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  • Canine Rehabilitation

       
                        

    Rehabilitation and Exercise with Steven Elliott, DVM, CCRP  and  Gwenn Allen, RVT, CCRP 

    Animal rehabilitation is a rapidly growing field in which physical therapy is used to enhance your pet's quality of life and improve recovery from injuries and surgeries.

    Rehabilitation is most commonly indicated for recovery of animals that have undergone an orthopedic or neurological surgery.

    Rehabilitation programs vary with each patient's physical ability and goals for recovery.  The doctors and staff at Best Care Animal Hospital provide a safe and controlled program to fit your pets needs.  These programs help to speed recovery and control pain for overall improvement of strength endurance and flexibility.  Dr. Elliott and Gwenn have both gone through University of Tennessee's Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner's course to become certified in canine rehabilitation (CCRP).

    Why Rehabilitation:

    • To help with the reduction of pain and swelling
    • To have a faster and more complete recovery from injury and/or surgery
    • To increase flexibility
    • To increase muscle mass
    • To improve coordination and overall strength
    • For weight loss
    • For performance training
    • To strengthen the bond between you and your pet

    Some of the common conditions that are treated:

    • Cranial Cruciate tears
    • Luxating patella
    • Fractures
    • Elbow and hip dysplasia
    • Disc herniation
    • Arthritis
    • Obesity
    • Tendon and ligament injuries
    • Spinal cord injuries and diseases

  • Cranial Cruciate Tears


    Cranial Cruciate Ligament ruptures:

    A ligament consists of tough, fibrous tissue connecting two bones.  In the knee, rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament allows the femur to slide back and forth over the tibia.  The rupture first causes pain, then abnormal wear and tear leading to arthritis.  This sequence of events occurs most frequently in overweight, middle-aged to older dogs.  Depending on the severity of the rupture, treatment may consist of limited exercise and rest or surgical repair of the torn ligament. If your pet is overweight, weight reduction can speed recovery and possibly prevent further injury.

  • Hip Dysplasia

    Hip dysplasia is a condition in which abnormal formation of the hip results in an unstable hip joint. As the affected dog ages, the hips gradually become arthritic and may degenerate to cause total crippling of the rear limbs. The exact cause is unknown but it is believed to develop because the skeleton grows faster than the supporting muscles. The imbalanced growth rate is influenced by heredity and diet. Other unknown factors may influence the development and severity of hip dysplasia. Not all dogs with hip dysplasia are affected to the same degree.  The disease can be very  mild and cause no signs at all or it may be severe and crippling of the rear limbs.  While the disease usually affects both hips, occasionally it only affects one side.

  • Patellar Luxation

    Patellar Luxation:

    Patellar luxation is a dislocation of the kneecap (patella).  The patella may dislocate toward the inside (medially) or to the outside (laterally) of the leg or may move in both directions.  Patellar luxation may result from injury or congenital deformities.  Both legs may be affected.  The crippling effects of patellar luxation are related to the severity and duration of the luxation.  The milder forms, especially in small breeds, show little or no signs.  Severe cases cause more intense pain, with limping.  Treatment ranges from rest to surgical reconstruction of the knee joint.  Treatment is based upon the severity of signs and your pet's age, breed and weight.

  • Underwater Treadmill

      


    The underwater treadmill is a newer treatment option for veterinary patients.  One of the most amazing things  with the underwater treadmill is to watch a dog walk on land with only three legs but use all four when in the treadmill.

    Benefits of the underwater treadmill include:

    • Improving overall strength of the pet

    • Increases the muscular endurance, fitness and tone

    • Increases cardio-respiratory endurance

    • Improves range of motion of joints

    • Helps to improve psychological well being

    • Helps to minimize pain as well as joint swelling

    • Weight reduction

    • Helps to increase circulation throughout the body

    All leading to a greater functional improvement!

    One of the many great things about the underwater treadmill is that provides a controlled environment for the pets to walk.  The speed, resistance and depth of the water are all controlled by the therapist.  Each pet is introduced slowly which helps to alleviate any stress the pet may be feeling.