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Labrador Retrievers - History, Breed Predispositions and What McTimoney Therapy Can Do To Help

  • 12/05/2013

The Labrador Retriever (also known as the Labrador, or Lab for short) is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. The Labrador, once known as the Lesser Newfoundland or St John's Dog, is the most popular breed of dog (by registered ownership) in the world. It is also the most popular breed of assistance dog in the UK, the United States, Australia, and many other countries as well as being widely used by police and other official bodies for their detection and working abilities. Typically, Labradors are athletic, love to swim, play catch and retrieve games, and are good with young children.

The Lab is native to Newfoundland, where it worked side by side with fishermen catching fish that came loose from the lines and trained to jump into the icy waters to help pull in the nets. Specimens were brought to England in the 1800's by English ships coming from Labrador. The breed was crossed with setters, spaniels and other types of retrievers to improve their instincts as a hunter.

Field and trial-bred Labs are sometimes referred to as American Labs and show-bred dogs as English Labs. There are significant differences between these two lines, arising as a result of specialised breeding. Dogs bred for hunting and field-trial work are primarily selected for their working ability, where as dogs bred to compete in conformation shows are selected for their conformation which needs to be to the standards and characteristics sought by judges in the show ring.

While individual dogs may vary, in general show-bred Labradors are heavier built, slightly shorter-bodied, and have a thicker coat and tail. They have broader heads, better defined stops, and more powerful necks. Field Labradors are generally longer legged, lighter, and more lithe in build, with lighter and slightly narrower heads and longer muzzles. Field-bred Labradors are commonly higher energy and more highly-strung than the Labrador bred for conformation showing, and as a consequence may be more suited to working relationships than being a "family pet".

Some breeders, especially those specialising in the field type, feel that breed shows do not adequately recognise their type of dog, leading to occasional debate regarding officially splitting the breed into subtypes.

A Labrador Retriever that eats a well balanced diet, and is provided with adequate exercise would be expected to live between 10 and 13 years. However, as with any breed of dog, the Lab is also prone to certain diseases and health risks.

Being one of the larger breeds, the Labrador Retriever is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. This joint/bone disease causes the hip and/or elbow joints to become loose. When dogs exhibit symptoms of hip dysplasia they usually are in pain, experience some swelling and are lame on one or both rear legs. The amount of pain depends on the activity of the dog, the weight of the dog, and the overall degree of the problem. Severe arthritis can develop as a result of the malformation of the hip joint and this results in pain as the disease progresses.

Another common problem is luxating patella, where the kneecap 'floats' and leads to the affected leg becoming bow shaped.

Hereditary myopathy is a disease affecting the muscles which is often caused by over breeding.

And finally, osteoarthritis, which is prevalent in older dogs, is often a sign of an overweight animal.

An animal suffering from hip dysplasia will move and carry itself in a particular way to avoid feeling pain, which may subsequently cause problems in the back or other parts of the body.

These issues and others can lead to misalignments. A misalignment is classed as a joint which is not in its optimum position in relation to other joints close to it. This causes a loss of movement within the joint which affects the mobility of that specific area of the body. This in turn affects the muscles around the joint and can lead to muscle wastage, as well as compensation by the body in other areas, leading to hypertension.

Misalignments can also cause pain which will affect how the dog moves and behaves and potentially lead to other problems such as aggression. A reluctance to play, to carry out work or the dog walking with an abnormal posture are also common signs of discomfort.

McTimoney therapy is a chiropractic-style* technique which was introduced in the 1950s by the late John McTimoney, an innovator who applied his chiropractic skills to animals.

For over 40 years, McTimoney animal practitioners have been helping animals such as horses, dogs, cats and farm animals with this non-invasive technique which involves no tools, drugs or anaesthetic and which most animals readily accept.

The McTimoney technique aims to align and balance the animal's musculoskeletal system. By manipulating any misaligned joints throughout the whole body, with special attention to the spine and pelvis, it helps both to restore and maintain health, soundness and performance. The fast but gentle adjustments are light to receive, so most animals relax during the treatment and respond positively. McTimoney adjustments can be used alongside massage, mobilisation and stretching as appropriate for the individual animal.

A practitioner visiting a new client should always take a detailed case history and be aware of potential breed-specific issues before attempting treatment of the animal. If any of the above conditions are suspected but have not yet been identified by a vet, it would be advisable to have the dog thoroughly checked over by a vet before proceeding with any form of alternative treatment.

McTimoney therapy works well as a complimentary therapy for Labradors in most of the conditions mentioned above, helping to correct any secondary compensatory issues encountered, relieving the discomfort of the dog, restoring mobility in the joints and thereby reducing pain and muscle spasm. It can also help to increase muscle tone, circulation and flexibility, ultimately improving the overall health, comfort and performance of the animal.

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