Vol. 4, No. 9, September 2007
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Rehab Required
Physical therapy and/or rehabilitation after a pet’s injury
Rehabilitation after injury or surgery in human medicine is a well-known and accepted fact. The same principles are now working their way into veterinary medicine. Since pets are loved companions, helping heal injuries to our four-legged friends is just as important as aiding a hurt family member.
When your pet is injured, the big question is how to return the injured part back to normal function. Post-injury or surgery rehabilitation reduces, minimizes and mitigates disablements, preserves and restores function, and maximizes independence. Rehabilitation is a dynamic process with ever-changing consequences, and it must be individualized for each pet.
Human studies have shown that starting the first day after surgery, a 1-2 percent loss of strength occurs in the affected muscles. This translates into a 10-20 percent loss per week, with large muscles atrophying twice as fast as small ones. If the muscle is losing strength every day and your pet is in a cast for four weeks, or holding its leg up for a week post-surgery, you can imagine the weakness that’s going to develop. Rehabilitation and physical therapy combat this trend.
The first step in the process is patient evaluation. The doctor will assess muscle and neurological function as well as range of motion to the affected area—in other words, how much physical therapy is needed and how long your pet is able to undergo rehabilitation. Some older animals may not be able to take a rehabilitation or exercise program of three times a week, so each animal requires a specific recovery plan.
This involves any further diagnostic and medical treatment, determining the short- and long-term goals of rehabilitation, anticipating long-term medical needs and coming up with an estimated length of time for therapy.
Rehabilitation “medicine” is physical therapy for your pet. This can include therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, wound management, thermal modalities (such as ultrasound), electro-therapeutic modalities (such as E-Stim or TENS), underwater treadmill therapy, and even orthotics and prosthetic evaluation.
The benefits of physical therapy include enhanced immune response, positive anabolic (muscle-building) effects, and an antidote to atrophy. Physical therapy also counters the effects of steroids (used with disc disease), and is often helpful in pain management.
Rehab needs other than post-surgery or trauma rehabilitation include cancer (weakness, lethargy), cardiac (controlled exercise benefits), geriatric (cardiac and muscular strengthening exercise program) and chronic disease rehabilitation for such things as arthritis, chronic pain, loss of strength in the hind legs and elimination problems.
The goals of rehabilitation are improved quality of life, reduced pain and improved attitude by improving ambulation or restoring proper function.
Isn't that what we want for our best friend, family member and bundle of energy and love?
