What is Veterinary Physiotherapy, and how can it help your animal?

 

A Veterinary Physiotherapist (Vet Physio) is simply an animal-based physiotherapist. The role of a vet physio is to identify dysfunction within movement or anatomical abnormalities (such as asymmetries within muscle, tendon, ligament and bone). A VP will then apply manual and electrotherapy techniques to reduce pain and improve function, treating tissues that might be causing these abnormalities and using exercise prescription to build strength and aid the return of function.

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At Shackleton Veterinary Physiotherapy, our experience working within the animal science industry has taught us the importance of environmental and behavioural management for aiding recovery; if we can modify an animal's environment and support its behavioural needs, we can increase positive outcomes. As Vet Physios, we also mimic the role of an occupational therapist; as within human medicine, we have long understood the importance of a holistic approach of environmental management, rehabilitation and mental health for improved recovery.

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What to expect from our sessions:

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• Full education and guidance within the session on how to complete exercises, these are checked and adapted in subsequent sessions to maintain technique and most importantly safety

• In-house guidance on managing your animals safely (within veterinary guidance) and reducing risks, particularly post surgery e.g. toileting, feeding, handling/support

• Guidance and support with home/environmental and lifestyle modifications to help support recovery and maintain health e.g. bedding, flooring, enrichment, exercise/walk length, reducing stressors, environmental parameters, to name a few

• Treatment to only be implemented when the animal is behaviourally and physically comfortable

• A full report detailing finding, treatment, guidance and pictures/videos helping to further support the completion of exercise and improved management

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Assessment will include: 

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• Gait and function assessment: assessing the animal's movement for lameness or abnormalities

• Palpation: inspecting soft and hard tissue for signs of abnormalities that may have arisen due to injury or long-term compensation

• Range of motion: assessing joints for limitation in movement or pain

• Assessment of activity and exercise: checking daily routines to help support a rehabilitation regime

• Environmental assessment: assessing environmental factors that reduce risk and support recovery e.g. flooring, stairs, bedding, inclines, heating

• Behaviour: assessing for signs of pain, and behavioural changes due to lifestyle and compensation.

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Treatment will include: 

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• Manual treatment: a variety of modalities such as massage, stretches, joint range of motion and mobilisations

• Electrotherapies: a variety of therapies are available depending on the needs of the client (LASER therapy, pulsed-magnetic field therapy, TENS and NMES)

• Environmental management: advice and guidance on management and environmental changes to support recovery or chronic pain/lameness

• Behavioural and enrichment advice: advice on enrichment and management strategies to reduce stress associated with pain, and facilitate recovery through physical and behavioural enrichment

• Exercise prescription: tailor-made exercise plans that are checked and amended at each session to maintain fitness, or rehabilitate injury and disease.

• Reassessment at the end of each session, to check the effect of treatment. 

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