Many agility dogs develop neck and back pain as a result of subluxations within the cervical and thoracic spine.
Dogs carry 60 percent of their weight on their front legs, add to this stress the act of an “A Frame” and jumps–and the stress increases.
The shoulder, upper back, and neck take on the stress and if there exists a subluxation (locked up joint irritating a nerve), then performance drops such as knocking down poles and lameness.