08/24/2026
Guppy's Journey: The Assessment 🔍
Before any rehab plan begins, it starts with a thorough exam — and Guppy's turned up something a little more complex than we initially suspected.
Our veterinary partner, Dr. Lisa Wirth of Arizona Veterinary Ambulance performed Guppy's initial assessment, and radiographs confirmed the diagnosis: a vertebral malformation at L7, the last bone in the lumbar spine, right before the sacrum. Her L7 transverse process — a small wing-like projection of bone — developed straight and off to one side, rather than in its typical shape and position. Because of that abnormal shape, it's rubbing against the pelvis where it meets the ilium (the large upper wing of the hip bone).
This type of finding is known as a lumbosacral transitional vertebra, and it's a recognized cause of intermittent hind-end discomfort and lameness in dogs. Essentially, a spot where bone is contacting bone that shouldn't be creates friction and irritation right where the spine meets the pelvis — which can easily show up as the kind of on-and-off lameness Guppy's been dealing with.
But the exam findings didn't stop there — and this is where whole-body assessment really matters. Guppy also presented with:
* Significant muscle atrophy in her left pelvic limb
* Decreased extension in her left hip (measurements were taken to be able to monitor her progress)
* A muscle knot in her right triceps
* Tight deltoids on both sides
* Tight quads on both sides
* Pain on palpation along her lower back musculature (worse on the right)
* A kyphotic (hunched) stance at rest
Taken together, this paints a clear picture: Guppy hasn't just been dealing with one isolated problem. She's been compensating through her entire body to avoid discomfort in that left hip — and over time, that compensation created new pain points and tension patterns of its own. It's a great reminder that lameness is rarely just about the leg that's limping.
This gives us a lot of measurable starting points — limb symmetry, muscle mass, range of motion, and posture — that we'll be tracking as key markers of her progress throughout rehab.
Next up: we'll walk you through the treatment plan we've built specifically around Guppy's anatomy. 🐾
Prevent. Recover. Perform. Thrive.
