Every patient will be seen for an initial appointment with our physical therapist, Dr. Erica Kirsch. Prior to your appointment Dr. Kirsch will review your pet’s medical history. This visit is typically 1.5 to 2 hours long and will include a thorough discussion about your pet’s mobility, history, and your concerns. We will then go through a complete musculoskeletal, soft tissue, and neurological exam to determine what areas we need to work on. We go over all the findings and come up with a plan that is individualized to your pet. We will also start treatments as time allows.

Follow up appointments are about 45 minutes long and include all the treatments your dog might need such as modalities, hands on treatments, or exercise. As your pet progresses, our focus for each appointment may change. At first we often focus on pain management and then work into more exercise.

It depends on the type of surgery that was performed, but in general we can see pets as early as 3 days after surgery as long as your surgeon gives clearance. Since we come to you, you don’t have to worry about getting your dog in and out of the car and into a clinic. Our focus right after surgery is on pain management, swelling reduction, gentle range of motion and stretching as appropriate, and gentle weight bearing as indicated. We will work closely with your veterinarian to determine what treatments are approrpriate for your pet.

The underwater treadmill is just a tool for strengthening, though it is not specific to different muscle groups. Most dogs need targeted strengthening to specific muscle groups which is better accomplished through land based exercises. Most dogs don’t need the underwater treadmill to effectively gain strength and mobility.