Alteration in the pattern of locomotion following a partial movement restraint in puppies

The pattern of locomotion following a partial movement restraint was studied in five mongrel puppies. The locomotion of the animals was characterized by enforced pacing during the restraint period and exhibited significant, time dependent gait alterations after removal of the restraint. These changes involved gradual recovery to normal trotting. The time course and the degree of recovery in the animals were dependent on the period of movement restraint. Puppy that was forced to practice pacing for only two months switched almost instantaneously to the normal trotting, whereas in those dogs with a longer selective movement restraint, a significant long lasting incidence of pacing was observed. The study describes an animal model which can be useful as tool in future studies of the plasticity of motor system and its basic mechanisms in various physiological conditions.