Physical Rehabilitation is the use of pain relief and physical therapies to restore animals to full function and fitness after surgery, trauma, illness or debility. 
It is useful for any animal which has reduced mobility or is experiencing pain for any reason. It is increasingly being applied to help canine athletes return to peak performance, an aspect also referred to as Canine Sports Medicine. 
If you think your pet might benefit from physical rehabilitation or sports medicine then contact the experienced team of veterinary professionals at HolisticPet.

 

What is Physical Rehabilitation for Dogs?

 

Physical Rehabilitation involves using pain relief and physical therapies to get animals back on their feet.
Pain relief may be in the form of licensed medications such as NSAIDs; unlicensed medications such as gabapentain or amantidine; supplements such as Omega oil; Slow disease-modifying agents such as hyaluronic acid; Regenerative medicine such as PRP or Stem cells; Herbal medications such as Boswellia.

The physical therapies include modalities such as those listed below:- 

The physical therapies have the following effects:-

  • Pain relief
  • Relieving muscle pain and spasm
  • Improving joint Range of Motion
  • Restoring balance and proprioception 
  • Increasing muscle mass and conditioning 
  • Returning athletes to peak performance 

Physical Rehabilitation is indicated for dogs and cats suffering from a number of conditions such as:-

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Elbow and Hip dysplasia
  • IVDD whether being treated with surgery or conservatively 
  • Orthopaedic surgery such as cruciate repair, fractures, femoral head ostectomy 
  • Muscle atrophy from disuse or nerve injury
  • Degenerative myelopathy 
  • Trauma such as road traffic accident 
  • Sporting injuries 
  • Behaviour issues as these may indicate underlying pain
  • Lameness in the absence of significant changes on imaging, X-ray, CT, MRI.

 

Why Choose Holistic Pet NI?

 

HolisticPet has been providing rehabilitation strategies for almost twenty years making the team the most experienced in the field within Northern Ireland. Siobhan is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner having qualified with the University of Tennessee. She has also completed a Sports Medicine course with the Canine Rehabilitation Institute. Elsa has studied rehabilitation extensively in Spain. Both Siobhan and Elsa hold GP Certificates in Western Veterinary Acupuncture and Chronic Pain. Sandra has a Canine Conditioning qualification and many years of experience with sporting dogs as she is an experienced agility competitor.  Do you think your pet would benefit from Physical Rehabilitation? If so call HolisticPet today - Northern Ireland's most qualified and experienced pet rehabilitation team.

 

FAQ

 

What are conditioning exercises for dogs?
Conditioning exercises are strengthening exercises

How can I improve my dog's mobility? 
In order to improve your dog's mobility, it is essential first to identify the underlying problems which are interfering with their locomotion. In depth knowledge of anatomy, normal gaits, orthopaedic injuries, surgical technique, tissue healing times, stages of inflammation and the effects of the therapeutic modalities is essential. Once we have studied your pet's clinical history, we normally carry out a detailed examination and gait assessment. Once we have all the information we need we can create a detailed treatment plan and give you a home program of therapeutic exercises. It takes a great commitment from owners and the whole process is a real team effort between the primary vet, the HolisticPet team and the pet family. 

What is Gait Analysis? 
Gait Analysis is the assessment of a dog's gait to determine the location and cause of lameness. Knowledge of normal gaits is essential in order to identify abnormalities. 

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