Common Conditions

There are many, conditions that can be improved with physical rehabilitation. Some of the most common include:

Degenerative Myelopathy

Degenerative myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord that results in hind limb weakness, ataxia (lack of coordination), and eventual paralysis. Rehabilitation cannot cure this disease, but it can help keep your dog as strong and comfortable as possible. Therapeutic exercises, the underwater treadmill/swim tank, and massage are frequently used for this condition.

Fibrocartilaginous Embolism (FCE)

FCE is a condition in which the blood supply to the spinal cord is interrupted, resulting in an acute onset of severe neurological deficits, including paralysis. The rate and extent of recovery depends on the degree of injury to the spinal cord. Most patients that are going to recover from this condition show some signs of improvement in the first two weeks after the injury. Rehabilitation is critical during this time to help ensure a good outcome. Therapeutic exercises, the underwater treadmill/swim tank, electrical stimulation, and massage are frequently used to rehabilitate patients with this condition.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint and is the leading cause of hip osteoarthritis. Options for surgical intervention include total hip replacement, femoral head osteotomy, and triple pelvic osteotomy. Rehabilitation is frequently used post-surgically to help ensure a good outcome. It is also beneficial for management of this condition without surgical intervention, in the event that a dog is not a good candidate for surgery. The underwater treadmill, therapeutic exercises, pain management, laser therapy, and massage are frequently used for rehabilitating this condition.

Intervertebral Disc Disease

Intervertebral disc disease, the protrusion or extrusion of one or multiple discs between the vertebrae, is a common cause of weakness and back pain in dogs. Major trauma can cause an acute extrusion of disc material, but it is more likely to be secondary to an underlying degeneration of the disc. The two types of disk degeneration are chondroid degeneration (most common in Dachshunds, Pekingese, and Cocker Spaniels) and fibroid degeneration (most common in older, large-breed dogs).

Chondroid degeneration often results in an acute extrusion of disc material (type I extrusion), while fibroid degeneration results in a slower, more progressive extrusion (type II protrusion). The clinical signs are usually less severe and have a slower onset compared to type I extrusions.

Therapeutic exercises, electrical stimulation, massage, the underwater treadmill/swim tank, pain management, and acupuncture are frequently used for rehabilitating this condition.

Osteoarthritis/Degenerative Joint Disease

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs and cats. It is the loss of cartilage within a joint. The gradual decrease of this protective cartilage can result in painful bone-on-bone contact and a thinning of the synovial fluid which helps cushion the joint. The underwater treadmill, therapeutic exercises, pain management, thermotherapy, laser therapy, and massage are frequently used for managing this condition.

Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation after surgery is critical to helping a patient return to normal activity with minimal complications. Rehabilitation can help relieve pain and reeducate the patient to walk normally. Rehabilitation is also important to prevent further injury to the affected limb, or to the rest of the body that has been compensating for the loss of function of the injured limb. Any of our treatment options may be used, depending on the type of surgery and where the patient is in his/her recovery process.

Sports Injuries

Sports injuries (strains, sprains, muscle soreness) are common in athletic and working dogs. We are dedicated to returning animals with these conditions back to work and competition safely and in the shortest time possible. The underwater treadmill, therapeutic exercises, pain management, therapeutic ultrasound, laser therapy, and massage are frequently used.