CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURIES 

Do you know what a Crucite Ligament injury is?  I didn't know either, until a dog that was staying with me, suddenly give out loud yelp, couldn't walk and keeled over in agony. It picked itself up then slowly and painfully limped back to the car. A visit to the vet told us that the dog was suffering from a cruciat ligament injury. This is a very painful condition that sometimes needs surgery, often long periods of rest and definitely no bungee jumping or triathalon activities for the rest of its life.

How can I tell if my dog has cruciate ligament disease?

Chronic limping is the commonest sign of crucite ligament injury. There are several types of ligament injury - hips, knees and paws. This may appear suddenly during or after exercise in some dogs, or it may be progressive and intermittent in others. Some dogs are simultaneously affected in both knees, and these dogs often find it difficult to rise from a prone position and have a very “doddery” gait. In severe cases, dogs cannot get up at all and can be mistakenly suspected of having a spinal problem.

One of the causes of a cruciate ligament strain is the dog being forced to jog with its owner day in and day out.  Dogs are not programmed to pound the pavements; they don't wear special trainers to soften the pressure on their joints.  Dogs are born to take leisurely ambles leaving a pee mail here and there or sniff some one else's messages.  The owners always say the same thing "Oh! but he loves jogging with me!"  Of course he loves running behind you.  You feed him so he will stick close to you!

Another cause of cruciate ligament injury is throwing the ball or a frisbee with a chucker. The dog jumps for it, twists its body and lands awkwardly on its back legs.  From my observtions, this type of injury seems to happen to bigger dogs such as Labradors and Rotties. It also sometimes happens to smaller dogs who maybe over weight or like jumping at objects.

One of the worst things about a cruciate ligament injury is that the dog suffers chronic arthritis and discomfort in old age, especially if it has had to undergo an operation to repair the torn ligament.

On to a totally different subject.

Niccolo, has lost his beautiful collar, in Regents Park, and as you can see from the photograph, he is feeling pretty miz about losing it.
If you happen to find it, please return to Emma Richler who walks  every day in the park with Niccolo.

It is a very distinctive collar and was  specially made for him by www.meggiemoo.dk/.

Log on and have a look at  some of the beautiful collars and coats that she makes.

Now here is something you really didn't know...........

The flying ants and biting bugs season came and went!

During those few heady days of hot weather that we had in july, the air was alive with flying ants. They caused havoc as they swarmed into people's homes and in their gardens. They were everywhere even when riding on the London Underground and buses. They ruined the picnics of everyone out and about in London parks. People were swatting them and doing war dances on them. Neither the flying ants or human beings had a good time of it.

But it turns out that male ants weren't having a great time of it either - after mating, the females drop to the ground to start a new nest.  The  poor old males meanwhile, are killed instantly from the force of their own genitals exploding. Yup! that's right. Exploding flying ant genitals. Happy September everyone!

That's it until my next blog when I hope to find another little known item to tell you about doggie behaviour,  (and maybe even flying ants!)

                                                       Dawn ("-")