It was late summer on a Friday night. We were gathered in a backyard down the street. The orange glow from the fire pit, and the clink of beer caps tossed onto the table top, softened the edges of a long week.
“What are you up to this weekend?” my neighbour asked.
“I’ve got this rehab course I’m going to tomorrow.” I said.
“Oh …. I see.” Her eyes wide, she looked down at the drink in my hand, and took a half step away from me.
“No, no – not like drug and alcohol rehab. It’s a veterinary rehabilitation course. It’s like physiotherapy.” I said.
She took the half step back towards me, her face relaxed, “Ohhh! OK, what’s that all about?”.
The conversation continued about our own injuries, and how the same principles of physiotherapy apply to injured pets.
The term, physiotherapy, is a protected one; legally veterinarians cannot use it to describe treatment of patients. And so, in the veterinary world, we use the term rehabilitation. When we understand what happens to injured tissues, and take advantage of the body’s natural healing process, the results can be amazing.
Benefits include:
1. increased speed of recovery
2. improved quality of motion
3. increased strength and endurance
4. improved flexibility
5. reduced pain
6. non-invasive
7. minimal complications
8. prevention of future injury
Every patient we see is unique – this requires us to individualize our rehabilitation plans. One of the things that I really love, is that client involvement is crucial. It’s very rewarding for owners to play such a big part in their pet’s recovery and well-being. For more information, check out our, What’s right with Rehabilitation page.
