Animal Physical Therapy: Helps Developing/Older/Injured Pets Stay Active

Ollie, a 16 month old Standard Poodle, had 1 leg that was 2 inches shorter than the his other front limb. He had 2 surgeries to correct the growth plate defect and curvature of the shorter leg, but he was still having lots of pain and even with surgery, his legs were ¾ of inch different, 6 months after healing. The surgeons at the University recommended a very expensive, painful procedure which would require several months of recovery.

A surgery resident knew the owners did not want to put their dog through more pain, so he called me to see if Ollie could begin rehabilitative therapy at my office.

Instead of starting underwater treadmill and physical therapy exercises, I first worked with Ollie become pain-free without NSAids. I adjusted Ollie’s spine and joints, and my staff supported him with massage and laser therapy.

His owners did stretches and exercises at home to help with the scar tissue and adhesions built up from the 2 surgeries he previously went through.

When Ollie was moving more freely, we began underwater treadmill therapy. Within a month, his lameness resolved and his limbs were almost equal lengths.

Another dog, Shelby came to the office for Rehabilitative therapy, because she was overweight, unable to exercise due to arthritis. She was in a cycle of gaining weight and getting less mobile and more painful.

Shelby benefitted from therapies similar to Ollie’s. When she began her swim therapy, her extra weight came off and her arthritis signs went away, without pain medications.

If your pet is slowing down as he or if he has ever experienced lameness, even slight, upon getting up or after a walk, he may be a good candidate for Rehabilitative therapy.

Pets who have had surgery to repair an injury, cruciate tear, an amputation, or broken bone in the past can also benefit, even if it has been years since the injury.

Cats can also live happier and longer lives with Rehab therapy. If your cat is hiding more or sitting on lower perches, instead of getting up on the window ledge, consider seeking a veterinarian trained in physical therapy modalities.

Pets with obesity, muscle loss, internal medicine diagnoses and endocrine disorders can also reap the benefits of improved muscle tone and organ function with rehabilitative and core conditioning.

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, your pets could benefit from physiotherapy, physical therapy and/or animal chiropractic adjusting techniques.

Up until the late 1990’s physical therapy for pets was not commonly recommended nor was it taught as a post-injury or post-surgical therapy in veterinary colleges.

In human medicine physical therapy has been used for post-operative recovery, injury rehabilitation and health maintenance for people with long term illnesses and neurological disorders for decades.

In veterinary medicine, it wasn’t until the late 1990’s when the first post graduate programs in for physical therapy and rehabilitation became available to DVMs. Even then, it took about 10-15 years for veterinary surgical specialists to routinely recommend therapy for post-operative patients. At this time, there are still veterinary colleges in this country that have not included physical therapy in their core classes for veterinary students.

When I studied Rehabilitative veterinary medicine, I learned techniques, including massage, hydrotherapy, thermal treatments, cryotherapy, therapeutic ultrasound, Laser therapy and other pain control methods.

Because I was already using acupuncture, animal chiropractic, prolotherapy, Chinese herbs and essential oils, when I added Rehabilitative therapies, I discovered that long term, conventional pain medications became unnecessary for my pet patients.

Conditions/pets that respond well to physical therapies:

  1. Pets with amputations, limb or spinal deformities
  2. Trauma patients
  3. Patients with muscle loss due to hormone imbalances, like thyroid or Cushing’s diseases
  4. Degenerative arthritis or nerve disorders
  5. Intervertebral disc disease
  6. Post-operative patients
  7. ACL/ligament tears and muscles strains (many pets can avoid surgery through physical therapy)
  8. Bone growth disorders and development delay, such as swimmer puppies

Rehabilitative therapies which benefit pets include:

  1. Underwater treadmill
  2. Swim therapy
  3. Stem cell and platelet rich plasma
  4. Strength and core building exercises
  5. Laser therapy
  6. Therapeutic Ultrasound
  7. Innovarius Sanawave
  8. Shockwave therapy
  9. Hot and cold therapy
  10. PEMF
  11. Electrostimulation
  12. Trigger point therapy/myofascial
  13. Massage therapy
  14. Prolotherapy

These therapies have all proven to be beneficial for many of my patients and those of my associate, Dr. Alyssa Carver who has been trained in rehabilitative techniques.

Not all veterinarians are trained in the above techniques, and even many specialists are not aware of how many animals can be saved from having euthanasia or more extensive surgeries with the right therapy program.

You can find a veterinarian with Rehabilitative therapy certification by searching AHVMA.org or looking for DVMs with CCRP certification or the initials/credentials, VMRT following their names.