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Rocco was a very gracious participant, patiently waiting through the “boring” stuff for his turn in the spot-light.

In the spotlight

Dr. Goldberg and Jenn demonstrating an adjustment on a dog’s spine.

So what is chiropractic medicine and why would your pet benefit from it?

Chiropractic medicine diagnoses problems and restores, through adjustments and manipulations, the normal mobility to joints of the body. It’s goal is to optimize health based on the body’s innate recuperative power.

A chiropractic adjustment addresses a wide array of health problems in pets, such as, joint issues caused by trauma, competition , work or even genetic diseases. It can help with ear problems, constipation, urinary incontinence and even lick granulomas (which sometimes can be a symptom of trapped tissue sending shooting pain down one of the paws).

Below are the most common signs that your pet might benefit from a visit to a chiropractor:

• Refusing to jump
• Limping or lameness
• obvious signs of pain
• balance issues
• change in head and tail carriage (especially head held low)
• “sinking down” when you pet your dog’s back
• play mishaps (getting t-boned in a dog park is a common cause of soft tissue and joint injuries)
• arthritis
• Digestive problems
• Urinary leaking
• Anal gland problems
• Constipation
• Ear infections
• As part of a maintenance regime for sporting and working dogs.

Rocco during his chiro visit

Previous to the seminar, Rocco had undergone three adjustments. I was very curious to see how our fist visit would go, a bit worried Rocco might not want to stand still or would move at the worst possible moment. But it turns out he actually likes his adjustments (for the most part – he’s not crazy about having his neck adjusted, but I can’t blame him, I hate that part too!) He stands very patiently and allows Dr. Goldberg to asses his range of motion and do the necessary manipulations.

The areas of concern for him were his neck, shoulders and pelvis; typical of an active dog who, during his four years of romping around, has accumulated some strains and micro-injuries. After each session I can see a definitive improvement in his energy, range of motion and overall mobility.

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The trip was an absolute delight, even though it was raining the whole day. Vashon Island is a beautiful place regardless of the weather. And the restaurant selection and food offerings are astounding!

My favourite place, however, is Paxhia Farm with all its wonderful residents. The place is brimming with positive energy and, after a while, you can feel its calming effect. It is the perfect place to learn new things and recharge your batteries.

Paxhia Farm

The Stable, which is home to not only horses, but also birds and a wild colony of bees

The horse pastures

Enjoying the sun

and the fresh spring grass

Say cheese!

The goats

Seth

Rocco observing Seth

This Sunday the school hosted Lori Stevens for a TTouch workshop. It was a day packed full with new information, which I will definitely incorporate in my massage practice. We also got to enjoy some demos.

Lori demonstrating a TTouch on D from New Rattitude Rescue

Here Lori demonstrates body wrapping

An obstacle course for a mobility session.

To end the day, Rocco got to enjoy a massage from Lola Michelin, the founder and Director of Education of the NorthWest School of Animal Massage. He is, no doubt, a very spoiled boy!

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Next Saturday we will be heading over to Washington State for some sight-seeing and then on Sunday over to Vashon Island  to visit the Northwest School of Animal Massage, where I received my Small Animal Massage Practitioner certification. I will be attending a TTouch seminar and Rocco will be getting a massage from our instructor – lucky boy!

Crossing the border

Taking in the new sights

and smells

Enjoying the view

and leaving a mark

home-bound

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Care and maintenance of your dog’s paws should be part of their regular health and grooming routine. Paw pads and nails  play an important role in your dogs mobility and when properly taken care of are not only esthetically pleasing, but also provide the optimal support for their whole body.

To begin you will need:

Tools

And

A willing participant

I begin with trimming the hair in between Rocco’s paw pads. This is especially important in the winter when snow and ice can get stuck to the hair and bruise or even seriously injure their paws. However, trimming interdigital hair is just as important during the rest of the year when dirt, debris or small rocks can get lodged in the hair and cause damage to their feet. Mud, foxtail, burrs, gum, torns can all get caught in the fur and cause scrapes and discomfort. Some dogs can develop mats, which can be extremely painful, if the area isn’t kept well maintained. Removing the hair will also give the dog better traction, preventing them from slipping and sliding on hardwood or tiles, which is extremely important for older dogs who may already suffer from joint problems.

To clip the hair, I use rounded ball-tipped scissors. The ball-tip ensures that I don’t accidentally hurt the dog when working in such a small area and the rounded blade allows me to maneuver in between the pads.

Scissors

Next, I trim the nails. This is something I do fairly often, usually I try to trim the nails as soon as I can hear them clicking on the floor. Keeping the nails short is extremely important for the overall well-being of the dog. Overgrown nails can break below the quick causing great pain. Long nails can injure the dog, another dog or a person. Because the dog walks on their toes (unlike a human who walks on the soles of their feet), long-term overgrowth can inhibit proper movement, can lead to pain and soreness in their joints and eventually can contribute to the development of arthritis.

I use for this a regular nail clipper.

Nail trimmers

After clipping the nail, I buff out the sharp edges. It’s not essential, but I notice that after every nail trim, I get a lot of scratches from the sharp edges. The sharp edges also snag on blankets and dog beds, and I can only guess that they feel unpleasant when the dog is scratching himself.

You can buy one of these at most pet stores.

Nail Buffer

I finish things off by massaging a diluted coat conditioner into his paw pads. Pads can often become dry and even cracked. Once a crack forms it can be very painful and difficult to heal, depending on the depth of the crack. To prevent this you want to use a moisturizer. However, it is important not to soften the pads too much as they need to stay tough enough to handle a variety of terrain.

A paw massage is a nice way to end a relatively unpleasant procedure.

Diluted conditioner

And finally here are the before and after pictures:

Before

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