Written by Joané van Oudtshoorn & Bianca Duthie, first published in We Love Pets SA.
It’s truly remarkable to observe canine athletes and working dogs excel while enjoying their activities. Whether navigating an agility course filled with jumps and tunnels, herding livestock on a farm, or joining us on a trail run, these dogs exemplify athleticism.
These incredible animals undergo rigorous training and demanding work conditions that challenge both their physical and mental capabilities. For certain working dogs, such as police canines, maintaining peak physical condition is vital, as it can significantly affect life-or-death situations. By ensuring our canine athletes remain in excellent shape, we can reduce the risk of injuries, recognize weaknesses early, and ultimately enhance their longevity and quality of life.
Injury prevention and conditioning are broad topics worthy of extensive discussion. However, even basic knowledge can greatly help us prevent injuries or enable early detection before they escalate. Familiarizing ourselves with common canine injuries and their causes can also inform our training methods.
CONDITIONING
Conditioning plays a crucial role in performance and recovery for competitive animals.
A well-structured conditioning program can improve coordination, strength, speed, stamina, and flexibility. It’s essential for these programs to be designed by professionals who can track progress and tailor the training to meet individual needs.
The key components of effective conditioning include:
- Diet: Providing a balanced, species appropriate diet to ensure all necessary nutrients are available and maintain an ideal body condition.
- Exercise: Ensuring adequate safe exercise to promote muscle health and strength, and a strong cardiorespiratory system.
- Rest: Allowing time for safe and stress-free recovery is vital for healing.
Appropriate conditioning varies between puppies and adult dogs. For puppies, it’s crucial to establish a solid foundation for their future while respecting their physical limitations, given that growth plates remain vulnerable until they close.
The best way to prevent injury to our companion animals is to ensure they are well-conditioned to prevent orthopaedic injury or dysfunction but also reduce the risk of some systemic conditions. This applies to all pets, as well as competitive- or working animals.
COMMON SPORTING INJURIES & THEIR CAUSES
Injuries in canine athletes can stem from accidents, physical impacts, or trauma, often exacerbated by poor technique, inadequate strength, or lack of coordination. Other factors include obesity, past injuries, conformation related weakness, overtraining, and insufficient recovery.
The most prevalent injuries in canine athletes are soft tissue-related, particularly impacting the front limbs, with the shoulder joint being a primary area of concern due to its high mobility and reliance on muscular stabilization. In the hind limbs, common injuries include cranial cruciate ligament injury, such as strains, tears, or ruptures, as well as overstretching or straining of the iliopsoas muscle in the groin area.
COMMON INJURIES INCLUDE:
- Fore limbs (Biceps brachii tendinopathy; Supraspinatus tendinopathy; Medial shoulder instability; Teres minor strain).
- Hind limbs (Achilles tendon injury; Gracilis strain).
- Stress injuries to carpus (wrist) or tarsus (ankle).
- Tendon injuries (deep- or superficial digital flexor tendons).
- Lumbosacral disease (spondylosis, nerve root entrapment or intervertebral disc compression).
- Foot pad and digit injuries.
INJURY PREVENTION
Developing a keen eye for subtle signs of weakness or pain can allow for early intervention.
Recognizing changes in behaviour, posture, movement patterns, or overall demeanour is crucial, because some subtle signs won’t be as noticeable as limping or head bobbing.
The pillars of injury prevention:
- Strength & Stability: Targeted exercises enhance soft tissue strength and bone density, helping stabilize joints and reduce injury risk.
- Body Awareness: Conditioning fosters better body awareness, minimizing risks of tripping or falling.
- Coordination: Improves balance and motor control to mitigate injury risks.
Key prevention practices include:
- Adequate warm-up and cooldown routines.
- Avoiding repetitive exercises and overtraining.
- Implementing a balanced fitness regimen encompassing cardio, strength training, and flexibility. Maintaining an ideal body condition score.
- Regular veterinary checkups and possibly a therapy program from a veterinary physiotherapist. Considering supplements for long-term joint health. Appropriate diet to maintain a lean body condition.
While every owner hopes for a happy, injury-free canine companion, challenges may arise. Thankfully, the expertise of veterinary professionals, trainers, and other specialists can rally together to optimize the health and performance of canine athletes. To help your pet achieve their full potential and reduce the injury risk, consider consulting a qualified veterinary physiotherapist to design an appropriate conditioning program—there’s no better time to start!
