Numerous individuals search for physical therapists at some point in their lifetime. Regardless of whether it is for a bad back, strengthening a limb after a platelet-rich plasma injection, surgery, or regaining function after an injury, exercise-based recuperation plays a huge role in helping us stay healthy, active, and very comfortable.
The same also applies to pets. Rehabilitation therapy for pets is quickly turning into a cornerstone of veterinary care. Much like physical therapy in people, rehabilitation therapy for pets centers around the connections between muscles, bones, nerves, ligaments, and tendons so as to decrease pain and improve function especially after a platelet-rich plasma injection or surgical procedure.
Most pets undergo platelet-rich plasma injection or even surgery to treat bone or tendon related ailments. However, after the surgery, the muscles need to be retrained again to perform these activities. Also, it is not uncommon for pets to have a sort of ‘mental block’. What this means is that they are unwilling to try exercises or activities that they were performing before their degenerative disease or ailment.
Rehabilitation of pets is extremely challenging, because getting a pet to do an exercise that they do not want to do, or that may be painful for them to do at first, is difficult.
There are several pet rehabilitation services spread all over the world. However, at Safarivet, they have a “fear-free” rehabilitation which means that they do not force your pet to perform exercises. The pets are taught with rewards on how to use specialized rehabilitation tools to properly exercise. The Center possesses Certified Canine Rehabilitation Specialists operating with techniques taught informal classes and the best tools in an environment of fear-free encouragement.
Therefore, Dr. Garner’s four-step method is used at the Safari Veterinary Care Center. First and foremost, trust is built, thereafter a line of communication is established. After this, the pets are reassured and then finally trained.
The innate desire of dogs to please is tapped into, pets are shown how to please the specialists and how to please himself (by receiving treats) to exercise the part of the body needing the movement.
These techniques, when utilized correctly, can help pets with a wide array of problems and needs.
A very popular rehabilitation technique called hydrotherapy techniques uses water as a tool to improve muscle and joint function in animals. They include but are not limited to swimming and underwater treadmill. Swimming allows an animal to work several muscles at once while spanning further than walking on land would allow.
This helps to build muscle and endurance and is a technique that reduces stress on the joints. The underwater treadmill is commonly used in animal physical therapy. It provides the perks of land exercises while decreasing the weight placed on the animal’s limbs. Underwater treadmill and swimming can be very useful in dogs recovering from surgery, such as anterior o cranial cruciate ligament repairs and brake repairs.
In particular, animals with decreased function and pain related to osteoarthritis and aging can benefit, as well as those recovering from an injury or surgery.
