Physical therapy for canine, or dog rehabilitation , adjusts human physical therapy techniques to improve joint function and mobility of muscles in animals. Animal rehabilitation can reduce pain and improve recovery from injury, surgery, degenerative diseases, age-related diseases, and obesity.
The goal of physical therapy for animals is to improve quality of life and reduce pain. Although most veterinary practices offer physical therapy directed at canine teeth, the techniques used in this discipline can also be applied to horses, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents and other small animals.
Video Canine physical therapy
History
The benefits of physical therapy for animals have been widely accepted in the animal community for many years. However, the clinical practice of physical therapy for animals is a relatively new field in the US. In Europe, horse and canine physical therapy has been widely recommended and used for at least the past fifteen years. In the last three to five years, the animal community in the US has experienced great growth in the practice of physical therapy for animals, making it a more available resource for veterinary practices. Growth in the availability of canine physical therapy has led to a shift in focus in many veterinary practices from curative and palliative care to preventive care. An example of this is the impetus for the use of animal physical therapy for weight reduction in obese animals. Weight loss can reduce the risk of developing many degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis and DJD.
Maps Canine physical therapy
Education
Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation is a specialization of AVMA riding through the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Diplomates (Specialists) of this college advance the art and science of veterinary medicine by promoting expertise in the needs of structural, physiological, medical and athletic animal surgery and the restoration of normal form and function after injury or illness. These specialists have specialized training and educational requirements above and beyond veterinary degrees and are identified as Diploma of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (DACVSMR).
Canine rehabilitation is also performed by general veterinarians and physical therapists with specialized training. If your pet is being treated by a physical therapist, in some states, pets should have a diagnosis, animal medical permit (VMC), and, sometimes, referrals by a veterinarian to start a physical therapy regimen. Certified dog rehab practitioners (CCRP) are one of the designations for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, physical therapists, or physical therapist assistants who perform physical rehabilitation and are offered through the Northeast Seminar with affiliation with the University of Tennessee outreach program. The CCRT certification is available through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in Florida and Colorado - affiliated with Colorado State University. More extensive and individualized online trainings and offers are also available.
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee currently offers postgraduate and certification programs for CCRP through their dog rehab program. The program is directed by David F. Levine and Darryl Mills, and is taught by a combination of veterinarians and dog physical therapists. Topics of education offered include orthopedics, pain management, joint mobilization, and many others. These courses are offered to qualified veterinarians, veterinary technicians, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, and occupational therapists. The work course is combined between on-site seminars and online courses.
Technique
In the practice of animal physical therapy, CCRP is usually given to veterinarians who diagnose the cause and severity of the animal condition to develop a client-specific therapeutic client-specific plan. Every technique used in animal physical therapy has different benefits and not all techniques are useful for every condition. Physical therapy for orthopedic conditions may include a combination of the following techniques: thermotherapy, cryotherapy, hydrotherapy, muscle stimulation exercise training and coordination exercises. Neurological conditions are generally most favorable from balance exercises and building coordination, muscle formation exercises, electrical stimulation and hydrotherapy. Surgical repair and traumatic injury are generally treated with heat therapy, cryotherapy, massage, electrical stimulation, and hydrotherapy.
Massage
Massage is used in animal physical therapy to relieve tension in the muscles and stimulate muscle development. Massage helps speed recovery from injury and surgery by increasing blood flow to the area and reducing muscle spasms. Massage is used extensively in the dog's physical therapy and can help in improving the comfort of an animal that is affected by almost any medical condition.
Thermo and cryotherapy
Thermotherapy is commonly used in animal physical therapy before exercise builds strength and hydrotherapy. The heat pack is applied to the affected area to increase the range of motion, reducing joint stiffness and improving blood flow. It helps to make animals more comfortable in the application of other physical therapy techniques. The deep heating of muscle by laser therapy is often used to stimulate healing of surface wounds and reduce the pain and discomfort of narrow and sore muscles. Cryotherapy is often used after intensive physical therapy sessions to reduce discomfort caused by muscle inflammation.
Passive range of motion
Passive range of motion (PROM) is achieved through flexion and joint extension to its limit. It is important for physical therapists not to stretch joints beyond their normal limits. PROM is used to encourage animals to use various joint motions. This therapy technique can significantly increase the range of animal motion and reduce joint pain, improve the quality of life.
Balancing Exercise
Balance exercises use tools designed to strengthen weak muscles and build up limbs affected by atrophy. These exercises include balancing physios, shaky boards and balance boards. Balance exercises can be useful in animals that recover from surgery. Animals are forced to put the burden on surgical repair, build muscle in the affected area. These exercises can also be helpful for animals with neurological conditions. For example, animals that recover from stroke have reduced coordination and balance that can be increased through a physical therapy regime that includes balance exercise.
Coordinate training
Coordination training helps raise animal awareness about the environment. Exercises like that include cavalettis, braid, and number eight. Cavaletti is an exercise that gives obstacles to animals to walk. This exercise focuses on the animals in which each leg is placed and builds coordination. Weave and figure eight help to build coordination and strength by forcing animals to shift weight rapidly from one side to the other as it spins. These exercises are very useful in dogs suffering from neurological conditions and spinal cord injuries.
Strengthening exercises
These exercises include uphill and downhill walking, stairs, standing on 2 or 3 feet, ramps, and sitting-standing. Walking uphill and downhill is an effective physical therapy technique for improving hip joint flexion. It is a good technique to stretch the hip joint and increase the range of movement in dogs with pelvic dysplasia and degenerative joint disease. Walking up and down stairs forces the animal's weight to shift completely forward or back legs and build muscles in the shoulders and thighs, respectively. Simple but effective reinforcement exercises for animals with surgical improvement are forcing animals to put more weight than they normally do on affected limbs by lifting the opposite legs. If a physical therapist tries to build muscle in the right back leg, they lift the left rear leg to shift the weight to the right back leg. To add to the difficulty of this exercise they lifted both right and left back legs. Ramps works together with uphill and downhill walks. Road angles can be changed to increase or decrease difficulty. Sit-to-stands work together with squatting on humans. Animal is asked to sit on the groin and then pushed to push his hind legs to stand up. This exercise increases strength in the thighs and holds the joints in animals.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy techniques use water as a tool to improve muscle and joint function in animals. These techniques include but are not limited to swimming and underwater treadmills. Swimming allows an animal to train several muscles at once while stretching further than walking on land would be possible. It helps build muscle and endurance and is a technique that minimizes stress on the joints. Underwater treadmill is usually used in animal physical therapy. It benefits from soil exercise while reducing the weight placed on the animal's limbs. Underwater and swimming treadmills can be very useful in newly recovered dogs from surgery, such as anterior ligaments in the back and skull ligaments and rest repair repairs.
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation techniques use electric currents to stimulate muscles or to combat pain. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is often used to help increase muscle strength, and/or motor recruitment. Trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can be used to help relieve the pain that animals may experience. These techniques are used in conjunction with other techniques listed above.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is used to treat various neurological and musculoskeletal problems in small and large animals. It is used to combat pain and promote healing in the affected area.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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