Veterinary Physiotherapy
Veterinary Physiotherapy is a complementary therapy that takes a holistic approach in rehabilitating your animal using a variety of techniques and tools in order to relieve pain and restore function. It can be used in conjunction with veterinary care to not only treat or manage musculoskeletal or neurological conditions, but to also maximise performance of the animal athlete or working dog.
Using the body's natural healing process, your animal's quality of life can be improved by providing pain relief, strengthening weakened muscles, re-educating neural pathways and improving flexibility/range of motion.
Current legislation states that animals may only be treated by a veterinary surgeon or by somebody authorised by a veterinary surgeon. This means that prior to any session, ALL animals must have a signed referral form which can be downloaded here.
Common conditions that Veterinary Physiotherapy can help:
Arthritis
Cruciate ligament injuries
Fractures
Hip/Elbow dysplasia
Luxating Patella
Spinal Conditions
Neurological deficits
After having carried out a thorough assessment of your animal, a combination of the following methods may be used:
Manual therapies
Electrotherapies
Remedial Exercise Programmes
Management advice
A Typical Veterinary Physiotherapy Session
As all dogs are individuals and may be at different stages of their recovery to others, a treatment programme will be developed specifically for your pet.
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After gaining a referral from your vet, we will have a discussion about your pets clinical history, home environment and current lifestyle.
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Analysis of your pets gait and how they move.
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Palpation (touching) of your animals body to determine any abnormalities such as heat, swelling or abnormal muscle tone.
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Analysis of the joints using range of motion assessment.
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Discussion of goals and treatment plan.
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Any treatment deemed necessary.
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Development of exercise programme for you to continue at home.