2 Nov 2020
“It was previously thought such differences were purely aesthetic and had no impact on the animal’s motion, but what we have found dispels such notions” – Constanza Gómez Álvarez, University of Surrey.
Vet Times
Job Title
New research from the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Science has shown the movement of German shepherd dogs is dependent on their shape – particularly their back slope.
During this unique study, funded by The Kennel Club through The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, researchers examined the body shape of one of the UK’s most popular breeds.
Commonly observed variations in body shape included differences in the slope and curvature of the back, and the posture of their hindlegs.
To evaluate the impact of these variations on the way the animals move and stand, researchers invited 60 German shepherd dogs and their owners into the university’s biomechanics laboratory.
Researchers used infrared motion capture cameras and light-reflecting sensors to examine the dogs’ movements, and a high-resolution foot pressure platform to observe foot loading.
They found the dogs’ movements were significantly affected by their body shape. It was found those with sloped backs support more weight on their forelimbs and place the limbs closer together while standing.
The study found unilateral (one-sided) differences in the movement of joints in the hindlimbs of the dogs – in particular stifle flexion, hock flexion and adduction, and external rotation – suggesting greater motion lop-sidedness in dogs with a more sloped back.
Externally rotated hocks on any dog are known to be linked to lack of muscle balance in the hind limbs in dogs with a spread stance. This suggests maintaining a healthy muscle mass in the hindlimbs can be essential in this breed.
Constanza Gómez Álvarez – former lecturer in musculoskeletal biology at the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine, honorary senior lecturer of Brunel University London and a visiting research fellow in the University of Cambridge Department of Veterinary Medicine – said: “A common feature of some German shepherd dogs is a distinct sloping and/or curvature of their spine.
“It was previously thought such differences were purely aesthetic and had no impact on the animal’s motion, but what we have found dispels such notions.”
Dr Gómez Álvarez added: “Those with a sloping back move differently, and not always in a symmetric way. These results highlight a link between sloping backs and the biomechanics of German shepherd dogs that may go some way in explaining the prevalence of clinical conditions in some dogs, but not others, like hip and elbow dysplasia.
“Further investigations resulting from the dogs with signs of musculoskeletal pain will show if there is any correlation between joint pain and shape or not at all.”
