on
just three legs. The dog shouldn›t
be wobbling around, and there
should be an even weight distribution between the three legs.

Now switch and try the same
thing with the other back leg. Is
there a difference in how your dog
reacts or how his pelvis compensates? Is the force on your hand
noticeably different?

nce you've determined poor
O
symmetry in your dog, how do you
address it? Unfortunately, there is
not a "one size fits all" solution for
fixing asymmetry; instead, it will
require knowing the areas of your
dog's body that are causing the
unbalance. It may be worthwhile to
seek the advice of a veterinarian
or canine physical rehab specialist
to look for the underlying cause of
the asymmetry.

Move to the front legs and perform
the same test. When lifting the
leg, does your dog's supporting
wrist sink slowly into the ground?

Regularly performing these tests
is an excellent way to monitor your
dog's progress and can provide
early warning to potential injury. D

Carolyn McIntyre, PT owns a canine rehabilitation practice in Erin, Ontario, Canada (McIntyre Canine Rehabilitation at www.mcrehabilitation.com), which specializes
in helping canine athletes reach superior physical performance while minimizing injury and improving longevity in their respective sports. Carolyn offers both in-person
consults as well as online sport-specific conditioning training. She was the canine physio practitioner for Team Canada in 2019 and returns to the team again for the
upcoming 2020 IFCS World Agility Championships. She has a Master of Science in Physiotherapy and advanced training in canine rehabilitation through the Canadian
Physiotherapy Association. Carolyn trains and competes in a number of dog sports with her Aussie Quinn and her Shelties Fifty and Shades. You can email Carolyn at
Carolyn@mcrehabilitation.ca.

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Clean Run - March 2020

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