Treatments
Animal physiotherapy involves a multi-faceted approach tailored to the specific needs of the animal.
A combination of these treatments will be used to help your pet:​
Electrical Muscular Stimulation (EMS) and Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
​
EMS sends electrical impulses to the muscles which cause them to contract. These impulses travel through the hair and skin which in turn stimulate the nerves in the area at the probe location. The stimulation of the muscle fibres causes normal contraction and relaxation of the muscles which can be particularly useful for muscle and nerve re-education, reducing muscle atrophy, increasing local blood circulation and reducing muscle spasms.
​​​
​​​​TENS on the other hand has the primary purpose of helping to provide pain relief for a variety of conditions by delivering an electrical current to stimulate the sensory nerves within the body. This type of nerve stimulation allows the body to produce natural pain relief mechanisms and therefore reduce/stop pain signals to the brain.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy (PEMF)
​
PEMF therapy creates a pulsating magnetic field to help restore the normal balance of cells which is unbalanced when they are damaged. These damaged/unbalanced cells result in inflammation and pain within the body and therefore by using the PEMF we can provide a natural way to try and combat these problems. This type of electrotherapy can be used to aid recovery from fractures, ligament and tendon injuries, pain, inflammation/oedema all the way through to more chronic conditions such as arthritis.
Laser therapy
​
Laser therapy is a completely painless, non-invasive and quick treatment that most patients find relaxing. The treatment is suitable for a range of animals from dogs , cats and rabbits to the more exotic such as lizards. The companion animal health CTX 15W Class laser is used by Kerry for a wide range of treatments. There are different application methods depending on the type of treatment being performed. There is a large unique roller ball head that while delivering the laser treatment can also provide a massage type affect. The roller ball can also compress the tissue so that the depth of tissue penetration is much greater. There is also a much a smaller ball for smaller patients or treatment areas and off contact heads where there are wounds or painful areas that you may not be able to touch.​
​
Laser provides an anti-inflammatory effect within the body so can be great for treating conditions such as arthritis, post surgical conditions and joint dysplasia (e.g. hip and elbow). the pain relieving effects of the laser can be from acute post operative pain to the more chronic pain conditions like arthritis that is commonly seen in our older patients. Tendons and ligaments are particularly slow to recover when they sustain an injury due to their poor blood supply, application of the laser can help with encouraging fibroblast production to help encourage repair more quickly and effectively. It is great for encouraging wound healing in cases of lick granulomas or pressure sores and help to reduce the formation of scar tissue. Should scar tissue become an issue from existing wounds or surgery the laser can help to break it down to allow more free movement.
​
The above conditions are just a small window into how laser can utilised for treatment on a physiotherapy basis. However there are so many other conditions that can be managed/treated by laser therapy that are not limited to physiotherapy. Kerry is trained as a veterinary nurse and therefore with referral from your veterinary surgeon can also discuss laser only treatment sessions. These non physio sessions range from dental and skin disease to inflammatory bowel disease and wound care to name a few.
Red and Blue Light Therapy
Red light therapy can be applied to the muscles or acupuncture points to promote the release of endorphins and increase circulation to warm the muscles.
​
Blue light therapy is a very useful tool for reducing bacteria and potentially harmful micro-organisms when there are wounds or skin complaints caused by bacterial or fungal infections. The red light therapy can also be applied to the edges of the wound to increase the healing time and reduce the formation of scar tissue.
Manual Therapy
​
Manual therapies are techniques such as massage, stretching and joint mobilisations that are carried out using therapists hands as the tool.
​
Massage therapy has been a very integral part of human therapy for many years now and is now starting to be implemented with animals. When coming for treatment there a variety of techniques that may be used including effleurage, petrissage and myofascial release techniques to name a few.
Therapeutic Exercises
​
Therapeutic exercises are a very important part of a physiotherapy program whether your pet may be recovering from surgery or have a chronic condition such as arthritis.
​
The therapeutic exercises are prescribed on an individual basis depending on the needs of your pet. These can be exercises to encourage stretching, weight shifting, improve balance or co-ordination with varying equipment found within the clinic or home. An appropriate exercise programme will be created based on the findings within the consultation that you will be able to complete at home in-between the physiotherapy sessions. ​​
The main aims of therapeutic exercises are to:
-
Improve flexibility of the joints
-
Help reduce lameness and improve limb use
-
Maintain or increase muscle mass and strength
-
Help to maintain quality of life
-
Prevention of further injury
-
Help to enhance strength, endurance and performance in competitive/athletic pets.
-
​
There are many benefits to massage with the main ones being listed below:
-
Reduction of muscular tension and spasm
-
Promoting the release of endorphins to improve relaxation and provide pain relief
-
Increased circulation
-
Improve rate of muscular recovery
Your pet may sometimes look worse following a massage treatment before they look better and may even take a few sessions before seeing significant improvement but all are treated