Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can be extremely beneficial for your pet to help extend their quality of life, mobility, and comfort.

Overview

From athletes to senior pets, veterinary physical therapy can help animals with a diverse range of conditions. We can help create and implement a physical therapy plan for your pet to help extend their quality of life, mobility, and comfort.

Why would my pet need physical therapy?

Pet owners generally select physical therapy as a treatment option after an injury or to manage chronic health conditions such as obesity or arthritis.

When should I consider physical therapy for my pet?

Although most people seek out physical therapy for their pet after an injury or to manage a chronic health condition, your pet doesn’t have to be suffering to seek the benefits of physical therapy. If you are looking to improve or restore mobility , manage pain , treat an injury or maximize physical potential, contact us to set up an exam.

How does physical therapy work?

Based on your pet’s condition, we will create a therapy plan for your pet. Some activities may include treadmill work, electrode stimulation, exercise programs, massage, hydrotherapy, orthodics or assistive devices.

As therapy sessions progress, we will keep careful records and make adjustments as necessary to ensure progress is being made. We can also prescribe pain medications if necessary. With advanced equipment and progressive methodology, we are committed to providing the best possible physical therapy for your pet. Every test, decision, and treatment is customized to the specific needs of your pet so that they can manage their condition or recovery and live out their happy, healthy life.

Water Therapy

Overview

Water therapy, also known as hydrotherapy, utilizes an underwater treadmill. It provides an optimal rehabilitation setting by utilizing the warmth, buoyancy, and resistance of water. This form of therapy can decrease recovery time from surgery, enhance cardiovascular fitness, and improve joint pain through low impact exercise.

Why would my pet need water therapy?

Veterinary water therapy may be used for a number of reasons. It can simply be used to help keep a pet in shape during cold months, or used as a treatment option for post-surgery recovery. Water therapy uses include:

• General exercise and fitness

• Weight loss

• Surgery recovery

• Joint work for arthritis

When should I consider water therapy for my pet?

Water therapy has low impact on the joints and bones making it a great outlet for post-surgery or post-trauma patients, and pets with arthritic conditions to exercise, build endurance, and maintain muscle mass. Arthritic pets will have the ability to walk and move easier in an underwater treadmill, allowing for a better exercise than they would normally be able to achieve on the ground.

Overweight pets benefit from this type of exercise as they are able to work longer with less stress on their joints. Athletic pets who compete also benefit from this form of exercise as it is a safer and quicker way to build stamina and muscle mass. If any of these qualities describe your pet, water therapy may be the right choice.

How does water therapy work?

We use warm water in the underwater treadmill during therapy to help relax and stretch the muscles, and water jets to help stimulate circulation and further increase relaxation during a long exercise. To ensure progress and tailor the therapy to your pet’s needs, parameters need to carefully be adjusted per patient such as water depth, turbulence, speed, directions, and temperature. We will create a plan specifically for your cat, dog, or other animal and work with them to achieve their therapeutic goals. 

With advanced equipment and progressive methodology, we are committed to providing the best possible water therapy for your pet. Every test, decision, and treatment is customized to the specific needs of your pet so that they can manage their condition or recovery and live out their happy, healthy life.

Laser Therapy

Overview

Laser therapy uses a beam of light to deeply penetrate tissue, absorbing into the cell without damaging it and inducing a response called “photo-bio-modulation,” which helps reduce pain. While treating the affected area, the laser light generates a feeling of gentle and soothing warmth.

Why would my pet need laser therapy?

Therapy lasers are primarily used to reduce swelling, pain, and speed the healing process. These mechanisms allow us to successfully treat a wide range of conditions non-invasively and without drugs.

Studies indicate that laser-treated wounds heal 30-50% faster than the typical required healing time. Just a single laser treatment can reduce swelling and speed up the healing process post-surgery. Skin wounds, abrasions, bite injuries, dermatitis, and burns all respond well to laser therapy as well.

Our laser therapy uses a more modern and high-powered therapeutic laser that can deliver adequate dosages of laser energy (photons) painlessly and efficiently to deeper tissues. This laser is extremely beneficial in treating chronic conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, back disease or injury, and degenerative joint diseases. This is a great therapy option for geriatric patients who suffer from one or more of these chronic painful conditions, as well as the aches and pains that come naturally with aging. There are many reports of pets returning to normal, or almost normal function after laser therapy. More chronic and severe cases may require multiple treatment sessions to fully benefit.

When should I consider laser therapy for my pet?

Laser therapy can be useful for your pet in a number of ways. The following are common clinical conditions where veterinary laser therapy may be used as treatment.

• Musculoskeletal pain

• Immunoregulation

• Traumatic wound healing

• Surgical wound healing

• Increasing the metabolism of specific tissues

How does laser therapy work?

Treatment protocols are unique to each patient and condition, varying in time, complexity, and cost. Laser therapy can also be used to enhance other treatment plans we recommend.

Fortunately, laser therapy can be administered without touching the painful area, providing immediate pain relief and edema control to sensitive tissues. We also use therapeutic lasers to stimulate muscle and acupuncture points painlessly and without needles so your pet is as comfortable as possible. With advanced equipment and progressive methodology, we are committed to providing the best possible laser therapy pet care for your furry friend. Every test, decision, and treatment is customized to the specific needs of your pet so that they can manage their condition or recovery and live out their happy, healthy life.