Shoulder Lameness Now that it's summer, and a very wet summer, our dogs are sometimes running in mud and can trip in holes. They can then end up with shoulder lameness caused by a strain in the neck. The cervical ventril serrated is a muscle that can cause some of this lameness. Use concentric digital circles on the front of the shoulder blade from the neck to the shoulder. Chucking on the neck, passive stretching of the neck and shoulders can be used, keeping in mind that when you stretch that is where you can do damage so be careful. To determine if this is the area that has a problem, you will feel heat in front of the shoulder blade or a hard spot like a muscle knot 2” x 1” on the neck in front of the shoulder. If you have any questions, please e-mail me at maria@annisage.com. All of these techniques are in my book and DVD that you can order on my website. Keep your dogs cool and have a great summer!