Top 15 How To Fix Cow Hocked Dog The 99 Latest Answer

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Most treatments will focus on strengthening the hindquarters of the dog to help mask the appearance of the cow hocks and to compensate for the weakness associated with them. The exercises used for cow-hocked dogs typically focus on hind leg strength.This is commonly called being cow-hocked. It’s a term used to describe the relative position of the hocks and toes in the animal’s hind end. In cow hocked animals the hocks (the bony heel on their hind legs) are turned in and their hind feet point outwards.What causes sickle hocks? Usually, a more acute angulation of the hock joint than is normal for the breed. The hock angle doesn’t change while the dog’s leg is moving, and so from a side view, the motion of the dog’s rear legs moving is not unlike the motion of someone using a sickle.

Contents

What does cow-hocked mean in a dog?

This is commonly called being cow-hocked. It’s a term used to describe the relative position of the hocks and toes in the animal’s hind end. In cow hocked animals the hocks (the bony heel on their hind legs) are turned in and their hind feet point outwards.

What causes sickle hocks in dogs?

What causes sickle hocks? Usually, a more acute angulation of the hock joint than is normal for the breed. The hock angle doesn’t change while the dog’s leg is moving, and so from a side view, the motion of the dog’s rear legs moving is not unlike the motion of someone using a sickle.

What are cow-hocked legs?

It is a genetic misalignment of the hind leg joints. In most cases, cow-hock is nothing more than a goofy-looking flaw in your kitty. But, cow-hocking falls on a spectrum, from slightly visible defect to acute spinal disability.

Where is the cow Hock located?

This means the first joint from the ground on the hind leg is the ankle (hock), not the knee, which is why it bends in the opposite direction to our knee. The knee is further up the leg, almost hidden by the leg muscles, while the hip is very high up, just below the base of the tail.

Is cow-hocked hereditary?

Being “cow-hocked” is a conformational anomaly. It is hereditary and it is not recommended to breed affected dogs. This condition is often associated with abnormalities elsewhere in the hindlimbs…. hip dysplasia most often.

What causes a dog to be bow legged?

Fast-growing puppies, especially the heavy breeds, have considerable pressure on the long bones of the legs while they are growing. The scaffolding of protein and cartilage is laid down at the growth plate and that frame work is soft and will bow to pressure.

Do dog hock braces work?

The small hock or carpal joints can be particularly vulnerable to injury. Fortunately, there is a fantastic option for your dog. A carpal brace can help treat canine carpal and hock issues so your beloved pet has the best chance to make a full recovery.

How do I treat my dogs swollen hock?

Dog Hock Brace & Other Treatments

When surgery is not the best option, conservative treatment options for dog sprains and strains to the hock may include medication to help with swelling, arnica for soft tissue injuries that can lead to bruising, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and orthopedic bracing.

What does sickle hock look like?

If a horse has a sickle hock, the point of the hock is in line with the hip, but the cannon bone is angled so that the hoof is too far forward. In other words, the hind leg is slightly curved, like a sickle.

What is a cow hook?

a. The tarsal joint of the hind leg of certain quadrupeds, such as horses and dogs, corresponding to the human ankle but bending in the opposite direction. b. A joint in the leg of a domestic fowl similar to the hock of a quadruped.

What is hock injury?

Hock instability: What is it? The hock joint connects the dog’s shin bone to the paw where ligaments hold the bones in place. When these ligaments tear, it can cause instability in the joint, making it difficult for a dog to walk. Hock injuries can also stem from a fracture in the shin bone.

What is the purpose of the hock?

The three smaller hock joints in descending order are the proximal inter-tarsal, distal inter-tarsal and tarso-metatarsal joints. For all practical purposes, the hock works as a hinge, moving by flexion and extension through one plane. Practically all of the movement occurs in the tibiotarsal joint.

What is cow Hawk?

It can be an acute injury, where the hock suddenly bangs against a hard surface – for example, when a cow slips and falls in an alleyway. Or the swelling can be the result of prolonged pressure on the joint, like when a cow spends long amounts of time lying on a hard surface.

What is a dog’s hock?

Anatomy. The hock joint of a dog or cat is equivalent to our ankle joint. The shin (tibia) bone is connected to the hock joint which then joins the talus bone (one of the bones of the paw). The fibula bone (splint bone) runs along the full length of the tibia bone.

What is angulation in a dog?

Pelvic limb angulation, the angles at which the pelvis and long bones meet one another when the dog is standing, varies widely between different breeds and also between individuals within those breeds. Those who study and evaluate canine structure often refer to this as rear angulation by (19–21).

What is hock Walkers gsd Anatomy

Cow-Hocked Dogs – Definition, Health Risks, What To Do & FAQ

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Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Cow-Hocked Dogs – Definition, Health Risks, What To Do & FAQ Updating Cow hocked dogs are born with a structural fault of the hocks. Find out the health risks associated with severe cow hocks.
Table of Contents:

What is a Cow-Hocked Dog

Effects of Being Cow-Hocked in Dogs

Drawbacks of Being Cow-hocked

Can You Correct Cow-Hocked Dogs

Are Cow-hocked Dogs Better at Herding

Cow-Hocked Dogs – FAQs

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Cow-Hocked Dogs – Definition, Health Risks, What To Do & FAQ

Cow-hocked dogs are often the subject of confusion and controversy. Are cow hocks dangerous for dogs? Are they always a sign of hip dysplasia? Fortunately, it seems that mildly cow-hocked dogs do not struggle with any health conditions due to their hocks.

Most dogs with cow hocks live very normal lives. On the other end of the scale, severely cow-hocked dogs may be more predisposed to a luxating patella and an abnormal gait. Canine cow hocks should be evaluated on an individual basis.

What is a Cow-Hocked Dog?

The canine hock is located in a dog’s hind leg. It sits below the stifle and corresponds to the human ankle. Dog hocks create the sharp angle of the hind legs. While dogs put little to no weight on their hocks, the human ankle and canine hock are comparable in structure and function.

A dog is cow-hocked when its hocks are set inwards, resulting in a splayed appearance in the back legs. The hocks are closer together and the toes point outwards. If a dog is cow-hocked, the trait does not go away over time. Instead, a cow-hocked dog might become more muscled later in life, lessening the appearance of the cow hocks somewhat. Mild to moderate cow hocks are normally harmless conformation faults, and cow-hocked dogs can still perform well in agility and in the field.

The cow-hocked trait is thought to be genetic. This means that the dog’s prospects as a stud or dam are practically nil, even if no other genetic problems arise through testing. In addition, cow-hocked dogs are typically faulted in the conformation ring in favor of parallel hocks. Deliberately breeding for a conformation fault is frowned upon because it potentially exacerbates the problems associated with it.

At the same time, severe cow hocks can be an indicator of hip dysplasia (HD). Because of this, many owners worry that their cow-hocked pups are displaying signs of hip dysplasia and get them screened. The severity of hip dysplasia cannot be determined by a physical exam, so instead, an X-ray under sedation or anesthesia is used. The X-ray results are sent to the OFA for grading and certification. It should be noted that cow-hocked puppies are cow-hocked from birth, whereas cow hocks due to HD develop over time.

Dog hocks create the sharp angle of the hind legs.

Effects of Being Cow-Hocked in Dogs

The mildest examples of cow-hocked dogs often don’t struggle with any negative effects of the fault. Many slightly cow-hocked dogs excel in the field and in agility. In contrast, severely cow-hocked dogs may struggle with luxating patella, weakness in the hind legs, and an abnormal gait.

Pain

In dogs, cow hocks are normally not painful. However, severe cow hocks are linked to weakness in the hind end in younger dogs. In those that have this weakness, activities involving balance and climbing can be more difficult. In severe cases, dog cow hocks alter the weight-bearing angle of the knees, hips, and hocks. The most severe cases of cow hocks cause dogs to tire more easily when they gait and they may not move with as much efficiency.

The more severe examples of cow-hocked dogs can lead to a luxating patella. Moderate and severe patella luxation causes issues like inflammation, pain, cartilage damage, and ligament tears.

Severe cow hocks can be a symptom of hip dysplasia (HD) in dogs. This is because the upper thighs and hips lack muscle mass and have a bonier appearance, creating a cow-hocked appearance. At the same time, it’s important to note that not all cases of cow-hocked dogs end in HD. In fact, there is no link between genetically acquired cow hocks and HD. The OFA offers radiologist screening for HD.

Gait Problems

The cow-hocked trait can cause some gait abnormalities. When gaiting in the show ring, the hocks can look more true and straight than they actually are. Walking a dog towards and away from you is the best way to identify the true extent of a hock problem. The diagonal mat in the show ring is used by judges for this “up and back” method of gaiting.

The hocks of a well-structured dog will move up and down naturally in a letter V. In contrast, a cow-hocked dog will move their hocks outside or inside the branch of the V-shape. Sometimes the hocks wobble so much that the dog appears to move in both ways! A dog who is extremely cow-hocked may swing their legs around in an arc during forward movements to avoid bumping their hocks together.

Hip Conformation

Interestingly, some dogs with mild cow hocks actually score better on their hip OFA screening tests than dogs with normally-structured hocks. From this, we can conclude that mild cow hocks have no or little effect on the hip conformation of a dog. In contrast, severe cow hocks can cause a weak rear end, affecting the musculature of the hips. Exercises to help reduce the appearance of cow hocks tend to focus on strengthening the hind of the dog.

Drawbacks of Being Cow-hocked

Although cow-hocked dogs can live normal lives, there are drawbacks to even mild cases of this structural fault such as penalization in conformation shows. The more severe cases can have further consequences for your dog’s health, though not all cow-hocked dogs will struggle with any additional problems.

Disqualification from Shows

Structural abnormalities and abnormal gaiting are grounds for losing marks in the conformation show ring. Excessive angulation, like that of extreme cow or barrel hocks, is considered detrimental to joint support, firmness, and overall endurance. Furthermore, cow hocks are not desired in any dog breed standard and their usefulness in the field is debated. For these reasons, cow hocks in dogs are penalized in the show ring, though in recent years there have been some controversial cases of dogs with obvious hock abnormalities placing in conformation shows.

Potential Health Concerns

The main issues that come with cow hocks are weakness in the rear and an increased propensity for a luxating patella. Some weakness in the rear of a dog can lead to gait abnormalities and reduced balance. Dogs who lack strength in their hindquarters might hesitate when climbing stairs or jumping from one place to another.

Patella luxation is a condition where the kneecap slips out of its normal position. Of the dogs who have patella luxation, about half have it in both of their knees. An alignment problem that causes an abnormality of the patella ligament can contribute to the development of this condition. This includes cow hocks and barrel hocks as well as hip dysplasia. Moderate and severe patella luxation causes issues like inflammation, pain, cartilage damage, and ligament tears.

Weakness in the rear of a dog can lead to reduced balance.

Can You Correct Cow-Hocked Dogs?

Cow hocks can’t be completely corrected. Most treatments will focus on strengthening the hindquarters of the dog to help mask the appearance of the cow hocks and to compensate for the weakness associated with them.

The exercises used for cow-hocked dogs typically focus on hind leg strength. Uphill walks, low hurdles, swimming, and exercising on a treadmill in water are popular ways to increase the muscle power of a dog’s rear-end. Over time, the increased muscle coverage of the hind limbs reduces the outward appearance of the cow hocks.

Some owners use supplements to support their dogs’ joint health. Cosequin is a popular joint health supplement. It contains glucosamine hydrochloride, sodium chondroitin sulfate, and MSM, all ingredients which are commonly recommended as joint supplements. In some studies, a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate protects joints from degenerative damage. It can also lessen the effects of luxating patella in some dogs.

Are Cow-hocked Dogs Better at Herding?

Cow hocks are most common in herding breeds and bully breeds. Some people believe that this is because the cow-hocked trait enhances the cornering abilities of herding and pastoral dogs. According to proponents of this theory, moderately cow-hocked dogs work using quicker, tighter turns and faster bursts of speed. There are no studies that verify if this is true or not and it should be noted that selectively breeding for exaggerated cow hocks would be highly unethical. Severe cow hocks can lead to a luxating patella and an unstable gait.

Cow-Hocked Dogs – FAQs

Got any more questions or concerns about cow-hocked dogs? Feel free to refer to our Frequently Asked Questions section for more details about dog cow hocks.

Can Cow-Hocks be Corrected in Dogs?

The cow-hocked trait in dogs cannot be completely corrected. However, its appearance can be reduced. Some exercises can help to compensate for weakened hind legs by building thigh muscles. The most popular exercises for cow hocks are uphill walks, low hurdles, swimming, and exercising on a treadmill in water.

Some owners provide joint health supplements to their cow-hocked dogs to further protect against the problems associated with cow hocks. One popular supplement is Cosequin. This supplement contains glucosamine hydrochloride, sodium chondroitin sulfate, and MSM, all ingredients which are commonly recommended as joint supplements. In some studies, a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate protects joints from degenerative damage.

What are Hocks on a Dog?

A dog’s hock is analogous to the human ankle joint. The tibia (shin bone) is connected to the hock joint which then joins the talus (a bone in the paw). The fibula (splint bone) follows the length of the tibia. Ligaments situated on the inner and outer sides of the hock hold the bones in place. The sides of the dog’s hock hold two ligaments, totaling to four main ligaments that hold the hock’s bones together.

The hocks are an important part of a dog’s conformation because they govern the dog’s gait. If the dog’s hocks are damaged or faulty, a dog might have an abnormal gait. The most common canine hock injuries include hock dislocation, sprained hocks, canine osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), and osteoarthritis of the hock joint. These conditions are separate from conformation faults like cow hocks and sickle hocks, but both can occur in the same dog.

What Causes Dog Cow-Hocks?

The cow hock trait is genetic. Dog cow hocks are characterized by the inward rotation of the hocks, causing the points of the dog’s hocks to be closer than normal. Dogs with the trait will be born with it. With exercise and supplementation, a dog’s cow hocks can be lessened in their appearance over time, though the trait cannot be completely eliminated.

Advanced hip dysplasia can cause a cow hock-like appearance in dogs. This is because the upper thighs and hips of a dog with HD are often bony and lacking in muscle mass. HD begins to develop in puppies at five months old but may not emerge until the dog is much older. In contrast, puppies who are born with cow hocks will have them from birth. HD is not directly linked to cow hocks and cow hocks are not always a sign of HD.

Cow hock is genetic.

Is Cow-Hock a Genetic Condition in Dogs?

The cow-hock trait is genetic and appears most commonly in working lines. German Shepherds, Border Collies, Australian Cattle Dogs and bully breeds are most often bred with mild to moderate cow hocks. Cow hocks can also appear in puppies whose parents are not cow-hocked, suggesting that they can also be recessive.

Because of the problems associated with severely cow-hocked dogs, breeders should not work with cow-hocked stock. Any puppy who is born with cow hocks, whether they be mild or severe, is automatically carrying a conformation fault with them. Deliberately breeding with this trait can exacerbate the severity and health risks that come with the most severe cow hocks.

In conclusion, cow hocks in dogs are not always a cause for health concerns but are always faults of conformation. A mildly cow-hocked dog can have excellent hips, excel in the field, and smash an agility course. The severe cases, however, can result in luxating patella and obvious gait abnormalities. For these reasons, it is not recommended for breeders to work with cow-hocked stock due to the risk of causing more severe cow hocks in their puppies.

Answering questions & providing information about canine rehab and physio for your pet!

Behaviour Matters: When your dog’s behaviour might be a symptom

20 Jan 2017

By MONIKA HOYER, BSc, CPDT

Most problem behaviours seen in our dogs are predictable and have relatively straightforward solutions. Every so often, however, we are surprised by behaviours that appear to be unpredictable or unreliable. Sometimes they occur suddenly and are completely out of character for the dog in question.

Popular media trends showing that dogs can benefit from training to solve problems has meant that owners take changes in behaviour seriously, but sometimes it also means they focus only on the behavioural component and not on the physical factor that might be contributing to behaviour.

Early in my career with dogs I was contacted by a family with a not quite two-year-old large breed mix. The family reported that in the last couple of months the dog had started showing aggression towards people and other dogs. I usually start my work on cases like this with a sit down discussion with the owners where we go over the dog’s history and discuss the situations in which they have observed this behaviour. The family told me of two particular incidents that illustrated their concerns.

This dog loved other dogs, loved to play, greeted politely and initiated play without incident. However, in the recent months the dog would start to play with another dog and then mid-game would become aggressive towards her playmate.

The second was an incident where the dog had been riding in the car. She was perfectly calm and relaxed for the entire ride and after the car had been parked. When her owner came around and let her out of the car the dog jumped down onto the sidewalk and without warning lunged at a familiar neighbour walking by.

A few things stood out to me during this discussion.

The dog did not appear to discriminate between unknown and known animals and people. The aggressive acts were directed evenly at friends and family as they were at strangers. The behaviour occurred with a sudden shift in attitude on the part of the dog with no prior build up. The assumed trigger that set the dog off the day before would not reliably trigger the same response the next day.

As a result the family was walking on eggshells around what had previously been their very loving family pet. They could not trust their dog and neither party was happy.

After our talk I asked them to bring their dog inside. When she entered the building the problem began to be clear to me almost immediately. I asked them to walk her and then trot her in a circle around the room. Then I asked them to have her sit. What I saw during these two simple exercises was the key to her aggressive behaviour.

The first hint was the way she stood when not in motion. Here is what it looked like:

This is commonly called being cow-hocked. It’s a term used to describe the relative position of the hocks and toes in the animal’s hind end. In cow hocked animals the hocks (the bony heel on their hind legs) are turned in and their hind feet point outwards. Certain breeds are more prone to being cow hocked than others to varying degrees of severity and most slightly cow-hocked animals are just fine.

This dog, however, was so severely cow hocked that when she stood her hocks would at best, be touching, and at worst, be overlapping. When she walked her hocks clicked against each other with every step.

She could not trot. When she needed to move faster than a walk she could not move her hind legs separately and would start to hop with both hind legs together. This is commonly called bunny hopping.

The video below is an example of a bulldog that must bunny hop with both hind legs to get up the stairs in this home. This is likely because the dog either finds moving his hind legs up the stairs one at a time to be painful, restrictive, or unstable feeling.

When asked to sit she flopped immediately into a down. When coaxed back up into a sit she sat back on her tail with her legs sticking out to the front and side. She was unable to maintain a sit position for any length of time and would frequently lie down after only a few seconds.

I recommended that before we start any physical aspects of her training that she see a vet for a full work up including a thorough exam of her rear. The result was, that at only 18 months old the poor girl was suffering from painfully severe hip dysplasia. The sudden unpredictable outbursts were not a behaviour deficit but rather a response to pain. When in a situation where she was suddenly in pain, the dog’s response was to direct aggression at the nearest possible cause. So the nearest person or dog was at risk.

Pain is not an excuse to ignore aggressive behaviour, but the physical contribution to the behaviour needs to be addressed if any training or behavioural modification will work. With her medical care team managing her pain her owners and I were able to move forward with training programs to help change her reaction to pain.

We also teamed up to find better ways to manage her physically so as to prevent the painful stimulus and manage any outbursts.

There are many physical conditions that can adversely affect your dog’s behaviour.

So if you have noticed any sudden changes in your dog’s mood, reluctance to perform previously reliable behaviours, or an increase in irritability consider that there might be a physical factor contributing to or even causing the problem. If you think your dog’s problem might be pain, bring them to the Canine Fitness Centre for a full assessment. We’re happy to help.

What Is A Cow-Hocked Cat?

Most cats have long and elegant legs, and they appear very regal when they walk. Hence, the phrase, ‘catwalk.’ But, if your cat’s hind legs are not straight, then your cat might be cow-hocked. And no, this doesn’t really have much to do with actual cows.

So, what is a cow-hocked cat? Cow-hocked cats suffer from a physical deformity where the hind legs bow toward each other so that the cat’s hind legs resemble the body structure of a cow. The condition is sometimes referred to as x-legs.

Being cow-hocked can be a harrowing experience for your kitty cat, as it doesn’t just affect their outward appearance. The older your kitten gets, the worse the pain can get for your cat. Moreover, the deformity can also lead to spinal issues and an awkward gait.

So, let’s take an in-depth look at recognizing the symptoms of a cow-hocked cat and find out how best to care for one. You will also discover some of the precautions you can take to prevent future kitties from being cow-hocked.

How Do You Know If Your Cat Is Cow-Hocked?

Cow-Hocked Manx Kitten

A cat’s back legs should be pretty straight from top to bottom. It’s not rocket science to figure out whether or not your cat is cow-hocked.

But, if you are having a tough time figuring out if your cat’s legs are just a bit off-set or they have a serious condition, you should take a close look at your cat from the back.

It would help if you did not try to identify whether or not your kitty is cow-hocked from the side or the front, though it can be seen from these angles to the trained eye.

You will need to check out the curve of the legs and take a good look at your cat’s feet. The tell-tale signs are outward facing paws and inward facing heels.

What Are The Symptoms Of Your Cat Being Cow-Hocked?

Cow-Hocked Manx

Cats are often cow-hocked, and a case of mild cow-hocking is often negligible. Most kittens seem to be cow-hocked until they grow older and their limbs become linear.

The most obvious sign of cow-hocking is the visible hind legs angling inward, and the feet splayed more outward. However, when a combination of cow-hock and sickle-hock (ankles rounded instead of straight) exists, the symptoms become more severe.

Many cow-hock symptoms in a cat tend to become more pronounced as your cat gets older.

Some of the consequences of cow-hocking in a cat are:

Clumsy gait

Early-onset of arthritis

Damage to the spine

Inability to adequately defend against predators

Inability to walk fast or even run.

Are Cow-Hocks In Cats Dangerous?

Cow-hocks in cats aren’t just a visual deformity. It is a genetic misalignment of the hind leg joints. In most cases, cow-hock is nothing more than a goofy-looking flaw in your kitty. But, cow-hocking falls on a spectrum, from slightly visible defect to acute spinal disability.

Arthritis

In young or mature cats, the issue of cow-hocking isn’t as problematic. However, when kitties get older or obese, ‘x-legs’ can become debilitating. One of the most significant complications of this deformity is arthritis. Arthritis is a common problem in aging pets, but arthritis can make an early appearance in cow-hocked cats. The severity of this crippling ailment can be harsh.

Cow-hocked cats with arthritis often suffer from swollen, painful joints. These cats have problems walking, standing, and jumping. Your kitty cat might start with a slight limp, but it may end with permanent lameness.

Your cat may experience stiffness in the legs, suffer from irritability, exhibit abnormal levels of aggression, spend less time grooming, be less active, and spend more hours sleeping or hiding.

Once your cat does get arthritis, hurting their joints and bones from the slightest movements becomes a real possibility. Cats with arthritis get more fractures and injuries than healthy cats as well.

Spinal Damage

As mentioned earlier, when cats are cow-hocked, their hocks are literally close enough to touch each other. Such a state over a long period can damage your kitty’s spine. Your cat might suffer from uncoordinated movements and minor muscle spasms. It may start with tense muscles or an odd posture, but spinal damage can result in lameness in the long run.

Weakness, incoordination, numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, extreme back pain, and pressure on the neck are just some of the many signs of spinal damage.

How To Fix A Cow-Hocked Cat?

There’s no known cure to fix a cow-hocked cat. Since a cow-hock is a genetic irregularity, you can’t simply suppress or cure the deformity with medications. However, there are medicines that veterinarians do offer to older cow-hocked cats with arthritis.

A cow-hocked cat suffering from arthritis as well may suffer from significant pain. But, the proper medicine can ease your pet’s pain and make life more comfortable for your beloved pet. Furthermore, vets often recommend pet parents of cow-hocked cats to keep their kitties indoors away from predators and preventable injuries.

It would be best to be very careful about a cow-hocked cat regarding their diet and weight. Cow-hocked cats can’t afford to put excessive strain on their spine, back, or hind legs. So, you need to ensure that if your cat is cow-hocked, you should keep a close eye on their diet and keep their weight at the optimal level.

You can add specific supplements to your cat’s diet that will work wonders on your pet’s joints. If you own a cow-hocked cat, you should get in touch with the local vet and get them to prescribe supplements for your kitty. Naturally, the supplements will not correct the cow-hock problem. But, it will give your pet’s joint health a boost and prevent the deformity from causing excess pain or discomfort (we’d recommend this brand).

What Form Of Exercise Will Help Your Cow-Hocked Cat?

Believe it or not, there are even specialized exercises that you can plan out with the vet for your cow-hocked cat. These exercises are essentially made to help ease any pain that might arise due to the deformity and somewhat realign the hind legs with slow yet routine exercise.

There are many forms of exercise, and exercise is a sure-shot way to help alleviate some of your cat’s pain as well as strengthen their joint bones.

Belly Rub – Make your cat lie down on their back and rub on their belly. Hopefully, the belly rub will get your cat to shift their weight from side to side and strengthen their core muscles.

Kneading – Gently rolling and pinching the cat is called kneading. This form of exercise promotes circulation and blood flow all over your cat’s body. And kneading at your cat’s back and neck will also help release some of the stress that develops as a natural consequence of the pressure that builds up due to being cow-hocked.

Happy Butt Rub Dance – Vigorously rub at the top of your cat’s rear-end. Some cats find this exercise stimulating and shift their weight from side to side, providing relief to the aching back as well as the cat’s legs and paws.

Stretch On The Couch/Chair – While sitting on a chair or couch, have your cat’s hind legs on the sofa and lift or raise the front legs by placing a cushion or with your hands. It would be best if you can get your cat to stay in such a position for at least two minutes. Repeat this exercise at least twice a day. This exercise helps improve rear leg weight-bearing/strength, range of motion, and hip extension.

Wheelbarrow – By lifting the cat from the abdomen and raising the hind legs, you will be able to strengthen the forelegs of your pet. Please do not use your pet’s hind legs to raise their body, and you need to remember to support the abdomen. When you want to strengthen your hind legs, use the abdomen to lift the front legs and make your pet walk on their hind legs. Also, start with a stationary position, and once your pet is comfortable, you can encourage them to take a step forward or backward.

Bootie On The Paw – you can place a bootie or scrunchie on your pet’s paw. The moment you get the bootie on, your kitty will undoubtedly try to get it off by shaking their paw. The process of shaking their paw will help your cat with their weight-bearing. You can repeat this exercise with all of their paws.

Rock On – Encourage your cat to walk on uneven surfaces such as cushions, pillows, foam mats, balance trainers, or a bed. Your cat will automatically shift their weight to balance themselves. This exercise will strengthen your cat’s legs, coordination, flexibility, and proprioception.

Beg With Weight Shifts – Use a healthy and delicious treat and lure your cat to stand on their hind legs. You can lure the cat’s head up as far as it will go and keep that position for a while. But, if your cat truly loves the treat, they will stand up on their back legs. To make the exercise more challenging, move the treat from side to side, and your cat will follow the movement. This exercise is for core strength and is meant to improve your cat’s coordination and joint health.

Contralateral Limb Lifts – While your cat is standing, lift your cat’s front left paw and raise your cat’s right hind leg simultaneously. Hold the position for a few seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

These exercises aren’t going to cure your pet of their x-legs, but they do go a long way in keeping your pet’s joints and bones strong. Furthermore, some of these exercises work on your cat’s muscle and skeletal structure, and a daily effort from you and your pet will help your cat in terms of soothing their pains, stress, and tension in their tiny body.

How Do Cats Become Cow-Hocked?

Well, you know that it’s all about genetics when it comes to cow-hocking. This deformity is something that kittens get from their mama and daddy kitties. There’s no way that you can curb this deformity with any medication or vaccine.

It may be relatively easy to tell if a cat is cow-hocked or not when dealing with an adult cat. But, when dealing with kittens, there’s no guarantee whether your kitty will be cow-hocked. There’s no saying that the kitten will be cow-hocked even when the kitty parents are cow-hocked.

Cute little kittens tend to have tiny, bendy hind legs anyways. So, if you want to be sure that your cat is cow-hocked, you will have to wait a while longer till your cat is an adult.

Can All Breeds Be Cow-Hocked?

There’s no definite scientific research to prove or disprove whether or not all cat breeds get cow-hocked, nor is there evidence to support the claim that some breeds of cats are more cow-hocked than others. There is an obvious need for more scientific study as well as research.

But, there is a simple solution to limit the genetic spread of cow-hocking. Breeders and cat owners need to restrict the breeding of cow-hocked cats. As you might already know, cow-hock cats pass their genes down to their litters. But not every kitten from a cow-hock cat parent will be cow-hocked also.

However, when you restrict entirely the breeding of cow-hocked cats, you can safeguard the future generations of kittens-to-be from being affected by this deformity. With cow-hocking, the gene can go dormant for some time, which means that a few litters of kittens will escape the genetic misalignment. And when the gene becomes active, the deformity will reappear in later litters.

Why Is My Cat Walking On Their Hocks?

Cats tend to walk on their hocks when they want their pet parents to know that something is wrong, or even when walking is typically too painful for them. It’s your job as a pet guardian to keep a close eye on your pet’s nuances, and if you can see that your pet is exhibiting behavior out of the ordinary, you should investigate the root of the problem.

The hock is the extra joint-most animals have at the back of their hind legs. It often looks like a different knee or heel at the back of your pet’s hind legs. Your cat will revert to walking on their hocks when they are feeling sore or finding it difficult to walk in a straight gait.

Another situation where you might find a cat walking on their hocks is if your cat has diabetes. Diabetes causes an early onset of deteriorating bone health. The more painful it becomes for your cat to walk in a regular way, the more likely they will walk on their hocks.

A vitamin deficiency or even an injury can induce your pet to walk on their hocks as well.

Final Thoughts

Having a pet as intelligent and affectionate as a cat is a privilege. There’s no doubt that your beloved pet will bring much joy and happiness into your life. But, being a pet parent is also a huge responsibility. It is a responsibility that most pet parents need to be quite serious about. Having a cow-hocked cat doesn’t necessarily mean a pet with a disability.

It’s likely that your cat may be cow-hocked, but it is just a visual disformity. In such a case, a lot of love and care, extra attention to your pet’s diet and weight, and some exercise will be all the help your pet will need to live a long and happy life. However, if your cat is cow-hocked and suffers from associated health issues, then you need to be very vigilant about your cat’s needs and wants.

The one thing that all pet guardians of cow-hocked cats need to keep in mind is that being cow-hocked is a genetic ailment that cannot be treated or cured so, the only way to ensure that your future pets do not suffer from a similar circumstance is to get your cat spayed or neutered.

You should know that you wouldn’t be hurting your pet in any way by doing so. You’d be safeguarding the future of many adorable kitties.

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