Small Animal Physiotherapy

The treatments available also vary and are selected following a thorough assessment of the patient. Prior to the assessment, veterinary referral is received, or veterinary consent is given with appropriate clinical history being shared. Then, during the assessment:

A verbal clinical history is taken from the owner

Posture is assessed in stance

Gait is assessed in walk and trot in a straight line

Functional Gait is assessed if problem is reproducible with specific activity.

Gait is assessed in small tight circles and walk back

Patient is palpated

Range of motion and End Feel is explored

Integrity, reactivity, and quality of muscle contractions are assessed.

Following the assessment, a treatment plan is discussed with the appropriate person, taking into consideration facilities available, time restrictions and competition commitments. Usually, a combination of treatments are utilised and some of the treatments available include: 

1. Enhancing performance is as relevant to professional dogs(agility, showing, working) as it is to our pets. It is common for owners to describe a change in their animal’s performance, sometimes subtle, sometimes very obvious. Some examples are recorded below:

Relunctance to jump in the car or manage stairs

Off their food, head and neck tilting

Reluctance to put their nose/eat from ground level

Reluctance to turn in one direction

Refusing to walk on slippery surfaces

General stiffness and or weakness

Poor quality movement, “wobbly” poor exercise tolerance.

2. Facilitating tissue repair and rehabilitation following trauma, injury and the diagnosis of a disease process is a key part of the physiotherapist’s role. Such traumas, injuries and diseases/conditions are listed below but this list is not exhaustive:

Back and neck pain following spinal disease or surgery

Back pain following a fall

Back and neck pain following any trauma eg RTA

Back and neck pain following tooth and mouth soreness/infection

Back pain following neurological disease

Oedema, inflammation and swelling

Adaptive soft tissue changes that have arisen due to underlying primary problems such as

Spinal disease

acute or chronic lameness

arthritis

tendinopathies

desmitis

old fractures

poor/resolving limb biomechanics

nerve damage

repetitive strain injuries

wounds

3. Maintenance of chronic conditions and managing secondary adaptive changes in dogs and cats living with these conditions such as

Arthritis

OCD

Hip and/or elbow dysplasia

Ligament, tendon and joint damage

Muscle atrophy following direct trauma or nerve damage/deterioration

Repetitive strain injuries

Neurological disease

The treatments available also vary and are selected following a thorough assessment of the patient. Prior to the assessment, veterinary referral is received, or veterinary consent is given with appropriate clinical history being shared. Then, during the assessment

A verbal clinical history is taken from the owner

Posture is assessed in stance

Gait is assessed in walk and trot in a straight line

Functional Gait is assessed if problem is reproducible with specific activity.

Gait is assessed in small tight circles and walk back

Patient is palpated

Range of motion and End Feel is explored

Integrity, reactivity, and quality of muscle contractions are assessed.

Following the assessment, a treatment plan is discussed with the appropriate person, taking into consideration facilities available, time restrictions and competition commitments. Usually, a combination of treatments are utilised and some of the treatments available include

1. Manual Therapies

 Reflex inhibition to “relax” tight muscle, while improving blood and lymph circulation.

Stretching to mobilise muscle tissue and joints through intended range

Myofascial release to facilitate the relaxation and immobility of tight     muscles including where they attach onto fascia, an elastic connective tissue that envelops many structures in the equine patients.

Trigger point release to facilitate the release of hyperirritable palpable nodules or “knots” of tight muscle which radiate pain in established patterns of referred pain.

Massage to facilitate the relaxation of soft tissues, lymphatic drainage, and the reduction of oedema.

Maitland Mobilisations to mobilise joints through their active and accessory ranges, reducing pain, stiffness and swelling.

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation to encourage correct functional and combined movements

2. Electrotherapy

Laser used effectively to assist in the alleviation of pain and swelling in chronic conditions such as osteo arthritis and is the promotion of tissue repair following soft tissue damage and wound healing.

Ultrasound is used effectively to assist in the alleviation of pain and      swelling in sub-acute conditions and in the promotion of tissue repair following     soft tissue damage and wound healing.

TMM is used to optimise the timing of contraction/relaxion/contraction cycle of functional muscle activity that is often disrupted following adaptive changes that occur in normal movement patterns after injury or disease.

TENS is used to target localised pain

3. Targeted and Functional Exercise Therapy

A home exercise program tailored to your dog or cat’s individual needs, focussing on appropriate combinations of mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioception. This may involve a combination of exercises, stretches, functional movement patterns, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, pole work and kinesiology taping.