This letter describes why you should consult a specialized veterinarian with any concerns about your assistance dog:

Memphis came home to me at 9.5 weeks, all warm chocolate labrador with waggy tail and the sweetest, brightest, most earnest personality. He’d been started from birth with the kind of love, care and conditioning that would set him up to be a great service dog. My need and intention was for a service dog that would do light mobility tasks along with some alert and psychiatric tasking.

Within a few months, I noticed that he had unusual postures at times, as well as a couple other concerns with his body and movement.

It was hard to really get clear answers on what was going on with him orthopedically and related to his potential service dog work. Through four different primary care veterinarians over two years and two states,  I felt the  tone and message was I’m sure he’s fine, nothing to see here.

With his breeder, we eventually found our way to a great university vet center (UPenn, Sports and Performance), who on a thorough examination and review of his records, was able to allay some of my concerns. But they also revealed that he had anatomical changes and issues developing (at 2.5!) that required deliberate intervention if he were to remain healthy.

I learned that yes, the concerns I had did indicate potential problems and they needed support. There had already been anatomical changes that my lack of knowing, in how to care for him, had resulted. Gratefully, I learned that they were still largely reversible and that I’d intervened at a good point in his life (though earlier would have been of course even better). I learned that the right kind of exercise, a good home physical therapy practice, body awareness and a good fitness training course needed to be very important parts of his life.  I learned what specific care he would need based on his unique conformation and role in my life.

Some of these were as simple as encouraging him in a proper sit, how to teach him to properly do a stand from a down and a down/settle, physical therapy exercises to build core strength, how to properly fit and use a harness, and what supplements were effective (and not!).  They gave me clear direction on the mobility tasks that were safe and appropriate for him and for us as a team.

Our mobility service dogs give so much to us.  I can’t even imagine life without my dog.  I want to make sure that he is as healthy and as well cared for as I can possibly manage, and I found getting the right information and direction on that to be surprisingly more complicated than I’d expected. But persistence paid off for us!  My advice would be to identify a working dog / sport/performance vet practice or university program that specializes in assessing dogs for their working role, and in supporting them. Let them prescribe the needed support and practices to make sure that our dogs stay healthy and happy for as long as possible.    

Shared by Teresa Youngblood