If you have a dog, you have an athlete.  Admittedly, some dogs are more athletic than others, but on the whole most dogs, for most of their lives keep a high level of athleticism as part of their lifestyle.  As any one who keeps themselves a bit fit knows, from time to time things go amiss and an injury occurs. The same is true of dogs.

Of course a lameness in dogs can be because of many reasons. So remember your Red Level and get checked by your vet for broken bones, dislocations, torn ligaments and the like. Hopefully there is nothing so serious going on and your dog has just over done it. Just a sprain or a strain.

“The difference between a sprain and a strain is that a sprain injures the bands of tissue that connect two bones together, while a strain involves an injury to a muscle or to the band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone”

Nonetheless, there is still a lameness. As ever, Red Flags are useful here in case the problem gets worse, or is slow resolving.

There is much that can be done in the Green Level to help create a good recovery. If we can see dogs as athletes, then we can see these sorts of problems as sports injuries.  As such they will take a bit of time to settle and it is important to not try to do too much too soon. The vast majority of these sorts of injuries resolve very nicely, with on going athletic performance still being good. They will be running round the woods and fields in no time at all.

And before we get to that stage we need to take a little care.  There are three key phases:

·      Settling down after the injury

·      Gradual repair

·      Regaining fitness

In the first phase it is appropriate to be sensible and not do too much.  In the second you will be gradually starting to increase exercise as the lameness settles. In the third, your dog should be sound, just unfit. So you need to continue to gradually build up the exercise back to their previous levels. By following this common sense approach you will support an uncomplicated recovery. If you rush too much then you may get repeat injuries.

What are we forgetting? Ah yes, the Amber Level.  There is much that you can do with your first aid kit that can be helpful.  Homeopathic remedies can be so useful in supporting the damaged tissues repairing themselves.

There are three classic remedies to consider:

Arnica – So useful for physical trauma in all shapes and forms. Often not wanting fuss or being touched.

Ruta Grav – Great for joints, ligaments and periosteum. Worse first movement, better gentle exercise, worse doing too much.  Worse cold & damp, better warm & dry.

Rhus Tox – Great for joint and muscular injury alike. Worse first movement, better gentle exercise, worse doing too much.  Worse cold & damp, better warm & dry.

Sometimes you may see a clear picture.  Other times it can be a little unclear. Nonetheless when you know the type of injury, it is likely that the above remedies will be useful. In fact they are very complimentary and often work well when given together.

A very useful approach is to add one pill of each to a small glass of water and stir well. Then give a few drops by mouth as a dose. Using the same glass, and stirring well each time, you can repeat a dose. Initially every 1-2 hours, then gradually reducing to every 3-4 hours, then on to three times daily for a few days, then wean off from there with improvement.

One other remedy you will find in your kit that may be useful is:

Bryonia – The classic indication for this in injury is worse for any movement, better for lying still. Also worse for touch, and paradoxically better for firm pressure. So if you see this picture, then it could be a useful remedy.

Remember to make notes of progress in your journal and have your Red Flag plan in the background in case things are not improving. With patience and care, your dog can be running round having fun again, full of athletic prowess.

If you want to know more about homeopathy for your pets, then look out for the new services coming in 2023.

Helios Homeopathic Pharmacy do a great little first aid kit.

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