Development of a simple method to measure static body weight distribution in neurologically and orthopedically normal mature small breed dogs

Abstract

Background Objective outcome measures capable of tracking different aspects of functional recovery in dogs with acute intervertebral disc herniation are needed to optimize physical rehabilitation protocols. Normal, pre-injury distribution of body weight in this population is unknown. The aims of this study were to quantify static weight distribution (SWD) using digital scales and to establish the feasibility of different scale methods in neurologically normal, mature, chondrodystrophic small breed dogs predisposed to intervertebral disc herniation. Results Twenty-five healthy, mature dogs were enrolled with a mean age of 4.6 years (SD 2.7) and a mean total body weight of 11.5 kg (SD 3.6). SWD for the thoracic and pelvic limbs and between individual limbs was acquired in triplicate and expressed as a percentage of total body weight using commercially available digital scales in four combinations: two bathroom, two kitchen (with thoracic and pelvic limbs combined), four bathroom and four kitchen (with limbs measured individually). SWD was also obtained using a pressure sensing walkway for comparison to scale data. Feasibility for each method was determined and coefficients of variation were used to calculate inter-trial variability. Mean SWD values were compared between methods using an ANOVA. The two bathroom scales method had the highest feasibility and lowest inter-trial variability and resulted in mean thoracic and pelvic limb SWD of 63 % (SD 3 %) and 37 % (SD 3 %), respectively. Thoracic limb mean SWD was higher for the PSW compared to any of the scale methods (p < 0.0001). Conclusions SWD in a population of healthy chondrodystrophic dogs was simple to obtain using inexpensive and readily available digital scales. This study generated SWD data for subsequent comparison to dogs recovering from acute intervertebral disc herniation.

Static Body Weight Distribution and Girth Measurements Over Time in Dogs After Acute Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Extrusion

“…Owners gave informed consent, and procedures were conducted in accordance to Purdue Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (protocol #1804001743). Study dogs were compared to a previously published group of neurologically and orthopedically normal adult chondrodystrophic dogs used to develop our methods ( 5 ).…”

“…Static weight distribution was determined using commercially available, factory-calibrated digital bathroom 1 (range 1.4 to 200 kg, 0.1 kg accuracy) or kitchen scales 2 (range 1 g to 5 kg, 1 g accuracy) as previously described ( 5 ). Briefly, dogs were placed in a standing position, with each limb centered on an individual scale or, separately, with each pair of limbs (thoracic or pelvic) centered on a scale ( Supplementary Figures 1 , 2 ).…”

“…Mean PL% of TL-IVDE dogs at each visit was compared to mean PL% for the healthy control dogs ( 5 ). Excluding the LF dogs ( n = 3, OFS <7 by 12 weeks) who did not recover ambulation in the typical timeframe, PL% of the HF dogs at each visit was also compared to PL% for the control dogs.…”

“…Digital scales have been used to evaluate pelvic limb static weight distribution (SWD) in dogs ( 5 – 7 ). In neurologically normal, chondrodystrophic small breed dogs, a mean of 63% of total body weight was borne by the thoracic limbs with a mean of 37% on the pelvic limbs ( 5 ), which is comparable to healthy large breed dogs in which 64% of body weight was placed on the thoracic limbs ( 7 ). This method was noted to be reliable and useful in dogs with osteoarthritis undergoing rehabilitation ( 6 ) but has not been explored in dogs with TL-IVDE.…”

Path Analysis of Perception of Heat Pressure, Pulse Rate, Body Temperature Against Heat Strain Events in Workers in Brem Production Industry

“…The oral temperature is lower at 0.6 % than the main body temperature (EUCTR2020-001951-42-PL, 2020). Controlling body weight can be done with a bathroom scale (Linder et al, 2021). The test body weight is can do at beginning of work and after clarifying with heat stress (National Institute For Occupational Safety and Health, 2016).…”