Blog

by Cathryn Adolph, LVT, CCRP

Did you know? I didn’t…

Peanut, is a Bulldog Beagle Mix. In her posture, you can see physical characteristics from both breeds.

A few days ago, I discovered that the end of the month is National Mutt Day.  It is a day to draw attention to all of the wonderful mixed breed dogs.  It is even celebrated twice a year on July 31^st and December 2^nd.  Genetics amaze me, and nowhere more than sibling mixed breed dogs.  It got me thinking about all the wonderful mixed breed dogs we see at Pawsitive Steps Rehabilitation.  Heritage can affect not only looks and personality but structure, gait, muscle physiology, and exercising. Continue…

by Cathryn Adolph, BS, LVT

Feet are awesome!  We take our feet for granted, but they are a complex combination of muscles, tendons, ligaments, many small bones, and nerves.  They keep us in touch with the ground, propel us forward, maintain balance, and help us brake to avoid collisions.  In this blog, we will discuss how to care for the foot and nail trims.

The Dog’s Foot

While humans walk with their feet and toes flat, dogs walk on their toes with the bones held at angles.  These angles allow the foot to serve as shock absorbers for the limb and thus prevent the impact from affecting larger joints closer to the body and even the spine.  The feet also have many sensory nerve endings that are designed to protect the body from injury.  If we were to step into a divot in the grass, the sensory nerves in our feet and ankle sense the sudden and abnormal change in direction and signal the brain to correct the problem.  All this happens before we are even consciously aware that we were off balance! Continue…