Standing analysis of healthy and abnormal canines using force platform system

A developed force platform system, composed of a force sensing system, a data acquisition system and a data analysis program was used to measure the weight distributed on each paw of 25 dogs when they were standing on the platform. The system was first tested, to ensure the accuracy of the detected weight distribution, using standard weights, by placing 3 different shapes of weight, with results of less than 3% error. The animal tests were then performed using healthy and abnormal dogs varying from 2 kg to 40 kg randomly chosen and physically examined by veterinarians. The dogs were grouped into 3 healthy groups and 3 abnormal groups according to their size. The obtained results show that for healthy dogs, regardless of the size, the average force ratios from hind to fore limbs was about 63:37 and the average left:right ratios was close to 50:50 with less than a 3.2% difference between left and right limbs for both fore limbs and hind limbs. For abnormal dogs, the fore:hind ratios are not consistent ranging from 51:49 to 75:25 and the average left:right ratios are not close to 50:50 with differences between left and right limbs varying from 2.2-49%.