What is Animal Physiotherapy?

The main purpose of physiotherapy is to try and aid or restore the normal bodily functions relating to mobility, independence, performance and purpose. Rehabilitation can be anything from skeletal and muscular injury to enhancing mobility and sporting performance.

Animal physiotherapy is rapidly contributing to both surgical and medical conditions. This relationship aims to support you in protecting, understanding, healing and maintaining your pets quality of life and wellbeing to the highest of standards.

Physiotherapy treatments involve a wide range of techniques which may include massage, trigger point release, electrotherapies and therapeutic exercises to create a bespoke treatment as individual as they are.

How can physiotherapy help?

Prevention

In these appointments your pet doesn't have to have a specific problem. This is an assessment of your pets health and a discussion of how we may use preventable treatment/exercise to prevent injury and delay age related pain. Through assessment and treatments such as massage we can help detect any developing problems not currently causing symptoms.

Long term conditions

(including hip and elbow dysplasia, arthritis)

The use of physiotherapy can be a key treatment in long term conditions that can often be diagnosed from a young age. As many as 35% of our canine companions over 1 year of age already have arthritis and as many as 24% between just 8 months and 4 years old can show signs of pain. We can alleviate symptoms and enhance your dogs wellbeing by reducing pain and swelling, increase muscle mass and maintain/increase joint mobility through stretching and exercise.

Injury or pre/post operative conditions

(including Cruciate ligament disease and patella luxation)

Whether your pet has sustained an injury or has undergone surgery with the wide range of techniques available we can help to provide pain relief and aid the natural healing process with these therapies. In order for the best surgical outcome physiotherapy may also be utilised pre-operatively to try and maintain function/use of the affected area. Hopefully we can then assist with recovery time taken for your pet to return to normal as soon as possible.

Weight Management

Many pets are overweight and is the most common nutritional problem seen within the veterinary industry. This is often caused by an imbalance between energy intake (food) and expenditure (exercise). Alot of conditions seen by physiotherapists can be exacerbated through excess body weight due to the increased amount of pressure on the joints leading to higher levels of pain, discomfort and risk of injury. Studies have also shown that fat cells secrete hormones that can both cause and enhance areas of inflammation in the body and joints.

It is also important to consider that during injury or illness this imbalance of energy may be even greater as mobility is reduced and therefore weight monitoring is a key component when treating a variety of conditions.

Specialist advice/support can be offered as to your pets body condition and guidance on how to help with weight loss where necessary.