Dog Rehabilitation Modalities and Equipment

Underwater treadmill

Walking is the best exercise for our pets. For our arthritic friends or animals with an injury, the buoyancy in the water can displace some weight off those sore areas and engage the muscles and joints of weight-bearing. The underwater treadmill maintains and rebuilds muscle mass. For dog physical therapy, the waterworks as resistance, increasing the intensity of the work-out to maximize endurance and strength in sporting.

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound is a gentle form of heating for animal physical therapy. Its purpose is to warm tissues to create motion where motion is “stuck.” Ultrasound can be used on dogs and cats to reduce swelling, aid wound healing, loosen tendon and ligament contractures, sooth tight muscles secondary to arthritis and joint contracture.

Therapy Laser

Therapeutic laser uses photons of non-visible light to stimulate healing and pain relief in tissues. Lasers have been scientifically proven to be successful in treating post-surgical pain and pain associated with many acute and chronic conditions in animals.

Physiotherapy

Balance work on the physioball and balance disc help dogs with core strength, ligament movement, joint stability and pinpoint awareness of where limbs are in space. You only have to imagine standing on these yourself to realize what a work out it really is for your pets!

Manual Therapies

Manual therapies for your pets include stretching, joint mobilization and massage cannot be overlooked on the road to recovery from injury nor in keeping our elderly pets moving comfortably. Fluid movement is the difference between being stiff and being normal. Mat work helps maintain or recover a joint’s full range of motion so your pet’s strides does not come up short.

Electrical Stimulation / TENS

Electrostimulation is using an mild electrical impulse to a nerve within a muscle to help decrease pain, increase muscle strength, or both. All stimulation devices all have multiple properties which can be adjusted to get the desired effect without discomfort. With proper application it is a positive and therapeutic experience for your pet.

Athletic Conditioning

For canine athletes, whether agility, fly ball, disc dog, earth dog, dock diving, sled dog racing or any other canine sport, rehabilitation techniques and equipment can improve your dog’s longevity and performance in its sport. Plus, it gives you new ways to train your dog to keep you both entertained and out of a training rut. Teaching your dog new ways to exercise expands the range of the muscles and nerves, which is vital to protection from injuries.

About Healing Arts Animal Care

Healing Arts Animal Care in Beaverton, Oregon provides veterinary acupuncture, pet rehabilitation therapy, physical therapy and athletic conditioning to the dogs and cats of the Portland Metro Area including Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, and Tualatin. We strive to create a team among you, your pet, your veterinarian and ourselves to create a whole package of care for your pet. Pets come through our door knowing that we’re going to have fun here and this isn’t “another trip to the vet.” Through manual therapies, acupuncture, laser, ultrasound, underwater treadmill and creating a tailored individual home exercises, we strive to bring your injured pet back to speed, keep your elderly pet as an active member of the family, return your obese pet back to a functional friend and keep your athletic pet at the peak of his performance.