Pet Physical Therapy

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 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 typically 1 hour and include all the treatments your dog might need such as modalities, hands on treatments, or exercise. These appointments are always one-on-one with Dr. Kirsch, who will assess your pet’s progress each appointment and adjust treatments as needed. 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 wsa performed, but in general we can see pet’s as early as 3 days after surgery, as long as your veterinarian gives consent. 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 appropriate 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.