The canine forelimb performs a remarkable balancing act. It must accept and dissipate load, support the trunk, adapt to the ground and contribute to braking, balance and directional change. Unlike the hindlimb, it has no direct bony attachment to the axial skeleton. Instead, the trunk is suspended between the forelimbs through a complex arrangement of…
Confidence in Clinical Assessment is at the Core of Your Success.
Every canine professional has felt this at one time or another… That quiet sinking feeling when you think, “I have no idea what’s going on.” You take a deep breathe, wishing you had another ten minutes to run the assessment again—but you don’t. You’ve been through the motions, undertaken a full health screen of the…
At the Centre of the Conversation: Understanding Pelvic Dysfunction in the Canine Patient
The canine pelvis occupies a particularly influential position within the body. It provides a connection between the axial skeleton and the hindlimbs, contributes to the transmission of force and offers attachment to muscles involved in locomotion, posture and continence. It must support stability while participating in the continual adaptations that allow the dog to walk,…
Assessing the Canine Spine: From Segmental Findings to Functional Meaning
The canine spine is sometimes approached as though it were a series of separate regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and lumbosacral. These divisions are anatomically useful, but the living spine does not experience movement in such neatly defined sections. As the dog walks, turns, lowers its head or transfers weight between limbs, movement is distributed throughout…
Hindlimb Workshop Oct. 2026
A sound foundation in canine assessment is essential. Yet many practitioners find that some aspects of hindlimb assessment only become fully meaningful once they are working independently with cases that do not present neatly. You may understand the anatomy and have covered the relevant material in training, but bringing individual findings together into a clear…
More Than a Lame Leg: Developing a Whole-Patient Approach to Canine Hindlimb Assessment
When a dog presents with altered hindlimb function, it can be tempting to focus attention on the place where the problem appears most obvious. A shortened stride, an intermittently lifted limb or difficulty rising may seem to direct us towards a particular joint or tissue. Yet what we see is not always a simple reflection…
When Hindlimb Findings Don’t Tell the Whole Story
Most canine practitioners have a solid foundation in hindlimb assessment. The greater challenge often begins when a case does not present neatly. Perhaps the area that appears most sensitive does not fully explain the movement pattern. Perhaps several findings compete for attention. Or perhaps diagnostic imaging and the hands-on examination do not seem to point…
Allostatic Loading
How Much Load Is Too Much? As in previous posts, allostasis refers to the body’s dynamic process towards maintaining homeostasis. When an animal faces various stressors – physical, emotional, and environmental – its body ramps up hormones, heart rate, and other physiological responses to meet the demand. This is the body’s way of preparing the…
Supporting Homeostasis Through Animal Osteopathy
An animal osteopath’s role in supporting homeostasis As an animal osteopath, I work to support the intricate balance of homeostasis in my animal patients. As we looked at previously, Homeostasis, the body’s ability to maintain internal stability despite external changes, is crucial for optimal health and well-being in animals, just as it is in humans….
The more things change, the more they remain the same: Understanding Homeostasis
Understanding Homeostasis Homeostasis comes from the Greek words “homeo” meaning “similar” and “stasis” meaning “standing still.” It refers to the remarkable ability of our bodies to maintain a stable internal environment despite external challenges. An animal’s internal state thrives within a very specific range of conditions, and homeostasis acts as a regulatory control system to ensure these internal…
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