- By Betty Hegarty
- Around Town
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WINNIE'S WAGS AND TALESMy name is Winnie. I’m an 8 year-old Bassett hound. Betty Hegarty owns me. My dog friend Buddy recently had to have Animal Physical Therapy following an operation he had for degenerative disc disease. Since I have never had to have physical therapy myself, I didn’t know about Animal Physical Therapy. Since I have had so many medical problems in the past, I realized that if I didn’t know about Animal Physical Therapy, maybe YOU didn’t know about it, either. Today is the first of three articles that will discuss Animal Physical Therapy so you learn how it can help your pet. We wish to thank Lin McGonagle, MSPT, LVT, who has just joined the staff of Colonial Veterinary Hospital in Ithaca, as head of their new Animal Physical Therapy Department. She was interviewed several times for this series of articles and kindly gave us much time and important information about Animal Physical Therapy.
A TEAM APPROACH TO YOUR PET’S REHABILITATION – EXAMINATION AND INTERVENTION
Some Frequently Asked Questions about Animal Physical Therapy
What is Physical Therapy?
As you know, many humans attend physical therapy sessions. So, whether it be for animals or humans, physical therapy has been an accepted traditional medical intervention for more than 75 years. Physical therapists (PTs) address problems involving the nerves, muscles and bones.
As you know, many humans attend physical therapy sessions. So, whether it be for animals or humans, physical therapy has been an accepted traditional medical intervention for more than 75 years. Physical therapists (PTs) address problems involving the nerves, muscles and bones.
Physical therapy works toward the prevention of injury, impairment, functional limitation and disability of your pet while promoting and maintaining your pet’s fitness, health and quality of life.
Just as with human physical therapy, animal physical therapists alleviate impairment and functional limitation by designing a special plan for your pet. These may include exercise, functional training, manual therapy, massage, gait training, home care instruction, neuromuscular re-education, adaptive devices and equipment, wound management, electrotherapeutic modalities and physical agents.
How Do Physical Therapists Offer Services to Animals?
Animal physical therapy is not a replacement for traditional veterinary medicine. Physical therapists offer another option to health care for the benefit of animal patients. It is recommended that physical therapists work in collaboration with veterinarians using a team approach to examination and intervention.
Animal physical therapy is not a replacement for traditional veterinary medicine. Physical therapists offer another option to health care for the benefit of animal patients. It is recommended that physical therapists work in collaboration with veterinarians using a team approach to examination and intervention.
What is the Team Approach to Rehabilitation?
The team approach involves a group evaluation, or an assessment of your pet by two or more clinicians (which may include people such as you, your pet’s owner, your pet’s animal surgeon, your regular veterinarian, an animal physical therapist, a veterinary technician physical therapist assistant, and/or others) all within a very short time of each other. The team documents their findings, meets and decides together the most effective plan to help your pet get the best result.
The team approach involves a group evaluation, or an assessment of your pet by two or more clinicians (which may include people such as you, your pet’s owner, your pet’s animal surgeon, your regular veterinarian, an animal physical therapist, a veterinary technician physical therapist assistant, and/or others) all within a very short time of each other. The team documents their findings, meets and decides together the most effective plan to help your pet get the best result.
This approach allows for a variety of perspectives on health care issues. The team offers you, the pet owner, a detailed transdisciplinary assessment of your pet as well as providing the most cost efficient services to resolve the underlying cause of the problem.
What are the Benefits of Animal Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy sessions may help your pet in one or more of the following ways:
Physical therapy sessions may help your pet in one or more of the following ways:
- Improve recovery from injury or surgery;
- Return to typical performance at work (seeing eye dogs, etc.);
- Enhancement of the natural healing process;
- Reduced pain;
- Increased speed and quality of movement;
- Improved strength and endurance;
- Minimized secondary trauma side effects of injury or surgery;
- Improved biomechanics and posture;
- Increased flexibility;
- Prevention of future injury through owner/trainer education; and
- Positive psychological effects for pet and owner.
What are Common Conditions Addressed by an Animal Physical Therapist?
- Post-surgical orthopedic and/or neurological;
- Soft-tissue injury;
- Spinal dysfunction;
- Gait abnormality or lameness;
- Joint injury;
- Contractures;
- Managing performance issues in the athletic pet;
- Rehabilitation for degenerative disease (like that from which Buddy, Winnie’s dog friend, suffered);
- Pain management;
- Edema and circulation deficiency;
- Wound healing;
- Respiratory complications;
- Peripheral nerve injury;
- Critical care recovery; and
- Geriatric issues – Hospice.
What does an Animal Physical Therapist evaluation involve?
An extensive initial evaluation may take an hour or more depending on the animal and the problem to be addressed. The medical history, veterinarian contact, diagnosis, results of testing, past treatment and results, current medication or remedies or supplements, routine function or "work", social/home considerations, and history of present illness would be discussed prior to any intervention.
Objective tests and observations would be made to help identify the impact of your pet’s injury or disease. Typical areas of assessment are gait, posture, balance, functional skills (stairs, standing up, rolling), sensation, pain, range of motion, asymmetry, muscle girth, edema, skin integrity, neurological screen, behavior, strength, vitals (pulse and respiratory rate), skeletal alignment, palpation, weight bearing.
Based on the evaluation results, the physical therapist would develop a treatment program to resolve specific problem areas in the most efficient manner. A treatment plan, goals and prognosis are usually established in the first session. Prior to providing any services, you, the pet’s owner, and your veterinarian would also provide input and agree to the program.
Next week we’ll discuss what will happen to your pet once she/he goes into animal therapy and give you an example with an actual case of how it works.
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