How does physical therapy work for dogs?

Rehab in a dog can involve multiple pieces of equipment or “modalities” as we call them. Let’s go over half a dozen common modalities.
1. Passive range of motion (PROM) exercises mean that someone manually helps your dog move a joint back and forth, mimicking its normal motion to improve flexibility. The most common exercise is what we call the “bicycle” motion.

2. Heat and cold therapy go hand-in-hand with PROM. Using warmth before the exercises prepares the muscles for activity. Using ice after physical therapy helps reduce inflammation and pain. It is very important to always have a barrier between your pet’s skin and the heat/ice source to protect the skin. It can be as simple as a thin towel.

3. An underwater treadmill is a special treadmill that is enclosed in a watertight container. Different levels of water can be added. The higher the water level, the less of the pet’s body weight is carried. The rehab vet would typically start out with a high water level and a slow speed for a short amount of time; then, gradually increase the difficulty by decreasing the water level and increasing the speed and duration of activity.

4. An obstacle type course can also be used to help your dog increase or relearn balance and paw placement. This can include the use of hills, steps, ramps, bars, balance balls, etc.

5. Therapeutic ultrasound uses ultrasonic waves to stimulate muscle activity. These waves are different from what we use to look inside a dog’s belly. Therapeutic ultrasound provides heat to muscles, tendons and ligaments and can help heal them.

6. A cold therapy laser works at the level of cells in the body. It can decrease inflammation and increase circulation, which can help decrease pain and increase healing. Cold therapy laser should not be used if cancer is suspected, as it can encourage cancer growth.

Pet Rehab Service for dog: Walking Paws Rehab is a unique practice that offers many advance therapies to help your pet.
Location: Boulder, CO, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Professional’s Pet Rehab Guide

Image
  There’s no denying it, we all have knees, even our canine companions.  Knees are sometimes a source of discomfort and most often, injury. Athletes and non-athletes alike are likely to have some sort of knee  issue during their lifetime. This can also be said of our canine  counterparts.   Just because they walk on four legs instead of two, does not make  them any less likely to encounter an issue. The knee, or stifle joint in  dogs (and cats), is prone to a common injury where one of the two  ligaments that criss-cross in the knee, tears or ruptures. This ligament is the cranial cruciate ligament and it is responsible for keeping the joint from overextending, overt inward rotation and incorrect forward movement. The cranial cruciate ligament or CCL is also frequently referred to as the ACL or anterior cruciate ligament. Injury may occur after such actions as sudden starts, sudden stops, tight turns, jumping and running...
Read more

A Guide to Pet Physical Therapy in Boulder, CO

Image
Pet physical therapy adapts human physical therapy techniques for small animals. This allows them to lead longer, happier lives with less pain. Most veterinary physical therapists work with dogs, but the same techniques can heal cats and other small animals. The clinical practice of physical therapy for animals is a relatively new field in the United States. The veterinary community has acknowledged the benefits of physical therapy for many years. But in the last three to five years, the discipline has seen particularly large growth. This has allowed for more available resources for practicing veterinarians. Visit - Pet Rehab in Boulder, CO What does practicing physical therapy on animals look like? First, a Certified Rehabilitation Practitioner discusses the animal’s condition with the diagnosing veterinarian. Together, they develop a specialized therapy plan. This plan is different from case to case. Each technique used in animal physical therapy has different benefits....
Read more