Conditions - Muscular - Trigger Points

 

A Trigger Point is a painful band of hyperirritable spots within the muscle and the majority of dogs are holding from one to around 10 of them which can result in drastic mobility changes. If you see your dogs skin twitching or feel lumps in the muscle which have been checked by your vet and arent tumours or cysts the likelihood is that the muscle has changed shape and tone (they will feel like marbles) and a Trigger Point has developed.

 

In the dog a trigger point can be responsible for lameness, increased stiffness, slowing down, dropping of the shoulder, lack of extension on the fore or rear legs and what some people see as ‘premature ageing’ of their dog. Trigger points in the dog can build up through years of over loading or over stress/use of a certain muscle group and can cause weakness and stiffness in a muscle or group of muscles which will affect the muscles full range of movement therefore affecting your dogs ability.

 

What Causes Trigger Points In The Dog? 

• Overuse of a muscle
• Overload
• Over work
• Repetitive Actions eg: the neck of the obedience dog
• Trauma
• Injury
• Overcompensation from other conditions eg: stabilising of arthritic joints
• Fatigue
• Sleeping in one position for an extended period of time

 

What Will I See If My Dog Has A Trigger Point 

• Tender to the touch
• Lameness
• `Hot Spots`
• Soreness
• Twitching Of The Skin
• Reluctance To Be Touched In A Certain Area
• Yelping
• Dropping of shoulder
• Depressed
• Fatigued
• Lack Of Enthusiasm On Walks
• Slowing down
• Premature Ageing
• Loss Of Sparkle In The Eye
• Lack Of Drive From The Rear
• Lack Of Reach From The Front
• Reluctance Or Inability To Jump/Go Up Stairs/Get On Bed
• Change In Posture (hunched up/roached/irregular neck carriage)

What Does A Trigger Point In A Dog Feel Like To The Dog? 

• Sore
• Painful
• Dull Ache
• Steady Ache
• Referred Pain To Other Muscles
• Restricted Movement
• Chronic Pain
• Other Muscles Affected
• Stiff
• Tender To The Touch
• Weakness

Generally, symptoms tend to decrease after light exercise and will then return with a vengeance after rest. Some dogs may start out quite happy on a walk and then their enthusiasm may seem to wane as you get further into the walk. The repetitive overload on the muscle will cause the affected muscle to weaken and fatigue quicker, as the muscle is constantly put under stress a nodule or taut band of fibres will accumulate that may be felt as small muscular bands or knots in the dog. They have also been likened to ‘rubbery large rice krispies’ or ‘marbles in mud’.

 

Human Example:

If you hold the phone underneath you ear for extended periods of time on a daily or regular basis the most common of Myofascial Knots in the human will form in the Trapezius (one of your neck muscles around 6 inches down from the base of your neck) you may find yourself constantly rubbing your neck or you may feel pain in your arm on the affected side. Even though the Trigger Point is in the neck what you will feel is referred pain to broader areas. This is incredibly common and is responsible for debilitating soreness with the inability to completely raise the arm or drop the neck.

 

What Can I Do?

Firstly note that Trigger Points DO NOT show up on X Rays as they are found in the muscle; many vets will not be trained in the palpation of trigger points; nor will they show on an MRI scan (although an MRI will show a disc bulge, disc herniation or nerve damage). If your dog is not responding to NSAID’s and other forms of pain relief or has had neurological examinations that return no explanation then it could be that your dog has myofascial pain and is holding Trigger Points which manifest as some of the symptoms described above.

If any of the above sound like your dog then get them checked out by someone who is fully aware of what at trigger point in a dog is, how they feel and what they need to do. Canine Massage For Trigger Points is one of the only modalities that will help to release Trigger Points, if you cannot find a suitable practitioner then ask for a referral to a Vet who does Acupuncture, as sometimes the dry needling effect of acupunture needles can help to release these contracted bands of tissue.

I Cant Get To A Masseuse Or Acupuncturist. Help! What Can I Do? 

• Remove any curved plastic beds. These lock the dog into position and may actually be the cause of Trigger Points in certain muscles ESPECIALLY if your dog sleeps with their neck hanging over the side of the plastic bed. Exchange it for a soft padded flat bed preferably with a couple of cushions for lumbar support. The hard plastic beds lock the dog into position, if  you use a crate then it should be big enough so the dog can move around freely in it to change position and extend their legs.
• Back On Track Coat or Bed – The Back On Track Range reflects body heat back as an infrared wave to reduce inflammation and increase circulation. They are my first choice of product for dogs who describe any of the above symptoms. They have a subtle warming effect on the body and increase blood flow through the restricted area to help mobilise the muscle. See our shop for Back On Track Dog Coats. I would personally recommend the Dog Mesh Sheet which looks and indeed is a much different fit to your regular dog coat. They have a cape to cover the neck and the extended material covers the rump (Gluteal or Hip Area) of your dog along with the thigh muscles (quadriceps) . If you purchase a Back On Track for your dog (or yourself) then be sure to follow these guidelines:

Back On Track Range work with ACCUMULATIVE use, the dog must wear the coat everyday for up to 21 days for around 4 hours at a time (for therapeutic use I will suggest a few hours wear in the day and if the dog can, let them sleep in it overnight) think of it more as a house jacket or sleep wear. (you can use them on walks and there is a water resistant range if you want your dogs to have the benefits while in the rain, snow or cold, remember Trigger Points will worsen with the cold as the muscle tries to contract and produce heat by shivering)                        

-Don’t tumble dry it                        

-Don’t wash it above 30 degrees

• Buffered Vitamin C
• Warmth – don’t leave your dog in draughty conditions, add a blanket to their bed, get them to wear a Back On Track coat or use the Back On Track Mat or Dog Bed to help increase blood flow. During the winter Trigger Points may worsen as the dog braces themselves against the cold much like we do when we hunch up our shoulders and squeeze our arms against our body to ‘keep in’ the warmth. 
• Massage At Home
• Sensible Swimming – Overswimming or extended water exercise against jets can actually cause trigger points.
•  Apply a warm hot water bottle or wheat bag to the affected area
•  Gentle Stretching – safe stretching is beneficial in the treatment of trigger points for the dog
•  Put down runners or carpet on laminated or tiled or slippy floor. This will help your dog to stabilise themselves and reduce overload and overwork on the muscles.
•  Add Vitamin B6 to the diet (found in chicken, turkey, potatoes) or add as a supplement