THE TAIL END
The Tale of Tail or No Tail
Study reveals size of dog , and its tail , may increase risk of ligament injuries
f ever a story belongs in a section called Tail End , it ’ s this one .
I A recent report from Washington State University seems to suggest bigger dogs and those without tails are more susceptible to a cranial cruciate ligament rupture , which is the doggie version of the anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) tear in humans . But that wasn ’ t the only interesting detail to come out of the study , “ Risk factors for cranial cruciate ligament rupture in dogs participating in canine agility ,” which was published Feb . 17 in BMC Veterinary Research . Apparently female dogs spayed before the age of one were twice as likely to rupture the ligament , showing hormones might have some play with ligament injuries .
The survey documented the activity and injury odds of more than 1,262 agility dogs , of which 260 had torn the ligament and 1,002 that did not . The more physically fit the dogs were seemed to lower the risk of ligament rupture , according to Deb Sellon , Ph . D ., a Washington State University veterinarian , and the lead author on the study . But if the agility dogs didn ’ t have core strength from routine physical exercise , or were also participating in flyball , well , the risk went up for injuring the ligament . “ Balance exercises , wobble boards , anything that improves the core strength of the dog seemed to lower the odds of a ligament tear . We found fitness matters for dogs just like it does for people , and we haven ’ t shown that before ,” she said .
Activities associated with fewer ligament ruptures included dock diving , barn hunt and scent work . Walking , running , swimming , playing fetch or catching flying disks didn ’ t increase the risk , but it didn ’ t lower the odds , either , the report stated . But for some dogs , it was just going on a weekly short walk or run over hilly terrain that tripped them up since they didn ’ t have the core strength from routine exercise . Flyball took the top spot as being the riskiest activity among those evaluated in the survey . And if dogs doubled in flyball and agility , they were nearly twice as likely to rupture the ligament . Of the nearly 12 percent of dogs reported to play flyball in the survey had suffered the injury .
The survey also revealed a trend that certain breeds – such as the Australian Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers – were more than twice as likely to rupture the ligament , and Rottweilers and Australian Cattle Dogs were more than four times likely to suffer the injury . And that ’ s where the tail comes in . According to one of the researchers , Dr . Denis Marcellin-Little , a veterinary orthopedic specialist with the University of California , Davis , ligament injuries may have more to do with the shape of the dog and the length of its tail . “ Larger dogs doing agility tend to be less balanced , so it is not surprising a Rottweiler or Australian Shepherd may be at a higher risk of a rupture compared to smaller breeds ,” he said . “ The tail could also be a factor ; the tail has been proven very important for cheetahs and you can imagine it has a role to play in the overall balance of the dog .” – The editor
Reference Washington State University . ( 2022 , February 17 ). Core strength could help dogs avoid knee injuries . ScienceDaily . Retrieved February 21 , 2022 from www . sciencedaily . com / releases / 2022 / 02 / 220217090719 . htm
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