Analysis of the Musculoskeletal Load Generated When a Small Dog Walks on a Slippery Floor

The objective of this paper is to identify the stresses placed on the musculoskeletal system when small dogs walk on floors with low friction coefficients. In many households, and small dogs in particular are often kept indoors. According to veterinary experience, it is known that small dogs kept indoors that walk with their lower limbs slipping cause a great deal of stress on the musculoskeletal system, and that the incidence of joint disease in the lower limbs of such small dogs is high. In this study, we measured the body movements of small dogs walking on slippery floors using a three-dimensional motion capture system and force plate system. Furthermore, by inputting these measurements into the musculoskeletal simulation model we have developed to simulate the musculoskeletal system of dogs, we derived the load on the musculoskeletal system of small dogs on slippery and non-slippery floors. As a result, it was identified that walking on a slippery floor causes a strong load on the lower limb muscles of small dogs.