Physical Rehabilitation

Physical rehabilitation is a proven means of decreasing morbidity, speeding and improving recovery, and enhancing quality of life in veterinary patients. Seattle Veterinary Specialists is dedicated to providing the highest level of care to our patients and considers rehabilitation to be an integral part of comprehensive veterinary medicine. Our physical rehabilitation service provides a full range of therapies for hospitalized, post-operative, and day patients. The rehabilitation service is staffed by a certified rehabilitation technician and overseen by the surgery and neurosurgery departments.  The rehabilitation team works very closely with the other services to provide consultation, collaboration and care for animals needing rehabilitation therapy. 

Who can benefit from rehab?

Animals that are hospitalized for various reasons benefit from physical rehabilitation. Consultation and treatment is available for all SVS patients at the discretion of the attending doctor. The short answer is: All patients! However, substantial benefits may be gained with rehabilitation for animals with the following conditions:

• Post orthopedic surgery
• Post neurologic surgery
• Obesity
• Non-operable orthopedic conditions (conditions in which surgery may be avoided or delayed, such as grade I-II MPL, early partial CCL rupture, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia)
• Non-operable neurologic conditions (FCE)
• Post amputation
• Chronic, non-healing wounds
• Muscle wasting (Cushings disease, chemotherapy, etc.)
• Geriatric animals
• Hospitalized/ recumbent patients
• Canine athletes
• Conditioning and injury prevention
• Sport-related injury

What will rehabilitation therapy entail?

The first and most important part of physical rehabilitation is the establishment of a complete diagnosis. Often, animals with an obvious (or not so obvious) injury in one limb will develop compensatory changes in the rest of the body. A comprehensive examination will be performed by the attending veterinarian and musculoskeletal abnormalities documented and addressed. 

Based on the results of the examination and patient history, an individualized treatment plan will be developed for each patient directed by the attending veterinarian and facilitated by the rehabilitation team.  A home exercise plan will be a key component of each patient's work-up, and exercises will be demonstrated to owners during the initial consultation and discharge (post-operative patients).

If therapeutic modalities, manual therapy or additional therapeutic exercises are recommended, additional sessions will be scheduled. Each patient will be given a 1/2 or full hour time slot (depending on the therapy) that will be dedicated toward his or her treatment. Sessions may be recommended up to 3 times/ week.

Therapeutic modalities offered include:

• Laser (Class IV)
• Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (E-stim)
• Exercise equipment including proprioception training
• Manual therapy (range of motion, joint mobilization, massage)
• Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
• Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
• Stem cell therapy
• Treadmill therapy (hydrotherapy)

For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please call 425-823-9111.