methods of alleviating pain, preventing restrictions in range of movement, safe strengthening activities, re-educating the patient to walk/move normally and preventing further injury. Common conditions treated post-surgically include: cruciate ligament rupture, patella luxation, femoral head excision, pelvic and limb fractures.
Neurological Rehabilitation
Depending on the condition to be treated, rehabilitation can assist:
Neurological patients to maintain/regain muscle strength, maintain joint range of motion & flexibility, improve comfort and re-educate the patient to walk.
Common neurological conditions treated with rehabilitation include
• intervertebral disc disease (rehabilitation is an adjunct, not an alternative to surgery in more severe cases)
• fibrocartilagenous embolism (FCE)
• lumbosacral disease and degenerating conditions
Osteoarthritis/ Degenerative Joint Disease
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain in dogs and cats. This pain often results in reduced movement and activity, which leads to loss of muscle mass/weakness in the affected limb/s, lameness, weight gain & increased loading on the unaffected limb/s.
As the condition progresses there may be injury in the overloaded limbs, reduced activity with or without weight gain (which further increases the load on arthritic joints) and further reductions in strength, balance and mobility. Rehabilitation starts with ensuring adequate pain control and then aims to improve comfortable range of motion, balance and strength in the muscles supporting the affected joints. Rehabilitation can assist in improving the comfort and reducing lameness in geriatric pets, pets with osteoarthritis post injury, dogs with hip &/or elbow dysplasia
Obesity Control
Obesity is the number one nutritional disorder of pets in the western world. While we may be used to our pets being round and ‘cuddly’, this extra body fat poses significant health risks to our furry companions. Increased body weight increases the load on the joints, worsening symptoms of orthopaedic disease or arthritis and increasing the risk of injury. Obesity in pets has also been linked with reduced lifespan, cardiovascular disease, collapsing trachea in small breed dogs, insulin resistance and diabetes in cats, hypothyroidism and certain types of cancer, to name a few.
Clearly, maintaining our pets in a lean, healthy body condition has significant health benefits, however safely reducing bodyweight in an overweight pet can be challenging. Rehabilitation for obesity looks takes a holistic approach to weight loss, taking into account diet, medical conditions, orthopaedic disease and any other conditions affecting mobility and lifestyle.
We will work with you and your regular veterinarian to ensure an adequate pain control, diet and exercise regime to help your pet lose weight safely and effectively.
Hydrotherapy in an underwater treadmill is frequently employed in the early management of these cases as an effective way of improving strength and cardiovascular function whilst minimizing the loading on your pets joints.
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