What is Veterinary Physiotherapy?

Veterinary Physiotherapy is a specialised field of Veterinary care that focuses on the assessment, treatment, and management of musculoskeletal, neurological, and movement disorders in animals. It involves the application of various physical therapy techniques to promote healing, reduce pain, improve function, and enhance the overall well-being of animals.

Veterinary Physiotherapists use their knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics to evaluate the animal's condition and develop individualised treatment plans, based on scientific reasoning.

Veterinary Physiotherapy is subject to Vet referral, as per the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

You can ask your Vet to refer your pet for physiotherapy by asking them to complete a simple form.

Vet Consent Form

How can Veterinary Physiotherapy help?

Physiotherapy can help treat sore backs, stiff joints, muscle pain, loss of function, lameness, and quality of life consequences that may arise from a number of conditions, such as...

Injuries / acute conditions

Bone fractures

Tendonitis

Tendon strain / rupture

Proximal suspensory desmitis

Locking stifle

Muscle strain / tear / rupture

Fibrotic myopathy

Skin wounds

Panosteitis

Luxating patellar

Tendon contractures

Swimmers syndrome

Neurological conditions

Intervertebral disc disease

Fibrocartilaginous embolism

Wobblers

Degenerative myelopathy

Brachial plexus damage

Stroke

Post-surgery rehabilitation

Cruciate

Intervertebral disc disease

Hip dysplasia

Patellar luxation

Amputation

Long term conditions

Osteoarthritis

Hip dysplasia

Cruciate disease

Kissing spines

Lumbosacral disease

Osteochondrosis

Medial shoulder instability

Navicular syndrome

Sacro-iliac disease

Laminitis

Elbow dysplasia

Cancer

What does a session entail?

Assessment

Subjective History

Following referral from your Vet, they will usually provide some information on your pet's condition, but this is just the starting point.

Caroline will spend time understanding your pet's day to day life, exercise, diet, husbandry, and your goals for them.

Static & Gait Analysis

Caroline will assess your pet as they stand - what their feet look like, how they carry themselves, their conformation.

Then she will watch your pet move in different ways such as walking, trotting, cantering, lunging, tackling stairs, moving in circles, and backing up, as required.

Objective Assessment

Caroline will examine your pet by feeling bones, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and fascia. This helps to identify range of motion, asymmetries, areas of tension, pain, and inflammation.

Treatment and Management

Treatment

Following assessment, a treatment plan is formulated.

Treatments may include:

Manual therapy (massage, fascial release, stretches)

Passive & Active Range of Motion

LASER therapy

Ultrasound

Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy

Thermotherapy (heat)

Cryotherapy (cold)

TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation)

NMES (Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation)

All treatments are chosen based on scientific evidence based research and clinical reasoning for your pet and their condition.

Exercise Prescription

At-home exercises are key to successful physiotherapeutic outcomes. Caroline will set and demonstrate appropriate exercises or activites to help your pet progress in their treatment plan. This could involve building strength, stretching, proprioceptive and balance exercises.

Additionally, specialist equipemnt can be hired to help with exercises or electrotherapies to optimise healing, reduce inflammation and pain.

Follow-up & Support

Following the first session, Caroline will provide a report to your Vet and will then continue to inform your Vet of progress regularly, as required. Vet reports are always included free of charge.

Tracking progress with measureable outcomes is important, so Caroline will regularly make notes about your pet's progress.

Species differences

Canine

Dogs need physiotherapy just as much as humans do!

Their bodies work in the same way as ours and they feel pain from age-related conditions (e.g. osteoarthritis), canine-specific conditions (e.g. hip dysplasia) and may need managed recovery from illness and surgery, or just to provide quality of life.

Dogs can also benefit from strength and conditioning for activites such as agility.