What is a sploot, and why does my pet do it?

Depending on your pet’s flexibility, there are varying degrees of the dog or cat sploot:

• The full sploot: With the classic sploot, both hind legs are stretched out behind their body. Cats and short-legged dog breeds like corgis and Chihuahuas like the full sploot.
• The half sploot: One hind leg is stretched straight back while the other is tucked under their abdomen. Larger breed dogs often do the half sploot.
• The side sploot: One hind leg is stuck out to the side while the other remains nestled near their body.

Why do dogs and cats sploot?

Often there’s a good explanation for the sploot:

• Keepin’ it cool! If you spy a cat or dog sploot on a hot summer day, it may mean your pet is splooting on cold tile or cool grass in the shade to cool off. It’s likely they’re just chilling and regulating their internal body temperature.
• Yoga time! Taking on the appearance of a well-known yoga pose called the sphinx, dog and cat sploots are a great way for your pet to do a full-body stretch. Relieving tension or pressure on their lower back and hips, the sploot can also help stretch and align the spine and stretch out the leg muscles.
• Easy peasy! It’s easy for short-legged dogs to assume the sploot position. Shorter-legged dogs may have more flexible joints in their hips, and splooting is a comfy position for them.
• Puppy and kitten sploots. Because puppies and kittens are more flexible, the sploot is a common pose in younger pets. 

Is splooting a sign of a health concern?

Sometimes splooting can be a cause for concern and could indicate that your pet has painful hip or joint issues. In these cases, splooting may be related to:

• Hip dysplasia: More common in dogs than cats, this condition occurs when the ball and socket of the hip joint rub or grind against each other instead of sliding smoothly. If you notice a bunny-hop run, stiff walking or a reluctance to play in addition to the sploot, hip dysplasia may be the cause. 
• Osteoarthritis: Common in older cats and dogs, this type of arthritis involves the wearing down of the protective cartilage cushioning the ends of the bones. Combined with inflammation of the joints, this can make pets uncomfortable, stiff and in pain. If your senior pet suddenly starts splooting, it may be a sign of osteoarthritis.
• Trauma: Torn ligaments, dislocation and other injuries can result in trauma of the hip joints and lead to splooting in both dogs and cats.

If your pet’s splooting is accompanied by difficulty getting up, pain or history of exposure to extreme heat, consult with your veterinarian, especially if your pet has never splooted before.

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