Showsight - October 2021

Form Follows FUNCTION

BY STEPHANIE SEABROOK HEDGEPATH

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CANINE SPINE

T he spine (vertebral column) of the dog is not only the supporting struc- ture of the body, it also carries the spinal cord, which is composed of nerves that move muscles, originate sensations, and act as a connecting link to all the systems of the body. Preserving the health of the spine begins with a physically fit dog. It is especially important to keep the dog at the proper weight to avoid added stress on this all-important part of the dog’s anatomy. I stress to my puppy buyers that allowing their dog to become overweight is essen- tially “killing them with kindness” and should be avoided at all cost. Simply put, overfeeding your dog leads to an early grave.

Figure 1. Kelpie Topline

90 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2021

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