Physical rehab helps keep pets moving

After six weeks of workouts on the underwater treadmill, Abby could do three sessions of 45 minutes each on the device and had lost 15 pounds. “She still comes in a couple of times a week, and it’s so exciting to see so huge a change for this little dog,” Nichols says. “The mom’s goal was just for her to be able to climb stairs, and now she runs and jumps and plays.”

Beyond treadmills and aquatic therapy (which benefit cats as well as dogs), pet rehab techniques encompass exercises involving exercise balls and balance boards, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound and the application of heat and ice.

“All of these treatments are aimed toward helping the dog regain range of motion, tissue mobility, strength and function, whether that is competing in agility, working as police or therapy dogs, or just being able to get up on the couch again,” says Amy Kramer of Manhattan Beach, Calif., who is a certified canine rehabilitation therapist.

'Homework' for the owners
And rehab involves more than just workouts at the rehab clinic. While most people don't have an underwater treadmill or swim tank at home, rehab specialists say that “homework” done by owners is crucial for long-term success. Owners can apply ice as needed, learn massage and exercise techniques, and even employ such high-tech devices as pulsed electromagnetic (PEM) therapy units.

The PEM treatment, for instance, which stimulates cartilage growth, requires nine treatments. “It can be done once a day for nine days, or we’re actually finding that it works better if we can do it twice a day for four and a half days,” says veterinarian Laurie McCauley of TOPS Veterinary Rehabilitation in Grayslake, Ill.

Rather than requiring owners to bring pets in daily for nine days or board them for four and a half days — to facilitate the eight hours required between treatments — McCauley has acquired two portable units. “We teach people how to do it, and then they can do it at home,” she says.

Rehab results often are rapid, with many pets showing improvement after just one treatment. Expect to see some result within a few visits, says Amie Lamoreaux Hesbach of Port Republic, Md., a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner.

The time required for complete recovery usually ranges from two to four months. “Chronic conditions ... might benefit from rehabilitation on a regular or irregular basis for an extended period,” Lamoreaux Hesbach says.

As for costs, an initial consultation that includes a physical exam, neurological exam and gait analysis usually runs $150 to $200. After that, costs depend on the type of therapy needed and whether the pet has any special needs. Rehab for a kitty amputee or an Italian greyhound with a bum knee will cost less than rehab for a 200-pound quadriplegic Great Dane. Pet insurance often covers at least some of the costs.

"Most people will spend between $500 and $1,500 over a couple of months," Nichols says. "The animals are coming in and spending a whole day and going through the treadmill and doing the swim thing and doing Theraballs. It’s about $75 a day, which is less than hospitalization."

Clients on a budget can stretch out rehab, taking pets in twice a week instead of three or four times a week, or can learn to do some of the exercises and treatments at home.

Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning author who has written many articles and more than a dozen books about dogs and cats. She belongs to the Dog Writers Association of America and is past president of the Cat Writers Association. She shares her home in California with three Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and one African ringneck parakeet.

Creature Comforts appears the third Monday of every month.

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