The big news this week is that Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets tore his ACL ending his season as the Jets’ star cornerback.  This isn’t the end of the world, well maybe for the Jets this season, but he will heal and most likely come back next season.

The same injury that Darrelle experienced is all too common in dogs.  Most sudden injuries in dogs happen during strenuous or exuberant athletic activities, such as romping, roughhousing, running, hunting, playing, chasing, jumping, etc.  ACL injuries are particularly common among “sports” dogs, or those that compete in events such as agility, dock diving, or Frisbee catching.

Like humans, dogs will compensate when a muscle or joint isn’t working properly – and that leads to more problems.  Dogs are also very stoic when it comes to pain so it’s up to you to be vigilant and watch for anything unusual with respect to his gait, conformation or weakness in his hind end.

In a single year, Americans spend an estimated $1.3 billion to repair damaged ACLs in their dogs, but new research suggests that rehabilitation, especially warm water swimming can provide a viable alternative to surgery for treating partial ACL tears, and a regimen of controlled exercise can help prevent more serious injuries. Even if surgery is warranted, warm water swimming afterward speeds up recovery and gets your dog “back in the game” much more quickly.

The key to therapy for dogs is similar to the treatment of humans. Exercise the core muscles and make sure the joints are properly aligned before the dog begins to exercise.  There are three important keys to preventing ACL injuries in dogs:

• Don’t allow your dog to become overweight.  Obesity puts a strain on the joints and leads to an unnatural gait during exercise.
• Exercise regularly, especially non weight bearing exercise such as swimming.
• Prepare your dog gradually if you are planning a major outing such as long hikes, running on trails or even road races with your dog.  Make sure your dog is well prepared and conditioned to participate in an activity he may not be used to.

Improving your dog’s physical condition will help to prevent ACL and other damage. And structured exercise is the best way to accomplish this. Don’t let your dog be “out for the season” like Darrelle!

We are the only Orlando dog boarding and Orlando doggie day care center that has an indoor heated pool for dogs. See it for yourself by scheduling a tour!

Rocky's Retreat | 2826 Shader Rd. Orlando FL 32808 | info@rockysretreat.com | (407) 295-3888