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Frequently Asked Questions
Physical rehabilitation has been essential in human medicine since
the early 1900s. Rehabilitation specialists have knowledge of anatomy
and physiology, understand the principles of tissue healing, and
are able to protect a joint/muscle while still moving it enough
to avoid the adverse effects of immobilization. More recently, physical
rehabilitation has become a reality in veterinary medicine. Here
are some commonly asked questions and the answers—to help
you make an educated decision about physical therapy and rehabilitation
for your companion animal:
1 .What are the benefits of physical rehabilitation
for my companion animal?
2. What patients benefit most from physical rehabilitation?
3. What are the most common orthopedic and neurologic
problems that require physical
rehabilitation and what are the benefits for each?
4. What is the classic physical rehabilitation program for patients
after cranial cruciate ligament stabilization?
5. What is the classic physical rehabilitation program for patients
after neurologic injuries?
6. What is the classic physical rehabilitation program for obese
patients?
7. What are the goals and expectations of physical
rehabilitation for my companion animal?
8. How long should it take for my pet to fully recover
after surgery?
9. How soon after surgery does physical rehabilitation begin?
10. What is a typical cost of a physical rehabilitation program?
1 .What are the benefits of physical rehabilitation
for my companion animal?
Physical rehabilitation can help:
• Patients become mobile after a severe orthopedic or neurologic
injury
• Patients safely use a painful limb after an injury or surgery
• Improve and prolong the quality of life of geriatric and
arthritic patients
• Achieve weight loss in overweight and obese animals
• Manage acute and chronic pain
• Increase the fitness of athletic animals and working dogs
• Provide ambulatory assistance to patients who need ambulation
carts, orthotic devices, or prostheses.
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2. What patients benefit most from physical
rehabilitation?
Some patients are at higher risk of complications or residual problems
after injury or surgery. These patients include:
• Puppies (who tend to have excessive fibrosis) and older
animals (who tend to heal less rapidly and become non-ambulatory)
• Miniature breeds (who tend to remain non-weight-bearing
for extended periods of time) and giant breeds (who tend to remain
non-ambulatory or have mechanical failure of fixation)
• Animals with weak surgical repairs, for example after repairs
of joint luxation or Achilles tendon tears
• Animals with multiple injuries or surgeries involving multiple
limbs
• Obese animals
• Animals with debilitating metabolic diseases, including
diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome, hypothyroidism and immune-mediated
diseases.
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3. What are the most common orthopedic
and neurologic problems that require physical rehabilitation and
what are the benefits for each?
• Cranial Cruciate Ligament Injury and Surgical Stabilization
Physical rehabilitation is very important after cranial cruciate
ligament surgery. Its focus is on restoring normal joint motion,
particularly extension, and setting up therapeutic exercises that
stimulate limb use, leads to muscle strengthening,and avoids chronic
weight shift.
• Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO)
Physical rehabilitation after FHO is aimed at keeping the joint
comfortable after surgery, promoting hip joint extension, setting
up therapeutic exercises that stimulate limb use muscle strengthening,
and avoids chronic weight shifts.
• Patellar Luxation (Knee Cap Dislocation) Repair
Physical rehabilitation after the stabilization of patellar luxations
is aimed at protecting the surgical repair while promoting normal
joint motion (i.e., patellar tracking and decreasing pain in the
operated joint). This therapy includes early pain relief strategies
followed by a range of therapeutic exercises.
• Obesity
Physical rehabilitation is a critically important part of the comprehensive
lifestyle changes needed to restore fitness in obese animals. Through
low-impact moderate-intensity therapeutic exercises, animals may
lose body fat while protecting their joints and increasing muscle
strength. The periodic nature of rehabilitation program helps with
client compliance, an important aspect of the management of obesity.
• Geriatric Patients
Physical rehabilitation is a very important part of the management
of geriatric patients with muscle weakness, osteoarthritis and chronic
neurologic diseases. It helps keep animals comfortable and increases
their overall strength and fitness, keeps them more functional and
ambulatory, and effectively prolongs their life in many instances.
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4. What is the classic physical rehabilitation program
for patients after cranial cruciate ligament stabilization?
Most patients are treated as outpatients with an initial assessment
shortly before or after surgery that includes an orthopedic evaluation
and fitness evaluation. Initially, the rehabilitation will include
passive range of motion exercises, stretching, massage as needed,
and the use of cold therapy. After a couple of weeks, the program
includes strengthening exercises and some stretching and proprioceptive
exercises as needed. Animals are generally treated in the rehabilitation
hospital twice a week during that period of time.
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5.What is the classic physical rehabilitation program
for patients after neurologic injuries?
Patients with neurologic disease including intervertebral disc disease,
fibrocartilaginous embolism, lumbo-sacral instability, Wobbler’s
syndrome, and degenerative myelopathy, will benefit from a steady
exercise program. This program will include specific strengthening
and proprioceptive exercises. Depending on the severity of their
symptoms patients may be seen once a month, once a week or, for
paralyzed patients, two to four times a day as inpatients.
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6. What is the classic physical rehabilitation program
for obese patients?
Obese patients generally exercise in water on the underwater treadmill.
This will optimize their aerobic workout while avoiding excessive
stress on their joints or their cardiovascular system. These patients
generally exercise two to three times a week. Their weight loss
program also includes nutrition management.
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7. What are the goals and expectations
of physical rehabilitation for my companion animal?
The goals of therapy vary between patients and are based on the
initial evaluation of the patient. They will be clearly discussed
with you after the initial evaluation. Some patients may return
to high-performance activities, others may have to function with
life-long limitations that are minimized with proper maintenance
activities.
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8. How long should it take for my pet to
fully recover after surgery?
Most physical rehabilitation programs last six to eight weeks.
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9. How soon after surgery does rehabilitation begin?
The pain-relief and anti-inflammatory phases of rehabilitation should
start immediately after an injury or surgery. Delaying rehabilitation
is generally not beneficial. The strengthening phase of rehabilitation
generally starts two weeks after surgery.
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10. What is a typical cost of a physical rehabilitation
program?
The average cost of a rehabilitation program, which includes the
initial evaluation, the design and instruction of a home exercise
program, and five to 10 treatment visits, ranges from $450 to $800.
Most rehabilitation programs last six to eight weeks.
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