Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy for dogs and cats recovering from orthopaedic injuries including fractures, dislocations and joint surgery is an important part of the rehabilitation process to ensure that your pet returns to the best possible activity level.
Sometimes all that is required is to advise the pet owner how to perform gentle passive movements of the joints at home to encourage the return of full range of movement and also gentle exercise & swimming to encourage muscle build up again.
However in some more complex cases, especially when there is a protracted recovery period or fibrosis or scarring with more chronic injuries, then a more involved physiotherapy plan may be discussed.
It is important that all of the physiotherapy plans adopted are controlled and gradual to ensure that damage is not done to bones or joints which are in the early stages of recovery and this advice must always be in conjunction with the orthopaedic surgeons’ advice.
Early return of muscle strength and mass is essential in cases with treated by TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament injury.
Hydrotherapy and Swimming
Hydrotherapy can be particularly a useful modality in spinal cases which are recovering as it may allow a dog to begin early physiotherapy when it is unable to fully weight bear on its limbs especially if recovery appears to be protracted.
Physiotherapy, hydrotherapy & rehabilitation therapy
Greenmount Veterinary Clinic 72 Gilford Road Portadown Co Armagh Northern Ireland
© GVC
Digital vision
Not quite the gentle physiotherapy we have in mind in the post operative period!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxypar4/448064437/ dog beach; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
