Physical therapy or rehabilitation for dogs works quite similarly to physiotherapy in people. This treatment and practice is able to help reduce pain in your pup and improve their strength, flexibility, mobility, endurance and general health and well-being. Here, our canine physical therapist is able to share some information with you about physical therapy for dogs and answer some common questions.
What is canine physical rehabilitation and physical therapy?
Canine physical rehabilitation, or physical therapy, uses many of the same treatment techniques and practices to improve your dog's health and well-being as physiotherapy does in people. In fact, the two practices are similar in almost every way. In many states, the term physical therapy is reserves for treatment given to humans using these practices, so you will often see it referred to as physical rehabilitation when people.
Does physical rehab work for pets the same way as physical therapy for people?
Research suggests that canine rehabilitation has very similar benefits to that of physiotherapy in people. It is also the case that animals, like people, can benefit significantly from starting treatment as early as possible, before their condition become severe and continuing this program over a sustained period of time. Over the course of this time, your dog will start to show small improvements in reduced pain and increased mobility, flexibility and strength.
Why would my dog benefit from physical rehabilitation?
Canine physical therapy can help to restore the function to an injured pet or one suffering from an illness using treatments like massages, electrical stimulation, heat treatments and acupuncture combined with exercises and hydrotherapy. This approach of combining treatments and therapies together to address your dog's health issues helps relieve their pain and aids in the rehabilitation of pets following an injury, disease or invasive medical procedure.
In some instances, we even recommend canine physical therapy as an alternative to surgery or as a means of stimulating the brains of elderly dogs to help them regain a sense of purpose.
How do you do physical rehabilitation for dogs?
Phoenix Veterinary Referral & Emergency Center is proud to be able to have a certified Canine Physical Therapist as part of our team. We will review your dog's general condition and overall health in order to create a personalized treatment plan to help address your dog's specific concerns. Beyond the treatments that are administered by rehab facilities, you will be given a set of exercises to do with your pooch at home in order to help continue your pet's progress between appointments.
Are physical rehab exercises just for injured or recovering dogs?
Absolutely not! Exercises are developed in order to improve the balance. strength, endurance and flexibility of any dog, be they ill or perfectly healthy. Many senior dogs quite enjoy the mental stimulation of performing age-appropriate rehabilitative exercises.
How quickly will I see improvements in my dog's health?
Each dog is unique, presenting different challenges and abilities/ Because of this, our Canine Physical Therapist will be able to provide you with an idea after an assess ment of your pup, of when you may begin to see improvements in their condition.