Back on Your Feet (Or Paws):  All About Pet Rehabilitation

It is simply amazing how much veterinary medicine has continued to evolve since the days of James Herriot. No longer viewed as a disposable commodity, in many homes pets are simply part of the family.

One of the arenas that is growing the in the veterinary world is pet rehabilitation. Animals with pain, decreased mobility or function, or those who are recovering from a surgery or injury can benefit tremendously from techniques historically reserved for humans in physical therapy.

At Harris Parkway Animal Hospital, we have staff members trained in using physical rehabilitation techniques to get your four-legged family member in tip-top shape more effectively than ever. Learn more about pet rehabilitation and how your personal pets can benefit with your team at Harris Parkway.

Understanding Pet Rehabilitation

Pet rehabilitation is a relatively new branch of veterinary medicine that uses manual therapies as well as other techniques to help our animal patients function and heal better than ever before.

Rehabilitation therapy focuses on the relationships between the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and nerves within the body in order to decrease pain and improve overall function. It may be used in conjunction with other medications and therapies as well and provides a great means of helping our patients beyond the more traditional options.

Each pet who presents for rehabilitation therapy is individually evaluated and a program developed to meet their needs. Most pet rehabilitation protocols involve a combination of:

• Therapeutic massage
• Passive range of motion exercises
• Chiropractic manipulations
• Acupuncture
• Therapeutic exercises
• Cold laser therapy
• Therapeutic ultrasound
• Neuromuscular/electrical stimulation (NMES/E-stim)
• Heat/cold therapy
• Pulsed electromagnetic therapy

An individual patient’s program may be adapted as goals are achieved and needs change. Pet rehabilitation is proving to be a game changer for so many of our patients.

How We Can Help

One of the best parts about pet rehabilitation therapy is that the sky’s the limit when it comes to who can benefit from it. Almost all of our patients can gain some positive effects from this type of treatment.

Most commonly we utilize it in our patients who are:

• Recovering from a major surgery such as to repair a cruciate ligament
• Suffering from a neurological problem such as intervertebral disc disease
• Dealing with arthritis and other changes in senior pets
• Working on weight loss
• Trying to improve fitness for sport/competition
• Need an orthotic or prosthetic

Of course we will recommend a physical rehabilitation consultation if we think that your pet may benefit, but please don’t hesitate to contact us should you want more information. Please give us a call and our expert staff can get started evaluating your pet’s needs right away. We are proud to bring pet rehabilitation therapy to the Fort Worth area. It is truly a blessing for so many of our patients.