Upstate Veterinary Specialties

The goal of physical rehabilitation is to help pets suffering from pain, orthopedic injury, disease, movement abnormalities, neurologic problems, or those recovering from surgery. Rehabilitation returns them to normal function and previous level of activity as soon as possible. Rehabilitation improves and prolongs the quality of life of geriatric neurologic and orthopedically impaired patients, it allows overweight and obese animals to lose weight faster and easier, and increases the fitness of athletic animals and working dogs. It can also help to provide ambulatory assistance to patients who need carts, orthotic devices or prostheses. Conditioning programs within rehabilitation can help not only prevent injury but also reduce the need for medical or surgical treatment.

Veterinary physical rehabilitation encompasses multiple modalities of both diagnosis and treatment. The rehabilitation process begins with a thorough exam of each patient, its history, medications, gait analysis, in depth neurologic and orthopedic evaluation, discussion of expectations and goals. An individualized program is developed for each patient detailing paralleled pain control, fixation, movement, improved weightbearing, strength, balance, coordination and endurance. Some of this program is designed to allow owners to take an active role in the pet's recovery through daily or weekly "homework", while other parts of the program occur once to three times a week. Modalities utilized in rehab and available on site include hot and cold compression therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, electrostimulation and TENS, shockwave therapy, underwater treadmill work and Laser therapy.

Cases which would most benefit from physical rehab include those with: arthritis, cruciate ligament tears/ruptures, tendonitis, muscle and ligament strains/sprains, femoral head and neck surgeries, patellar reconstructions, post surgical and orthopedic recovery, post operative fracture cases, neurologic surgery and non surgery cases, degenerative myelopathy, hip and elbow dysplasia, spondylosis, overweight and obese animals. Rehab sessions usually take about 30-60 minutes and most rehabilitation programs will last from 3-8 weeks and include a range of therapies and techniques to help ease suffering and return your pet to more normal function.

We encourage speaking to our staff in regards to determining which modes of physical rehabilitative therapy would be most beneficial for your pet.