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Kinesiology Taping for the Canine
The Basics
Matt Brunke, DVM, CCRP, CVPP, CVA
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

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American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

CHI INSTITUTE
TRADITIONAL CHINESE VETERINARY MEDICINE

IVAPM

IRONMAN
Lake Placid

ROSS UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

A little about me... I like to keep busy.

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Course Objectives
- Part One – skin and kinesiology taping
- Part Two – why/how to tape animals
- Part Three – what research is there?

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Skin

Largest Organ in the Body

“Don’t forget the hair”

Canine Skin (Normal)

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Remember fascia- anatomy?

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Canine Sensory System

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Awareness

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Senses
- Think about the senses you use.
– Touch
– Smell
– Vision
– Hearing
– Taste

- Dogs are like humans in that they also use these senses to help them.

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Sense of Touch
Dogs have five categories of touch receptors within their skin, which allow them to discriminate different types of touch:
– Pain (Nocioceptors)
– Body Movement and Position (Proprioceptors)
– Temperature (Thermoreceptors)
– Pressure (Mechanoreceptors)
– Chemical Stimulation (Chemoreceptors)

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Skin and Brain...connected
Paus, Ralf., Schmelz, Martin., Biro, Tamas., Steinhoff, Martin. Frontiers in pruritus research: scratching the brain for more effective itch therapy. J Clin Invest. 2006; 116(5): 1174-1186.

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How it works....
Applying an elastic tape on the skin creates a lifting effect, decompressing the subcutaneous layers beneath the tape.

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Gate Control Theory of Pain
1. C fibre transmit pain from the periphery
2. The projection neurone transmits pain signals to the sensory cortex
3. A-beta fibres transmit mechanical stimulation impulses
4. Mechanical stimulation activates the inhibitory neurone which is able to inhibit the projection neurone to limit pain

C Fibre
Sensory Cortex
A-beta Fibre

Melzack, Ronald, and Patrick D. Wall. ""Pain mechanisms: a new theory."" Survey of Anesthesiology 11.2 (1967): 89-90.

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Possible effects of decompression/lifting
- Fluid effect – allow better flow of lymphatics / superficial blood flow
- Mechanical effect – allow better glide between tissue layers
- Neurological effect - decrease firing of pain receptors and provide alternate sensory input. Improve awareness of body position.
Exact mechanisms remain unclear...

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Mechanical Effect

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LIFTING EFFECT

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Activating The Neurosensory System

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Thank You
- Matt Brunke, DVM, CCRP, CVPP, CVA Diplomate, ACVSMR
DrMattBrunke@gmail.com
DrBrunke.wordpress.com