I just spent some time at the Vet Hospital with Dr. Hady in the physical therapy department. I am always amazed at the things that these doctors do with animals and the similarities between human PT and animal PT. There are multiple similarities, some of which include ball balance, balance board, and electrical stimulation. Mostly used in dogs with leg problems, the electrical stimulation are simply two pads attached to wires that, when emitting electrical currents, will stimulate the muscle to extend and contract. This works the muscle in the inner thigh and can also help with stimulation of the lateral and medial quads and knee extensors.

The balance ball and balance board are used for core strengthening as well as overall balance. This is important because, when dogs lose most of the movement in the back legs, they have to make up for the missing parts and support with their core. Placing the animal on top of a large therapy ball, they can rock the dog side to side or back and forth to help the body adjust to the changes in balance. Having the dog stand on the balance board does something similar, but works mostly on the legs and their ability to adjust to stay erect.

Underwater treadmills and land treadmills work very similarly to the way people use them in the sense of strengthening of legs. However, the doctors must know how to match the gait of the dog because, unlike people, dogs have four legs and at different speeds, the legs mirror each other in different forms. When walking, the dog moves in a lateral motion, with the front and back legs of the same side moving in sync. But when the dog moves into a trot, it moves to vertical motion where the front leg and back leg on opposite sides move together.

The tunnel is another tool the PTs use to work on extension and contraction, as well as strengthening of both the back and front legs. As the dog moves to go through the tunnel, it must crouch down and use the thighs, the gluteus, and chest to support the body as it crawls through to the other side. The tunnels used are simply child play tunnels, but must be mesh so the animal does not feel threatened in the enclosed space.

In dogs with severe hind leg injuries, a doggy wheelchair, called a dog cart, is used to support the back end. As shown in the picture at top left, it consists of a metal frame and one large supporting wheel on each side. Straps run from the front side the the other to support the neck, while more straps run across the middle and back to support the chest and groin area. Although very useful for long walks, dogs cannot tolerate these carts for extended periods of time and it is recommend of only place them in the carts for 10-20 minutes intervals.

Through research and some non-fiction reading, I came across the interesting reason for dog's eating grass. There are three major reasons for this urge to consume.

Upset stomach:

Domestic dogs' ancestors used grass to induce vomiting to get rid of substance that made them uncomfortable. This is some cases would save their lives if they had, by chance, eaten something that was toxic or dangerous to the animal. It is believed that dogs have very sensitive nerve endings in their stomachs and the grass will induce the vomiting when these nerves are stimulated. Domestic dogs have kept this trait.

Need for Fiber:

Just as people chose foods that will give them the natural nutrients they need, dogs will do the same. Grass as well as many other greens are a great source of fiber. If the animal is not being given enough fiber in their daily diet, it will seek out grass to supplement for depletion.

Ancestral Urge:

In the wild, many canines eat plants as a natural and common part of their diet, though mostly indirectly. Through the consumption of prey, especially herbivores, the dogs will eat the contents of the animals stomach which includes pre-digested plants. Because grass is the most accessible green, many dogs will search this out because of a natural craving for this kind of sustenance. However, because it has not been pre-digested by another animal, some dogs will have trouble "stomaching" it. If a dog is craving grass and is eating large amounts, you can instead boil some vegetables, therefore "pre-digesting" them, and feed them to the dog instead.