Physical rehabilitation is a form of veterinary medicine that utilizes modalities, targeted therapeutic exercises and manual therapies. The ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to restore, maintain, and promote optimal function and quality of life by decreasing pain and increasing mobility of joints and muscles.

We offer a variety of modalities, with the overall goal of reducing pain and inflammation, improving circulation, encouraging healing of tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints and bone and strengthening the body. These modalities include photobiomodulation (laser therapy), acupuncture, electroacupuncture, shockwave therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, hydrotherapy (underwater treadmill) and land-based therapeutic exercise. Your doctor may recommend specific modalities depending on your pet’s condition.

Manual therapy techniques are skilled hand movements and skilled passive movements of joints and soft tissue. In other words, it's physical therapy that employs the therapist’s hands rather than machines, and may include massage, stretching and joint mobilizations. Your doctor may perform various manual therapies on your pet during the consultation or reassessment appointment, as well as demonstrate stretching and massage for you to do at home.

Therapeutic exercise involves movement prescribed to correct impairments, restore muscular function and/or maintain a state of well-being. If interested, we can build your pet a customized home exercise plan to target specific body parts. This program can be emailed to you and will include photos, videos, descriptions, sets and repetitions of the prescribed exercises.

Although the following are the most common conditions we treat, your pet does not need a diagnosis before coming in. Our thorough exams and on-site diagnostics (x-rays and musculoskeletal ultrasound) achieve our goal of obtaining a diagnosis to better target our therapies. Click here for a list of conditions.

Acupuncture is the process of inserting needles into the body to produce a healing response. The Chinese have used acupuncture in veterinary practice for thousands of years. Acupuncture can be effective in conjunction with Western veterinary medicine or alone as its own treatment. Your pet’s body has 14 major energy channels, and 173 acupuncture points are located on those energy channels. These channels contain a large amount of free nerve endings, mast cells, small arterioles, and lymphatic vessels. The stimulation of acupoints releases neurotransmitters to provide pain relief and healing. In other words, acupuncture can assist the body to heal itself by affecting certain physiological changes.

Musculoskeletal problems, such as osteoarthritis, intervertebral disk disease, ortraumatic nerve injury Cancer Gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, vomiting and decreased appetite Endocrine problems, such as Cushing’s Disease Liver disease Kidney disease Respiratory problems, such as feline asthma Skin problems such as lick granulomas and allergic dermatitis

Prior to your first appointment, we request records and any diagnostic results (such as x-rays, ultrasound, CT, MRI, blood work, etc…) from your veterinarian. We also ask that you complete our New Patient Questionnaire, which is emailed to you after the appointment is scheduled. Your doctor will review these 24 hours prior to your consultation. During your initial hour-long consultation, the doctor will conduct a fear-free assessment using positive reinforcement and treats (if tolerated). This assessment may include an orthopedic, neurologic, and soft tissue exam, as well as a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) exam, in order to create a list of areas of needed focus and help direct our treatment plan. During this appointment we will review exam findings, explain the injury and may recommend additional diagnostics (such as x-rays to better assess bone/joints or musculoskeletal ultrasound to visualize soft tissue structures, such as tendons and ligaments). The doctor will also explain the best methods for healing, and answer any questions that you may have. Your doctor will then create a customized treatment plan for your pet. In addition, we can build an exercise program and, if interested, will teach you what to do at home. This may consist of techniques to stretch, massage, perform range of motion, and exercise depending on your pet needs. If time permits, we will get started on treatments during your initial appointment. This may include acupuncture, electroacupuncture, laser therapy, ultrasound therapy, shockwave therapy, manual therapy, massage or therapeutic exercises. All diagnostics, treatments and prescriptions are not included in the consult fee. Advanced diagnostics such as MRI or CT will need to be performed at a referral center. Follow-up appointments for your pet are approximately 45 minutes long and are tailored from appointment to appointment to ensure we are reaching your goals for your pet. Frequency of physical therapy appointments are individualized to your pet’s condition. We work closely with you to create a plan that will have the most successful outcome.