Fluffy, a 3 year old, long haired cat had fallen from a shelf and dislocated his elbow. After I set the elbow, every few months Fluffy re-injured himself after jumping off furniture. His owners wanted a solution that would prevent re-injury without surgery.
Cody, a 7 year old Dachsund, was paralyzed in his rear legs. He had been unable to walk for 2 days. His vet recommended referral to a surgeon, but Cody had already undergone intervertebral disc surgery a year prior, with fusion of several vertebrae. Cody’s family did not want him to go through another surgery.
Rusty, a 12 year old Miniature Pinscher, acutely couldn’t walk up the stairs. He had become paralyzed in his rear legs. Rusty’s regular vet did not consider him a good surgical candidate, because he was being treated for a pituitary tumor which caused Cushing’s Disease. His vet had treated him for 2 weeks with medication to help reduce swelling around the spinal cord, but there was no improvement. His owners sought an alternative to surgical care.
Maddy, a 3 year old black Labrador Retriever, had spontaneously ruptured her Achilles tendon. She had surgery and wore a cast for 6 weeks. When the cast was removed, the leg muscles had atrophied from 3 months of not using the limb. The other rear leg was also stiff and painful. Her owners were concerned about Maddy injuring her healthy leg and rehabilitating the limb with the surgical repair. The surgeon gave her owners some simple exercises to try at home, but they saw no improved function.
Bridgette, a 6 year old Cocker Spaniel, was very obese. She weighed 45 pounds and her ideal weight should have been 28 pounds. After months of eating diet dog food with no weight loss, she ruptured her cruciate ligament, and developed arthritis in her knees. Her owner wanted her to lose weight and get into better condition without surgery.
All of the above pets achieved results and their improved health goals in the same way. They all returned to normal function and improved their health to a better state than they were in prior to their injuries. For each of these pets, my staff and I treated with combinations of underwater treadmill/swim therapy, animal chiropractic, therapeutic massage, laser therapy (Class IV & 3B) and acupuncture. None of the pets had to undergo surgery. Only Bridgette required a treatment, called prolotherapy (learn more about this in my next article), in addition to physical therapy to regain full & healthy limb functionality.
Relatively few veterinary clinics have doctors and staff trained and certified to provide all of the aforementioned treatment options. Pet owners in Ellwood City are fortunate to have a fully equipped local rehab facility available for pets. After years of providing a wide variety of therapies to patients, I am happy to report that pet owners are seeking more physical and rehabilitative services than ever. Each week, my staff is currently swimming several dogs, while providing acupuncture and laser therapy to over 40 pets. When people ask me what makes the biggest difference in pet rehabilitation, my answer is twofold; 1st is the commitment of the pet owner to sticking with recommended both in-office and at-home treatment plans and 2nd is the experience and training of the staff in choosing a therapy plan who are prescribing & performing the treatment plan.
If you have a pet with any of the following conditions, seek rehab therapy services from an experienced and certified rehab veterinarian:
1. Joint or orthopedic injury, hip or elbow dysplasia;
2. Nerve injury, disc disease, degenerative nerve diseases, incoordination, Wobbler’s syndrome;
3. Aging pet or one that is degenerating physically;
4. Post-surgical recovery;
5. Trauma or injury in the past (even if it’s been years);
6. Overweight or out of condition;
7. Working, agility, or animals who compete physically.
Canine and feline rehabilitation employs the same techniques used in human physical therapy to achieve one or more of the following goals:
1. Speed recovery from injury or surgery;
2. Increase mobility and flexibility;
3. Improve endurance and agility ;
4. Decrease pain;
5. Promote weight loss;
6. Maintain function and prevent further injury;
7. Enhance quality of life.
Depending on your veterinarian’s and technician’s training, a variety of treatments may be combined. Not all therapies are best for each pet; a personalized therapy plan for in-office and home care should be designed. Pet Rehabilitation may also be combined with acupuncture, nutritional, and pain management protocols to provide the best quality of life for your pet. Remember there are many ways to help your pet. Even if you’ve told that nothing more can be done to help your pet, don’t give up hope. Seek an opinion from an experienced rehab veterinarian.