What is Canine Physiotherapy and how can it help your dog?

Chartered Physiotherapists are highly trained to assess and treat a wide range of pathologies and are specialists in tailoring physiotherapy treatment programmes to the individual animal.

Animals, like people, respond well to Physiotherapy and it could be used following a trauma, injury, recent surgery, or it could be considered for a working or athletic animal to help them develop to their full potential and avoid injury problems.

The treatment programme will be designed to help restore any loss of movement, strength, stability and ultimately optimise the function of the dog to facilitate an enhanced recovery or to reduce the deterioration rate of a progressive pathology such as arthritis.

Physiotherapy covers a huge range of treatments

Manual techniques e.g. joint mobilisation, massage, myofascial/soft tissue release, stretches.
Electrotherapy e.g. ultrasound, muscle stimulation, TENS.
Exercise prescription e.g. rehabilitation programmes, home exercise programmes, strengthening exercises, core stability exercises, proprioceptive exercises, sport specific training.
Hydrotherapy e.g. water treadmill programme.
Advice & education e.g. home environment assessment, handling advice, education of conditions and healing times, advice on cryotherapy/thermotherapy, long term management.