We will not massage your pet without a consultation with your Vet if your pet has recently had surgery, a serious injury, or has a serious medical condition.
For more information call Diane at (306) 585-3683 or
Notice the kidneys are not labeled on this picture. The kidneys are tucked up close to the liver toward the sprine.
Click this link to learn more about the detailed structure and function of these organs:
Ligaments:
Are tissues that connect one bone to another.
They are made of a fibrous protein
Ligaments provide extra support to prevent and resist twisting motion of the joints.
Ligaments are tough but have limited elasticity.
Overstretched or repeatedly stretched ligments will loose up to 25% of their strenth.
Click on the image to get a close up look at the 16 main ligaments in a dogs body. An icon will appear the the bottom right of your screen which will allow you to zoom for a closer look.
Muscles:
Muscles come in a variety of shapes and sizes; thin to bulky, small to large
Muscles are attached to the bone structure by tendons
It is the contraction and extension of muscles working together that provide our dogs with their grace and power of movement.
Click on the images below to get a close up look at the muscles in the various parts of your dogs body. An icon will appear the the bottom right of your screen which will allow you to zoom for a closer look.
Click on the image to get a close up look at the skeletal structure in a dogs body. An icon will appear the the bottom right of your screen which will allow you to zoom for a closer look.
Side View
Front View
Rear View
Front Leg
Hind Leg
What is Massage?
It is the manipulation of muscles and soft tissue to enhance the circulatory, muscular and nervous systems and their interdependent functioning, aiding the body's ability to heal, repair and maintain itself.
What are the Benefits
Achieves specific goals of drainage, relaxation or stiumulation
Increased circulation of blood and lymph for better metabolism
Reduce the build-up of fibrous tissue (adhesions) which result from inflammation.
Relax the nervous system providing a balance between body and mind.
Assist in maintaining the range of joint motion
A diagnostic tool for early detection of abnormalities
Who Benefits
Dogs who are confined for long periods of time
Massage can improve circulation and maintain joint flexibility
Older dogs with chronic and degenerative disorders
Massage will not eliminate the disorder but it can provide easier movement
Sporting and working dogs
A Warm Up Massage to reduce risk of injury; Cool Down Massage prevents stiffness.
Show dogs
Relaxation Massage balances mind and body and improves gait.
WARNING NOTES:
K9 Massage Practioners are not required to be licensed or certified before working on your pet.
Many K9 Massage Practioners are certified or licensed for human practice. Before allowing anyone to work on your pet, beyond a relaxation massage, warm up and cool down routines, or stretching exercises for an uninjured pet, ask about their credentials.
Check with your vet before taking your pet for a K9 Massage, especially if your pet has recently had surgery, sustained a serious injury, or has any type of serious medical history.
Massage Links
PetMassage.com
What is Temperament?
Temperament is in the genetic makeup of a puppy or dog.
Defined as "manner of thinking, behaving, or reacting characteristic".
BREEDERS
Temperament testing assists you in determining the personalities of each member of the litter so that you can place individual puppies in homes that will suit their personality.
Temperament is a genetic trait that is passed on.
Temperament Testing is an important part of a breeding program
NEW PUPPY OWNERS
Would you like a better understanding of your puppy's personality, what this new charge will require from you to fullfil it's potential - temperamet testing will help.
ADULT DOG
Particularly useful if you have just become the owner of an adult dog and are unsure of how the dog will react in a given situation.
Rhin-Kin-Kin Canine Centre provides Temperament testing using the Volhard Puppy Temperament Test and the ATTS (American Temperament Testing Society) standards. A written evaluation is provided for all tests.
First Aid on this page is offered as information only and is not intended to replace a Pet First Aid Course. Check with your Vet for Pet First Aid Courses available in your area. Pet First Aid is not intended to replace veterinary care; but rather to provide care and safety for your pet prior to reaching veterinary services.
Definitions: Anatomy & Injury
Artery: carries blood from the heart to all parts of the body. Arteries are under high pressure; if cut, bleeding will be bright red, profuse and spurt in time with the heart beat.
Vein: carries blood from all parts of body back to the heart. Veins are under low pressure; if cut, blood will be darker red and flow evenly.
Capillaries: are microscopic vessels with thin walls located throughout body tissues.
Capillary Refill: used to check circulation. Roll dogs lips back and press down on a non pigmented area of the gums with one finger. The area will turn from pink to white. Once pressure is removed, the pink color should return in 1 to 2 seconds. If it takes long than 2 seconds, it is a sign of impaired capillary return which is a sign of shock.
Closed Fracture: broken or cracked bone where skin is NOT penetrated.
Open Fracture: broken bone with skin IS penetrated.
Ligament: a band of tissue connecting one bone to another. Ligaments are tough and have little elasticity. Most are located around joints to give extra support, to prevent excessive or abnormal range of motion and to resist twisting motion. Ligaments have a limited blood supply, thus healing takes longer.
Sprain: an injury involving stretching or tearing of a joint ligament.
Tendon: the end part of the muscle that attaches to the bone. High tensile strength and can endure an enormous amount of tension and do not rupture easily.
Strain: stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon.
Closed Wounds: no broken skin; dog shows one or more signs of limping, pain, distress, swelling or heat in affected area.
Abrasion: a shallow scrape, it is red and “angry” looking and may seep blood or clear serum.
Partial Laceration: is a cut that goes only part-way through the skin. The thickness of a dog’s skin varies quite a bit depending upon the breed of dog and the location on the body. In large dogs, the skin over the trunk and upper limbs is approximately 1/8 inch. In small dogs, it is closer to 1/16 inch. In all dogs, the skin of the lips and chin is the thickest and the skin in the groin (or inguinal) and underarm (or axillary) areas is the thinnest. All of the toes, the main part of the paw, and a small area behind the carpal joint (the joint equivalent to our wrist) have additional protection in the form of pads, where the skin layer is thick, roughened, and resistant to punctures and lacerations. The pads serve the same purpose as a shoe would to us, but they are not as tough. Think of them more as moccasins: they can be cut, punctured, or worn through, and if you walk on hot sand or pavement, they can transmit enough heat to cause a painful blister. Pads are actually modified skin and do not have an additional layer of skin underneath them.
Full-thickness Skin Laceration: goes through the epidermis (which is the dry outer layer which contains pigment, if present) and the dermis (which is the tougher, thicker layer just under the thin epidermis. A simple, full-thickness skin laceration exposes, but does not significantly penetrate, the whitish-pink, loose, subcutaneous tissue. Although you may see the white, dense, fibrous tissue of fascia (which is the tough, white sheet that covers some muscles), ligaments, or tendons, it is rare to see bone with a simple skin laceration unless the bone is very close to the surface, as it is over the lower joints of the limbs, or on the area of the back leg equivalent to our “shin.”
Frostbite: freezing of the deeper tissues due to prolonged exposure to cold. Commonly affected areas include scrotum, teats, ears, tail and feet.
Hypothermia: core body temperature drops below 35 Celsius. Injured animals are more prone to hypothermia.
Heat Stroke/Prostration: results from an animal’s inability to lower its own body temperature when exposed to excess sunlight and heat. Breathing in cool air and exhaling warm air is an animal’s method of controlling body temperature. If the outside temperature is over 39 Celsius an animal cannot cool itself down quickly enough with normal respirations.
Minor or Superficial Burn: does not extend beyond the dermis layer of skin
Major or Third Degree Burn: penetrates to the subcutaneous tissue
Vital Signs
Heart Rate (Pulse): 80 -160 per minute
Use finger tips (not thumb)
Femoral artery: inside of back leg where it joins the body.
Alternative: Neck area
Count beat for 10 seconds, multiply by 6
Temperature: 38.5 Celsius
Respiration (Breathing): 12-40/minute
Count how many times chest rises in 15 seconds, multiply by 4
Alternative: your hand or tissue in front of the nose
ABC's
Airway – is it clear?
Check to ensure airway is clear
Remove any obstructions that are easily/reasonably accessible
Be particularly careful with swallowed string (string can cut the throat)
Breathing – is your dog breathing?
Watch and count respiration. If not breathing:
AR(Artificial Respiration): Close dogs mouth – blow into dog’s nasal passage until chest rises –
remove your mouth to allow air to escape. Repeat 10 times (1 breath every 3 sec). Reassess
breathing.
If the chest rises, there is no obstruction.
If chest does not rise – an obstruction exists – Heimlich manoeuvre.
Circulation – is there a heart beat?
If not commence CPR immediately.
Check for external bleeding – treat appropriately
Check for signs of internal bleeding.
Restraint or Mouth Tie
Injured animals will often snap or bite - protect yourself
Emergency Muzzle: Broad piece of fabric (string or laces can cut into the skin) - place across the muzzle, twist under the lower jaw, tie behine the ears.
Transportation:
Check for the nearest Vet when entering a new area
Use a back board (if possible) to avoid further injuries.
Support an injured leg using a towel, blanket or triangle bandage
Keep an injured chest DOWN – to allow for good lung freedom.
Crushed chest – least injured side up.
Artificial Respiration (AR)
Animal has stopped breathing but still has a heart beat.
ABC's
Symptoms:
Obvious trauma
Witnessed choking
No chest movement
Cyanosis (blue lips and tongue)
Action:
Pull tongue forward
Clear out any visible objects
Close mouth tightly
Place your mouth over the nose.
Blow into the nose until chest rises.
Remove your mouth from the animals nose to allow air to escape
REPEAT: 10 times, 1 breath every 3 seconds; reassess breathing.
Continue AR until the animal begins to breath on their own and/or during transportation to the vet.
Shock:
Shock is a condition in which the circulation of blood is inadequate to meet the needs of the body’s vital organs (brain, heart, lungs).
Causes:
Severe injury
Blood loss
Burns
Fluid loss (vomiting, diarrhea)
Poisoning
Drowning
Heart Failure
Signs:
Pale gums and lips
Weak and rapid pulse
Rapid, shallow irregular breathing
Poor capillary circulation
Dilated pupils
Cold skin and legs
Weakness, unsteadiness
Collapse and/or unconsciousness
Action:
Restrain and handle gently, keeping animal as quiet as possible
Check ABC’s plus check “capillary refill”
Control any bleeding
Keep warm (apply blankets under and over the dog)
Transport immediately to vet.
If there will be more than a 3 hour delay in reaching a vet some fluids may be called for. Use a
warm water solution of:
•½ teaspoon salt
•½ teaspoon baking soda
•2 cups warm water
•Give 1 oz for every 30 lbs of body weight, every 20-30 minutes for 4 to 5 doses.
Frostbite:
Signs:
Scaling of the skin
Leathery feel to skin
Whitened, waxy appearance to tissues
Action:
Handle carefully and warm slowly
Move inside – wrap in blankets
Immerse affected part in warm water (42-44 Celsius) until tissues become flushed
If thawed and refrozen: warm at room temperature
DO NOT’s
Do not apply snow to the affected part
Do not rub the affected part
Do not burst any blisters that may form
Hypothermia: Lowering of core body temperature to below 35 Celsius.
Signs:
Shivering (will stop as SEVERITY of hypothermia increases)
Still muscles
Cold to the touch
Low pulse rate
Low respiratory rate
Low body temperature
Fixed and dilated pupils
Frozen extremities
Lethargy leading to eventual unconsciousness
Action:
Move to shelter
Warm using blankets and warmed towels
Treat Frost bite
Treat Shock
If conscious, give a warm liquid/sugar mixture to drink
Heat Stroke/Prostration
Results when an animal is unable to lower its own body temperature. The action of breathing in cool air and exhaling warm air is an animals natural way of cooling down.
Note: a long hair animal is insulated by its coat not only from cold but also against heat. Clipping the coat in summer will not prevent heat stroke.
Signs:
panting and brick red gums
increased heart rate
increased temperature
difficulty breathing with cyanosis (blue gums and tongue)
increased Capillary Refill time (see definitions)
confusion/stupor
vomiting/diarrhoea
seizures
coma
Action:
Place animal in cool shaded area; wrap in wet cooled towels
Submerge in cool water (keeping head above water) or spray with a hose
Check temperature every 5 minutes - stop cooling process when temperature reaches 38.5C
As animal improves encourage it to drink to replace lost body fluids.
Open Wounds
Assess the nature of bleeding:
Laceration of vein or capillary: bleeding should stop with applied pressure within a few minutes
Artery laceration: required immediate first aid
Bleeding from an ear, foot pad, tail or penis can result in fatal hemorrhaging.
If bleeding continues – add more dressings – DO NOT remove original dressing as this will only disturb any clotting process and aggravate the bleeding.
Open Wound - First Aid:
Restrain the animal to avoid excitement and increased bleeding
Apply direct pressure to the wound using a sterile gauze (pressure bandage)
Secure firmly with gauze, cloth or triangular bandage. Tie in place over the bleeding point for extra pressure
A tourniquet may be required in the case of a lacerated artery
Tail:
Apply first aid
Secure bandaged tail to the animal to prevent further bleeding.
Ear:
Apply first aid to the affected area
Secure the dressing with tape, or a nylon or sock with the bottom cut out.
Footpad:
Apply first aid using a firm pressure pad
Immobilize the foot using a triangular bandage, towel, blanket or gauze strips.
Penis:
Apply first aid
Cold compresses help slow and/or control bleeding
Remove if there is a female in heat in the area. An erection will cause uncontrollable bleeding.
Impaled Object:
DO not remove the object – this could cause more damage
Apply a ring bandage or build pads up around object
Secure ring bandage in place
Sucking Chest Wound:
This occurs when an object has penetrated the chest cavity and air enters the chest round the lungs. The animal will be in severe distress, have great difficulty breathing, and there will be an audible “sucking” noise. An animal will with type of wound will go into shock very quickly.
Apply plastic directly over the wound – if plastic is not available use cloth or dressing
Apply pressure until sucking noise stops
Secure dressing in place with bandages, tape or your hand
Treat for sock
Closed Wounds
Not all wounds show bleeding and broken skin. Do not assume that because there is no broken skin with bleeding that the animal is not injured.
Signs:
Limping
Pain, distress
Swelling
Heat in affected area
Scratching around area
Action:
Bathe area in cold water
Apply an ice pack
Clean any scratched area with a mild disinfectant
Crushed Chest:
Signs:
Breathing abdominally
Elbows sticking out when the animal is standing
Stretching out neck
Pain, distress
Actions:
Raise head to help keep airway clear
Treat for shock
Internal Bleeding:
Can be either “concealed” or “visible”. Concealed internal bleeding occurs where the animal is bleeding into the chest or abdomen cavities, where there are no natural openings. Visible internal bleeding occurs where the bleeding enters into a body cavity but the blood comes to the outside through openings such as the ears, nose, mouth or rectum.
Signs:
History or witnessing traumas such as an auto accident or severe fall
Signs of shock
Visible bleeding from earns, nose, mouth or rectum
Coughing up bright red, frothy blood
Vomiting bright red or brownish red blood
Distress and pain
Elevated pulse
Action:
Treat for shock
No food or drink
Signs of Eye Injury:
Rubbing and pawing of the eyes
Swollen eyelid
Eye tightly shut
Photophobia (sensitive to light)
Watering eyes
Squinting
Action for Foreign Bodies:
Separate eyelids and examine eye carefully
Remove obvious foreign bodies gently using the tip of a moist cotton swab or corner of a clean
cloth.
DO NO attempt to remove a foreign object closely stuck to the surface of the eye. Use water orVisine to irrigate the eye. DO NOT touch or wipe the eyeball.
Laceration of Eyelids:
Apply direct pressure to the eyelids to control bleeding (cold compresses help to slow or control
bleeding)
When bleeding is controlled, LOOSELY apply a protective gauze and head bandage.
Eyeball Laceration:
Apply cold compresses to control bleeding
Cover both eyes with a LOOSE bandage
Steady the head to prevent further injury
DO NOT remove protruding objects
DO NOT apply pressure to an injured eyeball
Chemical Irritants:
Flush the eye immediately with water from inside corner to outside
Continue flushing for 10 – 15 minutes
Ear Injuries
Wounds of the ear can result in a loss of a large amount of blood. Treat immediately with pressure bandage.
Foreign Bodies and Insects:
If the foreign body is visible, gently remove it.
Shining a bright light in the ear may encourage insects to crawl out.
DO NOT probe to remove anything deep within the ear.
BONE, JOINT & LIGAMENT INJURIES
SIGNS
Inability to use a leg
Pain (at or near the injury)
Deformity of the limb
Swelling and discoloration
Grating or crepitus (noise of ends of bone rubbing together)
Shortening of the limb
Visible protruding bone fragments
Hearing the bone crack
Action:
Control bleeding (priority)
Treat for shock
Cover protruding bone with a ring bandage
Move the injured leg as little as possible
Use a support for the injured limb (towel or blanket)
SPLINTING:
Splinting a break is only required if transportation to a vet will be a rough ride or if there is a significant delay in reaching a vet. IMPORTANT: If the animal is struggling excessively as you try to apply the spin, it is better to give up, you may be defeating the purpose by causing the animal more pain and perhaps further injury.
Important principles to follow:
Handle a broken limb as little as possible
Wounds should be treated prior to splinting
Limb should be splinted in the position you find it in.
Splint should give support from the joint above the injury to the joint below
Splint should be well padded for the animal’s comfort and to prevent further injury
Secure the splint with bandages above and below the injury
Check splint regularly to ensure it is not too tight – as swelling develops, the bandages will become tighter.
NEVER bandage or splint fractures of the rib cage or pelvis
Suggested Splints:
Pieces of wood
Magazines,
Folded towels or blankets
SPINAL INJURY:
Signs: Paralysis, stiff forelegs, head thrust back
Action: Treat for shock. Transport carefully avoiding unnecessary movement to avoid further injury
HEAD INJURIES
Any severe head injury is often associated with a spinal injury. When transporting, always treat as if there is a spinal injury.
Signs:
Decreased alertness
Unconsciousness
Lack of coordination
Unequal pupil size
Vomiting
Convulsions
Colorless fluid or blood coming from ears and/or nose
Difficulty breathing or respiratory arrest
Obvious injury to head
Action:
ABC's and transport
In all injury Actions: the first step is to restrain the animal as appropriate – the last step is transport to a vet.
