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Passive therapy

updated March 2009

Check with your veterinarian or surgeon to see when and which of these exercises are appropriate for your dog. Any sign of pain, discontinue. Usually PT can be started immediately after surgery with the OK from your surgeon.

Passive exercise or passive physical therapy (PT) means you provide movement for your dog. Active exercise is when the dog causes his limbs to move.

Therapy during conservative treatment for the paralyzed dog

Illustration reprinted with permission by the copyright owner, Hill's Pet Nutrition, from the Atlas of Veterinary Clincal Anatomy.

As the dog moves, the boney vertebrae will push on the discs. A healthy disc provides a cushion to the bones of the vertebrae. While a disc is healing without benefit of surgery, pressure can easily cause the disc to be further damaged and cause more pressure on the delicate spinal cord. Therapy must be performed with utmost care.
Dogs on conservative crate rest who are not paralyzed are able to move around a bit in the crate and at potty time to keep their joints and muscles toned. No additional therapy is necessary.

However, a downed dog can't move his back legs and the owner will need to help. Very light passive PT and massage must be limited to the least aggressive methods during crate rest for the downed dog. Delay passive PT activity until off medications and all swelling has gone down and the dog is no longer in pain. Check with your vet before starting.

A warm towel from the dryer will help to warm up the legs prior to beginning passive PT. Give the passive PT 3x a day building up to 10 or 15 minutes each time. The key is to avoid making your dog move the spine which will put pressure on the healing disc. The aim is to provide a bit of gentle movement to maintain circulation in the muscles and keep joints flexible. Do not pull on legs or tickle which can cause the body to jerk or move. Start slowly. If he resists you, try again later or another day. Do not force him causing a struggling situation.

  1. Massage stimulation for muscles
    With dog laying on it's side, run your hands down the back limbs from thigh to toes. Do it again with finger tips, then with your fingernails. Gently pinch the muscles from thigh to toes. Repeat massage for 1-2 minutes. Never cause his spine to move.
  2. Range of motion for joints
    Perform for each joint in the back legs including the toes will help to keep the joints from freezing up (see Passive Exercise for hip, knee, ankle and toes: #1-4 and do very gently. Start with 5 reps each joint and build to 10-15 reps each joint in a couple of days).

Post-op or post-conservative PT

The purpose of PT and massage is to stimulate blood circulation and help maintain muscle and joint flexibility. When neuro functions return, the muscle and joints will then be capable of response. The importance of passive exercise continues until voluntary movements begin to return, then passive exercise is no longer needed. Muscles need to fatigue to gain strength. Weight bearing standing exercises should be continued until strong walking movements are present.

Warmth therapy before a session will warm up joints and muscles as well as relax the dog for therapy cooperation. Never apply heat to the surgery site as it may increase possibility of infection due to bacterial growth encouragement. After exercises cold pack therapy can help with soreness.

Start the session by earning your dog’s trust. Some dogs will not react well to physical therapy, or any kind of therapy, if previously you did not earn your dog’s trust. Dachshunds usually do not like their paws being touched, so it’s important to relax the dog before you attempt to manipulate it’s paws in order to avoid tense muscles that might get sore later on.

To get a dog to accept therapy, you may:
  1. Slowly approach the dog and gently talk to him. Start sliding your hands, placing each hand at each side of the spine, but not directly on the spine, very gently from the occipital region (base of the head), down the neck, and around the shoulders and down the arms. Repeat 5-10 times. If the dog seems restless at any point. Stop and try again later.
  2. Afterwards, gently slide your hands, placing each hand at each side of the spine, but not directly on the spine, from the withers (between the shoulder blades) to the hips and down the legs. Repeat 5-10 times. Do both massages very slowly and gently, without pressure. Just stimulate blood flow.

Passive Exercise:

Paralyzed dogs doing conservative crate rest do only #1-4

  1. Hip Flex/Rotation. Very gently start at the hips. With thumb and forefinger grab the hip joint. With other hand support the the leg below the hip. Begin moving forward and backward slowly and gently 15 times. Do not over extend, just move the joint at the extension the dog would move it naturally. Supporting the leg, rotate the hip joint in semi circles (4 o'clock to 8 o'clock and back to 4 o'clock). Slowly and gently without over rotating. Repeat 15 times.
  2. Knee Flex: With thumb and forefinger grab the knee joint. Support the leg below the knee with other hand. Gently flex the knee forward and back into position 5-10 times.
  3. Ankle flex: With thumb and forefinger grab the ankle joint. With the other bend and straighten the ankle 15 times.
  4. Toe wiggling: Move each toe up and downward 5-10 times.
  5. Tickles: stimulation is an important factor of nerve reconnection. Tickle between the toes and the foot pads of the paralyzed or weakened limbs. Tickle all along the legs. Do not exaggerate and make the dog twist, just stimulate for a few seconds.
  6. Withdrawal Reflex: This is a reflex and not true motor movement but it encourages all muscle stimulation, joint movement and can be done on both front and hind limbs whatever is affected. You just apply firm pinch between toe webbing (Not enough of a pinch to cause a pain reaction, just enough to stimulate the reflex), this will stimulate the reflex causing dog to withdraw/pull-up leg into body. We encourage owner to do this on each side 5-10 reps 2-3 times a day.
  7. Foot flex: With one hand grab the leg and press it against the palm of your other hand, simulating the pressure the foot would receive if the dog was taking a step. Repeat 15 times This movement is particularly important as a dog can regain movement in the legs, but be unable to bend the foot against the floor, this means they are too unstable to walk and the foot drags across the floor damaging the flesh. Make sure you really press against the foot as if you were the floor pushing up against his weight.
  8. Pumps: Place one hand on the top of the thigh and the other on the foot pads. Push the foot up, so that the ankle, knee and hip are bent and then straighten (gently) simulating the motion of the muscles the dog would do if it were sitting and standing. Repeat 10-15 times.
  9. Bicycle: rotate the leg forward 15 times, and backwards 15 times, simulating the movement of forward and backward rotation of paddling a bicycle.

These exercises manipulate all the muscles and prevent the joints from stiffening and need to be done until a dog can voluntarily move his limbs. Of course, every movement should be done slowly and carefully. If the dog starts to regain control and pain sensation, he may resist the assisted movement. You will need to be very careful and very slowly and gently go through the full completion of the movement.

Ideally PT should be done three times a day for 15 minutes a session. Sitting on the floor with your dog on a blanket or on his bed will provide a safe firm, stable and supportive surface for PT.

For dogs in post-op care or dogs when they have completed conservative treatment of crate rest (always check with your vet regarding which exercises would be appropriate for your dog's situtation):

Clark’s passive crate rest PT
Goliath’s passive PT
Water Therapy

 

Other References:


Steiss, J.E., Canine Rehabilitation. In: Braund's Clinical Neurology in Small Animals: Localization, Diagnosis and Treatment, Vite C.H. (Ed.)International Veterinary Information Service, Ithaca NY (www.ivis.org), 2004
http://www.ivis.org/advances/Vite/steiss2/chapter_frm.asp?LA=1 Last accessed 9/12/08

McCauley, L.L., Neurological Canine Rehabilitation. In:  NAVC Proceedings 2006, North American Veterinary Conference (Eds). Publisher: NAVC (www.tnavc.org). Internet Publisher: International Veterinary Information Service, Ithaca NY http://http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/NAVC/2006/SAE/016.asp?LA=1 last accessed 9/12/08

 

 

 

    Disclaimer:
    This information is presented for educational purposes and as a resource for the Dachshund community. The coordinators are not veterinarians or health care professionals. Nothing herein should be interpreted as medical advice and all should contact their pet care professionals for advice. The coordinators are not responsible for the substance and content contained herein and do not advocate any particular product, item or position contained herein.
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