Underwater Treadmill Therapy for Dogs E-Book

Traute Schmidt

• Herausgeber: tredition
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 76

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Therapy is defined as the treatment of diseases. This practical book serves as both a work of reference as well as a structuring aid when it comes to treating dogs on the underwater treadmill. The book is divided into three parts: - Basics such as the functions of the underwater treadmill, how the dog "works" on the underwater treadmill, training theory principles. - For the practice, e.g. medical findings, suggestions for the treatment of elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, etc. - From experience, e.g. Bobby, a golden retriever suffering from arthrosis, who serves as an example of treating a dog with a chronic disease. Further examples include Cindy and Murphy. 60 figures and 22 tables additionally illustrate the content of this book. The book's structure facilitates the finding of required information.

Leseprobe

Traute Schmidt and Yvonne Müller

Underwater Treadmill Therapy for Dogs

A Theory and Practice Book

© 2019 Traute Schmidt, Yvonne Müller Translation: Tim Scheulen

Publisher: tredition GmbH Halenreie 40-44 22359 Hamburg Germany

ISBN

Paperback

978-3-7482-4783-8

Hardcover

978-3-7482-4784-5

e-Book

978-3-7482-4785-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

PREFACE TO THE 2nd EDITION

PREFACE TO THE 1st EDITION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

BASICS

INTRODUCTION

HOW DOES THE DOG “WORK” ON THE TREADMILL? THE TREADMILL EFFECT

WHAT MAKES THE TRAINING ON THE UNDERWATER TREADMILL SO EFFECTIVE? THE EFFECT OF WATER!

THE UNDERWATER TREADMILL AND ITS TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

The technical features of the underwater treadmill and their benefits for the practice

THE STANDARD GAIT OF A DOG

THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT WATER HEIGHTS AND SPEEDS ON HEALTHY DOGS WALKING ON THE UNDERWATER TREADMILL

CHANGES IN THE GAIT OF HEALTHY DOGS THROUGH TREADMILL TILTING

Basics of the training theory that are important for underwater treadmill therapy

FOR THE PRACTICE

Therapy and training on the underwater treadmill

Indications/contraindications for underwater treadmill therapy

Before the training on the underwater treadmill

MEDICAL FINDINGS

RESULT FORM HUNDEPHYSIOTHERAPIE – AHOI

GETTING THE DOG USED TO THE UNDERWATER TREADMILL

THE TRAINING PLAN

CRITERIA THAT REQUIRE A TRAINING STOP INCLUDE:

TRAINING RULES

TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS

DISC PROLAPSE

CAUDA EQUINA SYNDROME

SPONDYLOSIS

WOBBLER SYNDROME

DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY

MEDULLA INFARCT

DYSPLASIA OF THE HIP JOINT(HD)

DISLOCATION OF THE HIP JOINT

Femoral head ostectomy

Patellar dislocation

OCD knee joint and hock

OCD shoulder and elbow

Elbow dysplasia

Arthrodesis of the carpus

Fractures (conservative treatment)

Muscle injuries

Tendon injuries

Geriatrics

Stroke

FROM EXPERIENCE

BOBBY

Cindy

Murphy

REFERENCES

LIST OF FIGURES

Preface to the 2nd edition

We appreciate the discussions as well as all the positive and negative feedback about our book. This has led us to revise parts of the content and to integrate additional topics that we intentionally left out in the first edition.

We’d like to explicitly point to the fact that the training recommendation in the second part of the book are influenced by and adapted to the respective medical findings.

New in this book:

• Use of front and back spacer

• Spondylosis

Topics that have been revised:

• Basics

• Indications

• Befor the training on the underwater treadmill Medical findings

• Getting the dog used to the underwater treadmill

• The training plan

• Disc prolapse

• Wobbler syndrome

• Degenerative myelopathy

• Medulla infarct

• Displasia of the hip joint (HD)

• Cruciate ligament rupture

Gained in practice, for use in practice: this slogan also goes for the second edition of our book. Therefore, we’ve kept the preface as short as possible.

Preface to the 1st edition

The internet is full of training options, products, indications and contraindications, and success stories. precise information on how to develop an effective training, the application of technology, and handy tips, however, are few and far between. This also goes for literature on this topic.

To put it in a nutshell, we missed detailed information when we started to work with the underwater treadmill. our experience clearly shows the advantages of the training.

We’ve purposely waived the presentation of further forms of therapy. The focus is exclusively on walking in the underwater treadmill, because we almost exclusively use the underwater treadmill for aqua walking. To us, logical connections are more important than the presentation of additional forms of therapy such as cycling, jumping, isometric exercises, or underwater massage. it is the logical, clinically relevant thinking that we sorely missed at the beginning of our work.

The case of Bobby illustrates our approach. suffering from arthrosis, Bobby should preferably walk in deep water. However, due to his limited physical fitness, he should walk in low water. We had to decide whether we chose a water level that reaches up to the middle of the thigh or to focus on the arthrosis or the limited physical fitness.

This book is divided into three parts: basics, for use in practice, from experience. The training recommendations in the second part are illustrate in tabular form and should serve as a reference book. We’d like to thank iris Challande-Kathmann, whose book “Rehabilitation und Physiotherapie bei Hund und Katze” (“Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy for Dogs and Cats”) was of great help for us when it came to making up the charts.

This book is the ideal aid for the dog-physiotherapeutic practice.

Acknowledgement

Our thanks go to all those who supported us in one way or another during the project.

Thanks to all dogs and their owners for their confidence.

Thanks to all vets and veterinarian clinics, which provided us with photo material for illustrating and clarifying the ‘for the practice’ part of the book. A register of illustrations can be found in the book’s appendix.

Thanks to Monika Fiedler for revising the book and for the constructive discussions about the German language.

Thanks to Dr. Mima Hohmann for her professional suggestions and discussions that have enhanced this second edition.

Thanks to Tim scheulen who translate the book.

Basics

Introduction

Nathan Zuntz (1847 – 1920), a Berlin-based psychology professor, designed the world’s first treadmill in 1889. At the time, he built an adjustable and variable-speed treadmill model for examining the energy metabolism of horses. [1]

Today, there is a variety of of treadmills that are employed in areas such as rehabilitation, fitness tests, gait analysis, sports, and fitness. The market offers diverse treadmill models for different applications (see fig. 1+2).

fig. 1: Kettler treadmill model

fig. 2: Woodway treadmill model

For dogs, the manufacturers offer both conventional and underwater treadmills.

Two companies that focus on designing and producing underwater treadmills for dogs are PHYSIO-TECH® and KEIPER WATER-WALKER. The main differences between the treadmill models offered by these enterprises include the way in which the dog enters the treadmill and the floor space requirement and the space for the frame, which is used for supporting the dogs’ hindquarters. The photos in this book show the PHYSIO-TECH® model that we use in our own practice.

It was in 1989, when the PHYSIO-TECH® founder, Günter Michel, designed his first underwater treadmill for treating his golden retriever crossbreed Pongo, who suffered from joint pain.

Now, let us go back to Nathan Zuntz. It was his fundamental idea to use the treadmill for creating a reproducible exercise situation, which is based on factors such as speed, time, and gradient angle. in combination with water and its physical properties, the treadmill is a training tool that perfectly combines conventional training theory and hydrotherapy.

With this in mind, the underwater treadmill is a training tool that is suitable for a large number of dogs. it can be used for dog physiotherapeutic treatment, including the treatment of arthrosis, spinal diseases, disc prolapse with and without motoric and/or sensory problems, and knee injuries such as cruciate ruptures. in addition, the underwater treadmill is employed when it comes to the postsurgical treatment of bone fractures, femoral head resections, joint replacements, hip and elbow dysplasia, and luxating patella. Furthermore, the training tool helps to improve endurance, muscular strength, and coordination, to reduce weight, and to maintain the physical condition.

The list of contraindications, on the other hand, is short und includes symptoms and diseases such severe pain, fever, infections, unremedied cardiac insufficiency, epilepsy, and open wounds.

How does the dog “work” on the treadmill? The treadmill effect

The major difference between walking on the treadmill and walking on the ground is how the movement is triggered.

A dog that approaches a dummy like Max as shown in the photo below is targeting an object of desire. We see that the posture of his head and body is aiming at picking up the dummy. This means that the movement of Max is influenced by the situation (to fetch the dummy), the environment (the forest, the dog handler, and the dummy thrower), and the ground (uneven forest floor). In addition, his movement pattern is adapted to his physical capabilities. He moves the way in which he is able to pick up the dummy. (see fig. 3).

fig. 3: Max approaching the dummy, dummy marked in red

Lilly on the underwater treadmill focuses on nothing, with the exception of the dog handler who stands in front of the device. The movement of the treadmill causes Lilly’s movement, which is reactive, (see fig. 4).

fig. 4: The treadmill leads the left paw backwards. The next step follows reactively.