Rehabilitation

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Rehabilitation & Massage Therapy

The goal of rehabilitation after orthopedic surgery is to aid with your pet’s recovery. Our main objective is to regain comfortable use of your pet’s limb. We also want to ensure proper weight bearing and rebuild the loss of muscle from your pet’s injury and surgery. Proper recovery for your pet will help reduce the possibility of future injury to the affected limb or another leg.

Benefits of Rehabilitation & Massage Therapy:

  • Shortens recovery time from injury or illness and reduces swelling and scarring.
  • Relaxes the body by releasing endorphins which help to reduce the anxiety and calms your pet.
  • Stretches connective tissues which improve flexibility and range of motion of the joints.
  • Improves overall health by increasing blood circulation, removing pain and relieving muscle spasms.
  • Prevents chronic recurrent injuries by impeding the cycle of inflammation and re-injury.
  • Strengthens the muscles that have become weak due to injury and surgery.
  • Assists with helping the body to regain function in the affected leg.
  • Helps prevent other body parts from compensating.

Who Can Benefit:

  • Animals recovering from orthopedic surgery
  • Animals suffering from arthritis or degenerative disease
  • Animals with a back injury or recovering from back surgery
  • Animals with a muscle injury/sprain

The Different Techniques Of Rehabilitation:

  • Massage – works to increase circulation which in turn aids the healing process, helps decrease scar tissue, muscle spasms, and muscle knots.
  • Rehabilitation Exercises:
    • Passive Range of Motion – helps to maximize your pet’s range of motion, increase blood flow to your pets joints
    • Weight Bearing/Shifting – helps by encouraging your pet to start using it’s injured leg
    • Muscle Strengthening – a range of exercises to help your pet resume regular activity
  • Electrical Stimulation – help with muscle strength and tone, improve areas of scar tissue formation, and help with swelling and pain.
  • Ultrasound – provides deep heat to the muscles. This is used to help with muscle spasms associated with the back area. In addition this technique will help with excessive scar tissue or swelling.

Oakland Animal Hospital is pleased to offer a service that can help your pet return to a more fulfilled life. We are very fortunate to have Amy, a certified therapist , on staff. She received her license as a veterinary technician in 1997 from the National American University in Rapid City, South Dakota. She became interested in the benefits of massage and physical therapy for pets and completed a course in Ohio called “Integrated Touch Therapy.” In her research, Amy discovered the Healing Oasis School in Wisconsin and upon completion of the course, received certification as a Veterinary Massage and Rehabilitation Therapist.

The doctors at Oakland Animal Hospital depend on Amy to help give their patients the highest level of comfort and function possible.

We continually hear success stories due to the benefits of this service.