Cynthia M. Otto

Dr. Otto, a tenured Professor of Working Dog Sciences and Sports Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine is board certified in veterinary emergency medicine/critical care and canine sports medicine/rehabilitation. As executive director and founder of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center (www.vet.upenn.edu/WDC ), she oversees fitness and medical care of the program’s detection dogs, provides rehabilitation and conditioning for police and other working dogs and conducts vital research on and by detection dogs.  With over 150 peer reviewed articles, reviews and book chapters, she is an internationally recognized expert in both emergency medicine and working dog science. She was Pennsylvania’s 2002 “Veterinarian of the Year”, received Ohio State’s Distinguished Alumnus Award (2008), AVMA’s Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year (2018), Mark Bloomberg Award (2019) and Asa Mays DVM, Excellence in Canine Health Research award (2021) and the AVMA Lifetime Excellence in Research Award (2025).

Incorporating Working Dog Training into Sports Medicine Care

Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, DACVSMR

Working and sporting dogs are highly trained. As Sports Medicine Clinicians, we can leverage their current training and incorporate the training of new behaviors to achieve our sports medicine and rehabilitation goals. The principles of training are based on the use of operant conditioning. In this workshop, we will review and apply operant conditioning to achieve our behavioral goals. The four quadrants of operant conditioning rely on either adding (positive) or removing (negative) a stimulus to increase (reinforce) or decrease (punish) a behavior. We will focus on how adding a stimulus can increase the relevant desired behaviors, mainly as they apply to cooperative care and learning therapeutic exercises. We will explore training strategies, including luring, positioning, capturing, and shaping behaviors, and how to use them to accomplish our goals. One of the critical components of reward-based training is understanding the reward. We will test reward value, and both practice reward timing, and reward placement. The overarching goal of the workshop is to learn strategies to set up your patients and team for success!

 

Injury Prevention in Working Dogs

Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, DACVSMR

Working dogs are the quintessential canine athlete. They protect the public and detect hazards, including explosives and illicit drugs. They search for victims of disaster, missing persons, and fleeing criminals. They contribute to the health and safety of animals and the environment. A working dog missing a day of work has serious consequences for the health and safety of our communities. Injury prevention represents a major opportunity for sports medicine veterinarians to support these important canines. The first step in injury prevention is knowing the potential environmental and occupational hazards to which the dog is exposed. Familiarity with the dog’s work requirements will facilitate preventive plans and handler education. Knowledge of common illnesses and injuries within the occupational environment will allow a personalized prevention plan. Prevention starts with ensuring appropriate body condition and muscle condition. Nutrition is a key component of the overall strategy. Muscular strength should be targeted to all working dogs’ core and hind limbs. Work-specific tasks will determine other focus areas. All dogs should develop and maintain flexibility and proprioception. Cardiovascular endurance requirements will vary with the occupation. Unlike high endurance sled dogs, most working dog tasks involve intermittent bursts of speed or steady movement. Incorporating mobility assessments as part of routine care of working dogs will help guide a preventive plan, identify early deficits, monitor recovery, and facilitate return to work.