Luxating Patellas: Pathology and Treatment Options
Patellar luxation (PL) is one of the most common hindlimb orthopedic pathologies seen in dogs and has been diagnosed in many other mammalian species as well. PL is the displacement of the patella out of the distal femoral patellar surface, or trochlea. The patella can displace, or luxate, medially or laterally. Patients with PL can present with varying degrees of lameness, ranging from asymptomatic to non–weightbearing on an affected limb....
Equine Rehabilitation and Therapy
WHAT IS EQUINE REHABILITATION? (excerpt - full article, see link) Equine Rehabilitation is a term often used to encompass retraining but it is actually the application of physical therapy treatments to help the body heal with the aim of improving or restoring correct and optimal physical function. It is about restoring muscular, tendon and ligament strength, joint and tissue mobility and function, balance and co-ordination. More often than not ,there are additional...
Electrostimulation Helps Increase Muscle & Decrease Pain
WHAT IS ELECTROSTIMULATION FOR PETS? Electrostimulation is using an electrical impulse to a nerve within a muscle to help decrease pain, increase muscle strength, or both. Hang on a minute…..I’m picturing Frankenstein stuff….. When delivered appropriately and with proper training, electrostimulation should be ONLY a positive experience, particularly in our pets who can’t understand why we would do something painful even if it was helpful. Stimulation devices all have multiple...
What is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is a specific form of light-based therapeutic intervention that utilizes controlled applications of low-intensity, coherent and monochromatic light (i.e., LASER) in humans and animals to produce clinically-beneficial outcomes. Laser therapy has previously been known by many names, including 'Low Level Laser Therapy‘, 'Cold Laser‘, 'Soft Laser‘, and 'Laser Phototherapy‘. The National Center for Biotechnology Information now recognizes ‘photobiomodulation’ as the official MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) term, specifically defined...
Canine Physical Therapy
There are many types of non-traditional therapies that benefit dogs! Canine sports medicine and rehabilitation is a relatively new specialty in veterinary medicine. Physical therapy (also called physiotherapy) has long been used for humans to help preserve, enhance or restore physical function impaired by disease, surgery or aging. What many people don’t realize is that physical therapy and rehabilitation can also enhance and restore function for our dogs. The dogs...
Efficacy of Laser Therapy in Veterinary Medicine: Thoughts From a Novice
Like many clinicians, I find it daunting to stay current with the many evolving topics in veterinary medicine. Photobiomodulation (also referred to as low-level laser therapy [LLLT] or cold laser) represents a particularly challenging modality to approach for several reasons. For one, colleagues who know more about LLLT than I do have a wide range of often strong opinions regarding its effectiveness. Also, the biophysics involved are less familiar to...
Lasers in Canine Physical Rehabilitation
Class III and Class IV lasers have important applications in physical rehab for dogs, but proper training in the use of this therapy is essential, both for veterinarians and technicians. My personal experience with lasers in veterinary physical rehabilitation began in 2005 with a 250mW laser used in my mobile rehab practice. At the time, any laser from 5mW to 500mW was considered Class III and was often referred to...
What can cold laser therapy do for my dog?
What can cold laser therapy do for my dog? Essentially the results achieved is accelerated healing, an accelerated reduction in pain, reduced swelling and reduced inflammation, all in a non-invasive, and safe way. Conditions most commonly treated with Cold Laser Therapy for Dogs Post Orthopedic Surgery – for reducing pain, swelling and inflammation and accelerating healing Post spinal surgery- for reducing pain and accelerating healing Arthritis– hip, elbow, carpus, tarsus:...