🐺 Codie 💦
Beautiful Codie is 13 years young and attends our hydrotherapy clinic to help maintain her limb function and muscle mass as she enjoys her senior years 🩵
You might notice that Codie has a pacing gait when she walks — meaning the legs on the same side move forward together, rather than in a diagonal pattern.
So why aren’t we correcting it? 🤔
In Codie’s case, pacing has become her normal, comfortable walking pattern. For many older dogs — especially larger breeds like Huskies — pacing can:
✨ Reduce rotational forces through the spine
✨ Feel more stable and energy-efficient
✨ Be a long-established motor pattern
✨ Help them compensate for age-related weakness or stiffness
At 13, our goal isn’t to “perfect” her gait — it’s to keep her comfortable, strong, and functional 💪
Trying to force a different pattern could actually make her feel unstable or fatigued. Instead, we focus on:
💦 Maintaining muscle mass
💦 Supporting joint mobility
💦 Improving overall strength and endurance
💦 Preserving her confidence and quality of life
Rehab in senior dogs is about working with the body they have — not against it 🩵
And Codie is doing beautifully 🐾✨
📍 Vet-led Physiotherapy & Acupuncture – Dundonald
📍 Pool & Underwater Treadmill Clinical Hydrotherapy – East Belfast