Laurie's Blogs.

Hey Laurie,

I just signed up for your forum but wasn’t sure if there was a place to post this question.

In humans we see an occasional “traction reaction” or adverse reaction to traction

I am treating a 11 y.o. black lab with significant spondylosis throughout. PMX: L7S1 decompression 2/19/14, (L) Cruciate repair 4 years ago

More recently he has been dropping in the rear and getting a little ataxic in the rear as well. I evaluated and found pain at C7.

I started cervical traction and at first he was ok with it, then wammo, he started fighting me and became increasingly ataxic in that session…ugh, crap!

Since then no matter how I place my hands, what position we use or how softly I progress he fights it. He also objects to a tail pull. If all I do is laser and thoracic flexion he is fine.

So, my question is have you seen this, and is so what do you postulate this reaction to be?

Thanks!

J.P.

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Hi J.,

I have mostly only seen it with people - where you release pressure on the nerve & (presumably) the nerve responds by THEN reacting to the previous compression by becoming inflamed & worsening the symptoms.

So, I guess this could happen as well with a dog!

The other thought process is that the issue is a bit of an instability of C7... but I'm thinking it would show up before now!

Try doing just mobilizations (side glides) for a while - and chest lifts with stabilization of T2, then T3, then T3.  Get him used to sensations in and around the C7 area.

What position / type of traction are you trying?  Side lying?  Sternal?  Over your lap?

Maybe TENS during traction would change his 'thinking' about it.

And when you do or can get him to 'buy in' again (to test it even), stick with a grade 1 or 2.  Maybe even try some slow gentle tugging ('pulls' sounds gentler, no?) on his head so he learns to trust that again.  Maybe work towards it with myofascial holds for the lateral neck musculature one side at a time.

If he's not on pain meds, and it's not a problem due to other health issues, perhaps combining NSAIDS along with traction could help to get him 'over' this hump.

Thoughts off the top of my head anyways.  

(And yes, this kind of question could go well in the Forum.  Maybe in the Neurology section.  I might post it there for you and/or save it for next week's blog post!)

Let me know how it goes as you progress!

Cheers,

Laurie

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Thanks Laurie!

I’ll give those things a try. I had tried the traction in lateral and sternal. He is fine with side glides and rotation so I will go back to those as well.

Thanks!