Clean Run - June 2014 - 27

This is a thermal image of a paw print left
on the floor by a foot with severe arthritis
of a digit. Notice how the pad on the left
center is warmer (red) than the others
and the one on the far right is cooler.

This is a thermal image of the back of a sled dog's
front feet. The flexor tendon to the third toe on
the left front foot is significantly warmer than its
equivalent on the other foot. The carpus (wrist)
on the same foot is also warmer, possibly due to
compensation from the toe. The only symptom the
dog displayed was a little discomfort when both the
wrist and the toes were palpated and flexed.

Don't just check your dog's nails, but look
at foot shape, width, and conformation
as well. Trim nails on a regular basis.

standing position, but long enough that
moderate contracture of the flexors during motion can get those nails into the
ground when they are needed for traction.
No doubt the wild canine is moving constantly on abrasive terrain that will wear
the nail down to the perfect length. But in
the domestic performance dog, the human has to make the decision on length.

Evaluating Toe Health
So what is an agility handler to do? Act
proactively. Don't just check your dog's
nails, but look at foot shape, width, and
conformation as well. Trim nails on a
regular basis. Palpate individual toes
from the nail to the metacarpals/metatarsals (the bones equivalent to the human palm or foot). Feel for the small
changes. I encourage my clients and in-

These images are thermal views of the top and
bottom of the hind foot of a markedly lame dog
that had been diagnosed as having a cranial cruciate ligament tear. The feet had not been examined.
A physical exam determined that the CCL was
normal and thermal imaging found marked heat
(white area) in a toe. X-rays revealed a small chip
fracture, probably from being stepped on.

terns who want to better examine their
dog's feet to close their eyes and softly
feel along the digit from nail to metacarpals until they can identify all the normal
structures. This can accomplish a couple
of things. First, it will allow a handler
to know what is normal so abnormal is
more easily recognized (and earlier if
toes are examined regularly). Second,
many clients have reported that their
dogs become better about having their
feet handled. If done gently, the palpation is much like massage on an area of
the body that is rich with nerve endings.

the paw print can also provide clues that a
toe imbalance is occurring. See Figure 6.
Often thermography can detect subtle deviations from normal tissue temperature
that can precede lameness. See Figure 7.
In acute lameness that can be hard to
localize in the foot, the detail of thermal
imaging can quickly identify where circulation has deviated from normal thus
providing guidance for further diagnostics and exam. See Figures 8 and 9. D

Last, but not least, if you happen to be
lucky enough to have a veterinarian with
a thermal imaging camera, have your
competitive dog's toes regularly scanned
from above, below, and from the sides. If
the dog is standing on a smooth surface,

Cullen KL, Dickey JP, Bent LR, et al.
Internet-based survey of the nature and
perceived causes of injury to dogs participating in agility training and competition
events. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2013: 242:
1010-1018.

References

After receiving her veterinary degree from Purdue University in 1986, Dr. Henneman completed certification in veterinary acupuncture (IVAS) in 1991 and veterinary
chiropractic (AVCA) in 1993. She is only one of 15 veterinarians in the US to hold advanced veterinary acupuncture certification. Her practice covers all of the US and
exclusively involves the use of integrative therapies in chronic disease and sports medicine (equine/canine). Dr. Henneman has worked closely with SAR, police, and
competitive dogs and their handlers for over 15 years and she organized the security animal sports medicine center at the 2002 Winter Olympics, incorporating thermal
imaging and integrative therapies. As well as speaking at numerous conferences and writing for magazines and textbooks, she continues to be a trail veterinarian for
the Iditarod Sled Dog race. Dr. Henneman can be reached at Animal Health Options in Park City, Utah or at ahooffice@aol.com.
June 14

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Clean Run - June 2014

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