DNA Testing in Dogs

31 Jul 2020

By Margaret Kraeling, PT, CCRT  Lately there has been an increased interest in DNA testing both for people and animals. Several of my friends have done the “23 and Me” testing in an attempt to find out more about their origins. We also hear about more dog breeders as well as pet owners following some sort of DNA tests. Pet owners want to find out more information about the origins of their mixed breed dog and breeders want to try to identify potential health concerns so tha... More

Fibrocartilaginous Embolism – A REWARDING CONDITION FOR REHAB

18 Jun 2020

By Margaret Kraeling, PT, CCRTFibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCEM) is a common and very rewarding condition to treat in the canine rehabilitation clinic. Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy is a vascular disease of the spinal cord caused by embolization of spinal vasculature with fibrocartilaginous material histologically and histochemically identical to the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disk, resulting in ischemic necrosis of dependent regions of spinal cord. Various the... More

Observing Dog Behaviour & Reasons for Some Common Practices in the Clinic

23 May 2020

by Margaret Kraeling, PT, CCRT A pair of citizen science researchers, Cristina & Aurélien Budzinski, who are also certified dog trainers from France, promote observation and field studies of dogs to determine results from a variety of common behaviours. Their study called “At the heart of the walk,” reveals some fascinating insights into what’s happening physiologically when dogs go on walks. The Budzinskis recruited 61 dogs for their study, including puppies, ad... More