What is Veterinary Physiotherapy?
Veterinary physiotherapy involves the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of animals. This is primarily related to muscle, joint and nerve injuries and problems.
Veterinary Physiotherapy professionals use their scientific and clinical knowledge to provide a holistic treatment approach. An individual and appropriate treatment program will combine a variety of treatment techniques, with the purpose of restoring, maintaining or improving health and function of the animal patient.
Who needs Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy can be vital in rehabilitating an animal back to full health and fitness after an injury or surgery. If you notice a change in your animal’s movement or behaviour its always worth getting a professional Veterinarian or Veterinary physiotherapist to assess them to make sure this is not the early stages of something more serious. This can aid a better outcome, by avoiding irreversible damage, and help get your pet back to full fitness quicker!
However, this is not the only animals that could benefit from Physiotherapy intervention. Maintenance of breed or age specific conditions, such as arthritis in senior dogs, is probably the primary reason patients come to me for physiotherapy. The intended goal in these cases often vary from relaxation to strengthening. Whatever the goal, a program can be made specifically for your pet to make sure they live their happiest, healthiest and fittest life possible. If your pet has a muscle or joint condition its always worth speaking to your Vet about how physiotherapy could help, or contacting a local trusted Veterinary Physiotherapist directly. More on how you can find a Physiotherapist you can trust at the end of this blog.
Finally, Physiotherapy treatments are beneficial for active or competing animals. Preseason treatments can enhance function of soft tissues and therefore prepare your pet for events so they can perform their best. Treatments during the season can be useful in identifying and eliminating subtle and mild injuries before they develop into something more serious. And just like a postseason human sports massage, treatment after the event or active season can help your pet recover quickly and efficiently so they can continue doing what they love without the worry of overuse or fatigue related injuries.
To summarise here’s a bullet point list of benefits Physiotherapy could provide for your pet:
· Restore, maintain and improve joint Range of Movement
· Eliminate / reduce pain caused by surgery, medical problems or injury
· Improve movement and gait biomechanics
· Improve, maintain or restore muscle strength and mobility
· Increase muscle flexibility and extensibility
· Aid recovery from neurological and skeletal problems
Restore, maintain and improve proprioception and sensory awareness
What’s involved in a Physiotherapy Treatment?
Generally, a Veterinary Physiotherapy treatment is divided into three main sections, the assessment, treatment and home exercises. Each section should complement each other harmoniously. It is important in all sections to treat the animal as a whole and not just focus on the identified issue.
How to find a Physiotherapist you can trust
Asking your veterinarian which Veterinary Physiotherapist they recommend can be a great place to start when finding a trusted local therapist. You could also look on the regulatory bodies ‘Find a member’ page. By choosing a registered Physiotherapist you can be confident they are highly qualified, fully insured and work to a professional code of conduct. We recommend going with a therapist registered with National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists (NAVP). Impact Veterinary Physiotherapy are registered with NAVP, drop us an email or phone us for FREE for a non-obligatory discussion on how Physiotherapy could benefit your pet.
