Pet rehabilitation is a growing field of study that recognizes that, like people, dogs can benefit from a specialized exercise plan and other therapeutic methods that reduce pain, improve fitness, and restore function. It is based on the same ideas as physiotherapy for humans: to regain, keep, and improve strength, movement, function, and overall health. Exams, diagnoses, evaluations, and physical interventions are given much attention. It also cares about the relationships between the animal, its owner, the vet, and other people who care for animals.
What exactly is pet rehabilitation?
You might use stretching, massage, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, ultrasound or a therapeutic laser, and home exercise programs in your pet’s therapy plan. Not all therapies are good for pets, so your pet will get a personalized plan for improvement. Pet recovery can also be combined with acupuncture, dietary counseling, and pain management techniques to give your pet the best quality of life possible.
What to expect?
Most pets can handle and even enjoy physical therapy at this emergency veterinary care clinic. Positive reinforcement is used in different ways to help your pet get through the sessions. The first step is to find out what your pet can and can’t do. The diagnosis and treatment plan will be based on your pet’s needs and physical limits. Most of the time, treatment will include a mix of manual therapy, therapeutic modalities, and exercise.
Exercises
Professionals will use Cavaletti poles, rocker boards, physio rolls, weave poles, balancing discs and sometimes even cat grooming in Lincoln Park. They will also teach your pet new moving methods, like giving high fives, going from sitting to standing, playing bows, and many more.
While the vet is treating your pet at the clinic, they will tell you what exercises, stretches, or heat/cold therapy treatments you need to do at home. These exercises will help you get stronger and last longer in the range of motion you already have.
This will be a set of tools you can use to help your pet now and in the future. Along with making the injured area more comfortable, stronger, and able to do more, the trainers work to retrain the neuromuscular firing of the muscles used in your pet’s stride to help them avoid getting hurt again in the future.
Medications
Most patients are probably already taking anti-inflammatory drugs, the most common painkillers. The main goal is to get people to use these drugs less. Skilled professionals will often use muscle relaxants to ease a spasming muscle, centrally acting pain medications, and heat or cold packs. These can greatly reduce your pet’s pain and make it less likely that he or she will need anti-inflammatory drugs.
Anti-anxiety medicine could help nervous patients. Massage therapy works best when the patient is calm, and most pets are happy to follow a short exercise routine and then calm down for a massage after one or two sessions. Please don’t give your pet any human medicine unless your vet tells you exactly how much and what brand to use.
Conclusion
A lot of vets help cats and dogs get back in shape. Rehabilitation for pets helps with a wide range of injuries, joint problems, and neurological problems. Pet therapy can help people move around, feel less pain, improve their motor skills, and recover faster after surgery. A trained rehabilitation team will use different methods to help your pet get the most out of the process
