Animal Physiotherapy is used alongside veterinary care to help in the treatment or long-term management of many musculoskeletal or neurological injuries and conditions.
Animal Physiotherapy can be beneficial throughout all life stages and for a variety of different injuries and conditions.
For more information, please give us a call on 01162793054 and speak to one of the friendly team to find out more about our Physiotherapy Suite in our Kibworth branch.
Can speed up recovery from injury and some surgical procedures
Manual therapies, including a variety of massage techniques, joint manipulations and stretches. Owners are taught simple animal massage techniques they can use on the patient at home.
Electrotherapies involve the use of therapeutic machines, such as laser, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, ultrasound and electrical muscle stimulation.
Therapeutic Exercises are tailored to the patient’s specific condition, ability and targets, and include exercises such as sit-to-stands (similar to squats for a human).
Management Advice is given on adjustments to the home environment, exercise routine, and other patient specific needs.
Initial consultation:
Follow-up consultation:
Animal physiotherapy is not just for dogs – cats, rabbits and other patients may also benefit.
Many pet insurance policies will cover physiotherapy – please check your individual policy or speak to your insurer to find out if you can claim back costs.
We have access to a wide range of tools to use in the treatment of pets, including a stance analyser. The stance analyser can help owners identify subtle changes in their pets’ weight bearing, potentially indicating an early injury or underlying musculoskeletal problem or weakness. For dogs with known musculoskeletal disease, e.g. hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis, it can help identify which limbs are affected and how the weight is shifted between limbs.
Our Stance Sessions are 15 minutes long and are used to measure your pet’s static weight bearing. This is measured using a stance analyser or pressure plate. The physiotherapist will explain the findings in detail and discuss treatment options if necessary.
Data from the session will be emailed to you, and will also be saved on your pet’s medical history so that it is accessible to your vet for review.
What can static weight bearing tell you?
It shows how an animal’s body weight is distributed between its four limbs. In a healthy dog, approximately 60% of the body weight is carried by the forelimbs and 40% by the hindlimbs.
How can it be measured?
It is measured using a stance analyser or pressure plate.
The patient stands on the mat with a foot in each quadrant and a percentage of the total body weight is then calculated for each limb.
Why measure static weight bearing?
It can be used to identify subtle changes in weight bearing potentially indicating an early injury or underlying musculoskeletal problem or weakness.
For dogs with known musculoskeletal disease e.g. hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis it can help identify which limbs are affected and how the weight is shifted between limbs.
Is it for all animals?
The results are accurate for any animal between 4kg-150kg!
Data is collected in less than five seconds, so it is possible with even the bounciest Labrador!
