Kinetic characterization of Transmontano Mastiff dog using a pressure platform

• Autor(a) principal: Gaspar, Rita Andreia Rodrigues
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://hdl.handle.net/10348/12216
• topic: gait analysis; ground reaction forces

This dissertation is organized into four chapters. The first one is a short introduction, then follows a chapter with the literature review on gait analysis and the origin of the Transmontano Mastiff dog (TMD). Then the chapter that concerns the research work and at last a chapter of future perspectives. Gait analysis on a pressure platform objectively assesses and characterizes a dog’s movement and stance weight distribution. However, variations between breeds were reported and records are lacking for some breeds. This work aims to characterize the Transmontano Mastiff dog’s gait with parameters obtained in a pressure platform. To obtain gait information six healthy Transmontano Mastiff dogs, over one year of age, walked on a pressure platform. After some time to adjust to the platform, the dogs were guided by a leash at a comfortable velocity, and at least three trials for each dog were obtained. For a trial to be accepted, the dogs should walk at a constant velocity, looking forward, without turning or raising/lowering their head. The results showed values for both peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) in the forelimbs, approximately, 60%, and in the hindlimbs 40%. The stance time presented values with normal duration. The conclusion is that this breed follows normal kinetic parameters, including the expected weight distribution (PVF and VI) in orthopedically healthy dogs, about 60% in the forelimbs and 40% in the hindlimbs. This objective information on gait can improve the diagnosis of lameness in clinical practice and facilitate the follow-up after treatments without previous records. However, more data should be collected in order to have a bigger sample and a better perspective of the breed.