care-pets animal hospital
Pet Rehabilitation
Read below to learn more about Care-Pet Animal Hospital‘s pet physical rehabilitation services.
Care-Pets Animal Hospital Pet Rehabilitation
Veterinary physical rehabilitation is a specialized field that focuses on the physical therapy and rehabilitation of animals recovering from injury or surgery, managing chronic pain, or dealing with mobility issues due to aging or disease. At Care-Pets Animal Hospital, Dr. Schmidtchen and licensed veterinary technician Deanna are trained in the latest techniques and equipment to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services for your pet. We offer therapeutic exercises, hydrotherapy, massage therapy, laser therapy, and acupuncture to help improve your pet’s mobility, reduce pain, and enhance their overall quality of life. We aim to work with you and your pet to develop a personalized rehabilitation plan that meets their needs and helps them achieve their fullest potential.
Can Physical Rehabilitation help my pet?
Physical Rehabilitation is a broad category that combines Western medicine with holistic approaches to treatment. This can include spinal manipulation, physical therapy, rehabilitation acupuncture, laser therapy, and herbal therapy.
Integrative medicine treatments are typically non-invasive, gentle, and often considered for pets with complex conditions, canine athletes, and patients who are not surgical candidates. These are great options for both young and senior pets. Integrative care creates treatment plans that support healing and wellness from every perspective rather than drawing solutions only from one practice philosophy or another.
Diseases and conditions that can be treated with integrative medicine include:
- orthopedic disease
- musculoskeletal weakness & pain
- neurologic conditions
- athletic performance
- osteoarthritis
- obesity & weight management
What is Veterinary Spinal Manipulation?
Veterinary spinal manipulation, also known as animal chiropractic care, is a natural and non-invasive therapy that involves manually adjusting the spinal column to restore proper alignment and mobility. This technique can be beneficial, particularly for animals suffering from musculoskeletal issues, such as back pain, neck pain, and joint stiffness. Our certified veterinarians can help improve nerve function, reduce inflammation, and promote overall healing by manipulating the spine.
What are the benefits of Hydrotherapy?
Also known as aquatic therapy, this modality has become a very valuable component of veterinary physical rehabilitation. Water exercise effectively improves muscular endurance, strength, range of motion, cardiorespiratory endurance, agility, and psychological well-being while minimizing pain. Gravity is the primary resistant force to exercising on land, while friction, viscosity, and turbulence are the primary resistance forces in water. In addition to the buoyancy and resistant effects of the water, the treadmill encourages walking or jogging with a more normal gait pattern than can be achieved with swimming. The height of the water can be adjusted, which alters the buoyancy and, therefore, joint motion. This modality is also beneficial in post-op patients to improve flexibility and regain muscle mass. It is also helpful in geriatric patients as they benefit from the buoyancy of their arthritic joints and the warmth of the water on their muscle mass. It is also valuable for neurological patients to help retrain gait patterns and, finally, in agility and athletic dogs to maintain stamina and muscle tone.