Evolución de la marcha y propiocepción en caninos con afecciones neuromotoras sometidos a ejercicios terapéuticos atendidos en dos centros de especialidad veterinarios de Guayaquil.

Abstract

Neuromotor disorders in canines can cause alterations in gait and proprioception, affecting their functional capacity. For this reason, therapeutic exercises constitute a complementary tool within the rehabilitation process. The objective of this study was to determine the evolution of gait and proprioception in canines with neuromotor disorders treated at two specialty veterinary centers in Guayaquil. A quantitative, observational, descriptive, and longitudinal study was conducted from May to July, in which 53 canines that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The sample was characterized according to breed, sex, age, and weight, in addition to identifying the most frequent causes of neuromotor disorders. The evolution of gait and proprioception was assessed through the initial evaluation and the last recorded evaluation during the rehabilitation process, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Herniated disc was the diagnosis observed most frequently with 18.9 %, followed by cervical herniated disc with 17.0 % and finally lumbar intervertebral disc disease with 13.2 %. When comparing the initial and final assessments, it was observed that the mean gait score decreased from 3 to 1, while the median proprioception score decreased from 2 to 1. From a statistical perspective, these changes were significant (p < 0.001), thus demonstrating a positive functional improvement throughout the follow-up period. Therefore, therapeutic exercises may be considered a complementary resource within the canine neurological rehabilitation process.