Why Canine Physio?
Canine physio along with equine is probably the most known about in the animal field. Read below to find out why!
Common reasons for having physio?
Pre/post-surgical
To reduce the likelihood of injury/further injury
To manage long-term degenerative conditions eg. osteoarthritis
Neurological disorders
Improve performance
Pre/Post-Surgical
Physiotherapy can be used to improve the healing of dogs post-surgery. As techniques can be applied to control inflammation to ensure the area heals effectively. Pre-surgery it is important to get your dog as fit as possible to help they cope better after the surgery.
E.g. before/after a total hip replacement or FHNE for hip dysplasia.
Injury Reduction
Like humans, dogs can be accident prone too! However, there are some home adaptations that can be done to reduce this. If you would like to know more please click here.
E.g. reducing tripping over a pole or tree root when out walking.
Long-Term Management
Long-term management is important for dogs as it will help slow down the progression of a condition giving them a better quality of life. As well as this helping with compensatory issues, such as sore muscles.
E.g. maintaining joint health for osteoarthritis (bone arthritis).
Neurological Disorders
Physiotherapy is a great way at improving the functionality of nerves, by using stimulation techniques. This is just for disorders, physio can help any dog improve proprioception, the animal's awareness of its legs. Improving this means that your dog is less likely to fall over therefore less likely to get injured!
E.g. improving nerve function after a prolapsed (slipped) disc.
Improve Performance
Dogs are athletes as well as humans, therefore also get sore muscles and performance-related injuries. Physiotherapy can help manage this, by giving you tips and tricks to aid performance. Exercises are one way of doing this, to improve muscle mass and ensure all muscles are used effectively.
E.g. speeding up an agility run by increasing spinal flexibility to be able to do tighter corners.