What is Animal physical rehabilitation
Physical rehabilitation for dogs & cats is a specialized approach to improving mobility, reducing pain, and enhancing the overall quality of life for dogs and cats. Much like physical therapy for humans, these treatments focus on restoring function after injury, surgery, or illness while preventing further complications.
- Pain Management: Reduces discomfort from conditions like arthritis, injuries, or post-surgical recovery.
- Improved Mobility: Restores range of motion and strengthens muscles to allow for better movement.
- Enhanced Healing: Stimulates circulation and promotes faster recovery from injuries or surgeries.
- Prevention of Further Injury: Addresses biomechanical imbalances to reduce the risk of future problems.
- Improved Quality of Life: Alleviates stiffness, pain, and other issues that limit your pet’s ability to enjoy life.
As a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner, Dr. Mar combines advanced techniques to help pets regain strength, flexibility, and comfort. Her goal is to support your pet’s recovery through evidence-based practices tailored to their unique needs. Physical rehabilitation is about more than just recovery—it’s also a proactive way to ensure long-term health and well-being for dogs and cats.
- Prevention of Compensatory Injuries: By addressing imbalances, rehab can prevent pets from overcompensating with other limbs or joints, reducing the risk of secondary injuries.
- Enhanced Athletic Performance: Active pets or working animals can benefit from strength training, increased flexibility, and injury prevention techniques.
- Improved Neuromuscular Coordination: Rehabilitation aids in retraining the brain-body connection, especially for pets recovering from neurological conditions like stroke or nerve injuries.
- Weight Management Support: Rehabilitation exercises can help overweight pets shed excess pounds safely, reducing stress on joints and improving overall health.
- Mental Stimulation: Rehabilitation engages pets in new, positive experiences, helping keep their minds sharp and reducing stress or anxiety.
Conditions That Benefit from Physical Rehabilitation:
- Orthopedic Issues: Includes fractures, ligament tears (e.g., ACL/CCL), hip or elbow dysplasia, and osteoarthritis.
- Neurological Conditions: Helps pets regain function after spinal cord injuries, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), or nerve damage.
- Post-Surgical Recovery: Assists healing following orthopedic or soft-tissue surgeries, improving outcomes and minimizing scarring or stiffness.
- Geriatric Conditions: Provides pain relief, mobility improvements, and better quality of life for senior pets facing age-related issues.
- Developmental Disorders: Supports young pets with congenital issues like angular limb deformities or joint dysplasia.
- Chronic Pain Syndromes: Reduces pain for pets with long-term conditions like fibrotic myopathy or chronic musculoskeletal conditions.
- Trauma Recovery: Aids in healing and regaining function after injuries such as car accidents, falls, or severe strains.
Rehabilitation Techniques Used
-
- Therapeutic Exercises: Targeted activities to rebuild strength and improve coordination.
- Chiropractic Adjustments:Aligns the spine and extremities to improve overall biomechanical function.
- Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques to reduce tension and improve joint mobility.
- Photobiomodulation/Laser Therapy: Class 4 therapeutic laser which is a non-invasive treatment to reduce pain and inflammation while increasing neovascularization and tissue healing.
- Electrical Stimulation (E-Stim): Stimulates muscles to rebuild strength and decrease pain.
- Therapeutic Ultrasound: Phonophoresis to help topical absorption & decrease pain & inflammation
- Shockwave Therapy: High energy sound waves to stimulate the regeneration of damaged tissues specific to arthritis and soft tissue injuries
- Hydrotherapy: Low-impact water-based exercises for safe muscle strengthening (not available in office)
statistics
-
Studies show that 85% of dogs with arthritis experience significant improvement in mobility and comfort after regular rehabilitation therapy.
- Up to 90% of cats over 12 years old exhibit radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease/osteoarthritis. However, the condition often goes underdiagnosed due to cats’ ability to hide pain & limited signs such as decreased mobility or reluctance to jump.
-
- Pets receiving post-surgical rehab recover 70% faster compared to those who don’t.
- Physical rehabilitation reduces the need for long-term medications in 70% of cases, decreasing risks of side effects.
Why Choose a Canine/Feline Rehab Specialist?
As a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner and certified animal chiropractor, Dr. Mar brings an integrative approach to your pet’s care. Every treatment plan is customized to suit their unique condition, temperament, and lifestyle needs.
- How Does Rehabilitation Compare to Medications?
While medications like anti-inflammatories can reduce symptoms, physical rehabilitation addresses the root cause of the issue by promoting healing, improving strength, and restoring normal movement patterns. It also reduces reliance on pharmaceuticals, which can have long-term side effects.
Recent studies and professional organizations such as the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA), which frequently publishes evidence-based studies on rehabilitation outcomes, and the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians (AARV) provide research-backed protocols for treatment. Here are some highlights of the benefits of physical rehabilitation (PR) for dogs and cats:
- Improved Mobility and Pain Management: The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and related veterinary journals emphasize that PR can alleviate pain and improve mobility in animals with osteoarthritis, neurological conditions, or post-surgical recovery. Techniques such as underwater treadmill therapy and therapeutic exercises help reduce joint stiffness and enhance strength and coordination.
- Support for Chronic Conditions: PR has shown measurable benefits in managing conditions like hip dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), and ligament injuries. For example, targeted therapies can slow disease progression and enhance the quality of life for pets with chronic conditions .
- Holistic Multimodal Approach: Combining PR with weight management, nutritional support, and medical therapies creates an effective treatment plan. For instance, omega-3 fatty acids and joint supplements like glucosamine often complement rehabilitation exercises to address inflammation and improve joint function .
- Neurological Rehabilitation: PR is vital for pets recovering from spinal injuries or surgery. Techniques like passive range-of-motion exercises and laser therapy improve circulation and muscle tone while promoting nerve healing .
- Client Involvement: Pet parents play a significant role in maintaining treatment consistency, such as continuing at-home exercises recommended by rehabilitation specialists. This consistency is critical for sustained outcomes .
