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Dr. Wolf with his wirehair
Dachshund, Pino
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Physical
rehabilitation
has become a proven staple in human medicine and
doctors now recommend physical rehabilitation following
a variety of procedures. These same techniques and
modalities are now being applied to veterinary medicine.
Canine physical rehabilitation is used to improve
the performance and quality of movement for our
pets as well as speed healing and provide positive
psychological effects. At Animal Neurology &
MRI Center we are applying a wide variety of physical
rehabilitation to our post-surgical patients with
great success. For us as a neurological center this
is just another extension of the recovery process.
The work that we are doing can be enhanced with
physical rehabilitation. |
Following certain surgeries pets may lose up to one
third of their muscle mass in a matter of weeks and
it may take that same pet more than a year to regain
the lost muscle mass. Rehabilitation makes it easier
and less stressful for patients to return to functional
activities in their day to day life. The prognosis for
return to function depends on a great number of variables
including whether the pet is a working dog or house
pet, as well as the degree of injury and overall body
condition. Patients with intervertebral disk disease
will have varying degrees of disability. Rehabilitation
protocols must be individually tailored to meet patient's
needs during the recovery process. These protocols should
be designed by a veterinarian certified in veterinary
rehabilitation. If your dog is showing signs of
IVDD, it is not recommended to start a rehabilitation
program without first having a full neurological evaluation.
There are many different modalities used to aid in the
physical rehabilitation of patients. Such modalities
include manual manipulation, hot and cold therapy, E-stim,
laser and ultrasound treatments and aquatic therapy.
The overall goal of each of these is to provide a non-invasive
approach to improving the biomechanics and flexibility
of the patient.
Below is a list of the most commonly used modalities
for patients following the diagnosis and treatment of
IVDD and other diseases including Degenerative Myelopathy,
Wobblers, FCE and spinal fractures.
Cryo Therapy
Cold therapy is used to decrease pain perception and
inflammation. It is applied to a spinal surgical patient’s
incision for the first 48-72 hours post-surgery, until
the incision is no longer warm to touch.
Manual Exercises
The most common and easily learned modality is manual
manipulation. This may include passive range of motion,
standing exercises, slow leash walks or sit to stand
exercises just to name a few. Manual exercises in immediate
post-operative patients include massage and passive
range-of-motion (ROM). Joints of limbs are extended
and flexed through normal ROM 5 to 10 minutes several
times a day.
The goal of any manual manipulation is to allow the
patient a structured exercise that will help maintain
muscle mass, encourage proprioceptive feedback, muscle
contraction and facilitate balance and strengthening.
In our hospital we teach our clients to perform these
exercises on their pets following spinal surgery. They
are performed at home using a prescribed schedule.
Ultrasound Therapy
Ultrasound provides an increased blood flow to the area
of injury, an increased extensibility of collagen tissue
and decreased pain and spasm. Ultrasound is often used
in conjunction with stretching and massage in patients
and has been proven to accelerate the inflammatory phase
of repair and thus accelerate wound healing.
E-stim or neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES)
A popular practice used on neurological patients is
E-stim or neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES).
This is the application of an electrical current to
elicit a muscle contraction. E-stim is used to increase
strength and endurance. It is beneficial because it
can be started immediately in the post operative period
to help with pain relief, it also helps combat muscle
atrophy and allows for selective strengthening of muscle
groups.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is used to treat pain and swelling and
to speed up healing in muscles, tendons, skin, and other
soft tissue, by stimulating tissue repair. It is frequently
used at post-surgery sites. The laser beam is non-invasive
and side-effect-free.
Underwater Treadmill
One of the most useful modalities for neurological patients
recovering from IVDD is aquatic therapy. The aquatic
therapy allows active muscle contraction with minimal
weight bearing on joints and bones. It also allows patients
that are weak on their limbs to be buoyant and have
the ability to move. It is not unusual for a post back
surgery patient that is not using its legs to walk on
land yet to use them when walking in the water. Other
conditions that may benefit from aquatic therapy include
soft tissue injuries, osteoarthritis, fractures post
operatively, muscle spasms and weakness and obesity.
Theraballs and
balancing boards
Balance boards, wobble discs, theraballs and cavalletti
rails are all items used to help rebuild core strength
and flexibility, and facilitate limb use by retraining
positioning sensors (proprioception). These items have
proven to be useful for our post surgical patients to
improve coordination, mobility and overall neuromuscular
communication.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient form of treatment that is
believed to have originated thousands of years ago.
Today it is used in veterinary medicine for a variety
of disorders. Acupuncture stimulates healing in some
conditions and provides pain relief in others. Following
surgery, it can help reduce pain in patients and help
to speed up the recovery period. |
