A New Approach to Improving Life Expectancy and Quality of Life in Dogs with DM
The prognosis for canine patients with degenerative myelopathy (DM) is often grim. However, recent findings demonstrate that individual exercise programs combined with photobiomodulation can improve quality of life and longevity. The mention or diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy (DM) often takes the wind out of many practitioners’ sails. Historically, dogs diagnosed with DM – formally or through process of elimination – do not have an optimistic future. A typical course of...
Orthopedic Equipment for Dogs Designed for Increased Mobility and Extra Support
Do you have a dog recovering from orthopedic or neurologic surgery, one who has mobility issues, or a senior dog who has arthritis? If so, at some point, you have probably wished you could do something – anything! – to help make your dog’s life (and your own) a little easier. As someone who has shared her life recently with two large breed, geriatric dogs, I can attest firsthand that...
Virtual Consults for Pets - Rehab, Conditioning, and Mobility Issues
Many of you are becoming familiar with telemedicine so that you can connect with your veterinarian for a virtual appointment. A Vital Vet Pet Video Consultation is different - it's a totally new concept in virtual consultation. Here's how: You do not have to be a client of the Vital Vet Pet Consultants Our Pet consultants are the best of the best - some names you might even recognize since they helped develop the certification...
Veterinary Technicians and Neurologic Rehabilitation
Conditions that require neurologic physical rehabilitation in humans include stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury.1 Physical rehabilitation therapy is beneficial and effective to help return or improve function lost as a result of these conditions in some patients.2 Neurologic disease is unique in that physical therapy has a critical role in maintenance and recovery of function. Dysfunction of the nervous system can cause loss of motor and autonomic...
WHAT IS DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY? (DM)
To put it simply, Degenerative Myelopathy is a disease that progresses mainly in older, larger dogs that ends in quadriplegia. It is the degeneration of the white matter of the spinal cord. This white matter contains fibers that transmit movement commands from the brain to the limbs and sensory information from the limbs to the brain. Eventually this disease starts to degrade these fibers, making movement physically impossible. Symptoms of...
Lasers in Canine Physical Rehabilitation
Class III and Class IV lasers have important applications in physical rehab for dogs, but proper training in the use of this therapy is essential, both for veterinarians and technicians. My personal experience with lasers in veterinary physical rehabilitation began in 2005 with a 250mW laser used in my mobile rehab practice. At the time, any laser from 5mW to 500mW was considered Class III and was often referred to...
Feeding your dog’s nervous system
Many things can affect the health and function of your dog’s nervous system. Good nutrition helps ensure it does its job properly. When you think about your dog’s health, you might not factor in his nervous system. But maintaining its proper function is very important to his well-being, physically and emotionally. Feeding your dog’s nervous system is one way to ensure it stays healthy and functions properly. The canine nervous...
Cervical Spondylomyelopathy - Exploring the Diagnosis and Complexities of Wobbler Disease
1. What makes cervical spondylomyelopathy a challenging diagnosis? Cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM), often referred to as ‘wobbler disease’, is a multifactorial condition affecting the cervical spine in larger breed dogs – resulting in progressive compression of the spinal cord and nerve roots. Morphologic and biomechanical abnormalities of the cervical spine have been classified as either Disc-Associated Wobbler Syndrome (DAWS) or Osseous Associated Wobbler Syndrome (OAWS). Dobermans are predisposed to DAWS, but...