Athletic injuries in dogs

Overview

Just like human athletes, canine athletes can get hurt while they're competing in or practicing their sports. A Border Collie catching a Frisbee, a Sheltie tearing around an agility course, an Australian Shepherd racing to win a flyball tournament ,or a Greyhound chasing a mechanical lure are just a few examples of dogs who risk injury on the playing field. Just like injured human athletes, injured sports dogs need expert care, which can include sophisticated diagnostics, surgery and post-operative rehabilitation.

Symptoms

• Lameness or limping
• Reluctance to perform normal activities
• Reluctance to place weight on one leg
• Crying or whining that suggest the dog is in pain
• Swelling of high motion joints

Prevention

Sports injuries may not be totally preventable. That said, keeping a dog trim and making sure he's well conditioned can reduce his odds of sustaining injury, because his joints will experience less stress. Make sure, too, that your dog is not a weekend warrior: instead of allowing him to exercise extensively over a weekend and be a couch potato during the week, have him engage in moderate to vigorous exercise for 20 to 30 minutes a day or at least several times per week.

Another important preventive measure is to make sure the surface upon which the dog is competing is safe. Slippery floors or wet grass increases the likelihood that a dog will sustain an injury-causing fall.

The serious canine athlete may also benefit from special conditioning exercises. For example, hydrotherapy (i.e., swimming in a heated pool at a veterinary rehabilitation center) can help increase a dog's joint mobility without placing undue stress on the joint.

Treatment

Treatment of a canine sports injury depends on how severe the injury is. A physical examination that includes watching your dog stand, sit, walk , and trot can help the veterinarian pinpoint where the injury is. An x-ray can help determine the severity of the injury.

For minor injuries such as sprains, a week worth of rest and some anti-inflammatory medication (as directed by a veterinarian) may be all that's needed. Massage of the affected joint may also be helpful.

Major injuries such as bone fractures and ligament ruptures require more extensive therapy. Simple fractures can heal - slowly - with the help of splints or casts, confinement, and strict limits on physical activities. To deal with more complex fractures, ligament ruptures and other severe injuries, surgery is often needed to repair the damaged limb. Recovery takes from 6 to 8 weeks. In some cases, a general practice veterinarian can perform the procedure, but in other cases, the expertise of a veterinary orthopedic surgeon may be required.

Post-treatment

To help the recovering canine athlete regain his winning form, physical therapy, also known as rehabilitation, can be extremely helpful. Massage, hydrotherapy, therapeutic ultrasound treatments and more can do a lot to help the dog regain mobility and range of motion in the affected limb.

Professor David Levine of the University of Tennessee has compiled a list of veterinary rehabilitation facilities located throughout the United States. The list is available here.

References:

Dunn, T.J.: Orthopedic Problems in Dogs. The PetCenter.com.

Gaudiano, Frances: Going to the Vet. Agility Net.