Veterinary Physiotherapy

Veterinary physiotherapy aims to promote healing and restore normal function for animals. Physiotherapy is particularly beneficial for:

• Improving or maintaining muscle mass and strength
• Improving or maintaining joint mobility
• Soft tissue, fracture and wound healing
• Improving proprioception, balance and core strength
• Managing age-related issues
• Pain management
• Reducing risk of future injury

Common canine conditions that benefit from veterinary physiotherapy include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Elbow and hip dysplasia
• Cruciate disease
• Patella luxation
• Bone fractures
• Hip replacements
• Femoral head and neck excision
• Limb amputees
• Post-surgery rehabilitation
• Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD)
• Fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCEM)
• Spondylitis
• Soft tissue injuries (including muscle, tendon and ligament injuries)
• Muscular imbalances
• Infected wounds and wound repair
• General maintenance

Common equine conditions that benefit from veterinary physiotherapy include:

• Soft tissue injuries (including muscle, tendon and ligament injuries)
• Back problems
• Bone fractures
• Infected wounds and wound repair
• Muscle asymmetry
• Osteoarthritis
• Navicular disease
• General maintenance

A combination of manual therapies, electrotherapies and exercise prescription are used, to ensure optimum results for your animal:

Manual Therapies
Massage
Myofascial release
Passive range of motion
Passive stretches

Electrotherapies
Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy
A pulsed electrical current that interacts with cell membranes and when set at appropriate frequencies provides a multitude of benefits, including pain relief, soft tissue and bone repair, nerve regeneration, vasodilation (causing enhanced blood flow to an area) and vasoconstriction (restricting blood flow to an area i.e. useful for areas of swelling).

Phototherapy
Photons are absorbed by the mitochondria in the cells, which causes increased ATP production and a cascade of effects, including pain relief, reduction of muscle spasms, increased circulation and stimulation of healing. It is therefore fantastic for treating conditions such as osteoarthritis, hip/elbow dysplasia, abscesses, trigger points, muscle spasms/injuries, tendon/ligament injuries, chronic inflammation, mastitis and wound healing.

When appropriate, I can hire out a phototherapy unit to clients to allow for daily use – please contact me for further details.

Exercise Prescription
Active stretches
Active range of motion
Proprioceptive enhancements
Strengthening exercises