Nerve Pain After Injury or Amputation
Dogs with sensory loss, abnormal sensation, or hypersensitivity can benefit from a sensory re-education and/or desensitization plan (see Vital Vet Sensory Protocol below). The plan should be integrated as part of an overall rehabilitation program including therapeutic exercises, functional activities, pain management, and limb or stump protection. What causes sensory loss, abnormal sensation, or hypersensitivity? Neurological injuries - like brachial plexus and sciatic nerve injuries Physical trauma - like large cuts, crush injuries,...
Palliative Care Physiotherapy
I’ve been messaging back and forth with a UK animal physio about a case that turned out to be a nerve sheath tumor. The most recent round of discussion has been about treatment now that the diagnosis has been established. The diagnosing veterinarian told the owner to stop physiotherapy as it wouldn’t be of any benefit. My suggestion is palliative care if the owners are interested and willing in nurturing...
Spinal Cord Disease in Dogs
What is Spinal Cord Disease? Spinal cord disease in dogs can be very concerning to pet owners, as the symptoms are often acute, and affect their movement or control of their bodily functions. When disease occurs within the spinal cord, dogs often present with difficulty walking, loss of coordination or balance, partial or total paralysis, and/or pain. The spinal cord cannot regenerate when damaged so diseases in this location are...
The Science of Veterinary Pain Management
Providing relief for animal suffering is an important component of the Veterinarian’s Oath and a common aspect of practicing veterinary medicine. At the inaugural Fetch dvm360® virtual conference, veterinary pain management expert Robin Downing, DVM, MS, DAAPM, DACVSMR, CVPP, CCRP, presented a multimodal approach to both acute and chronic pain management in dogs and cats. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is defined...
Zoo Penguins Get Some New Kicks
Vet Orders Booties for Penguins at the Saginaw Children’s Zoo Because we ALL need this cuteness in our lives! Like our new kicks? A couple of the penguins have sensitive feet, so Dr. Cerveny ordered them some neoprene booties to keep their feet healthy during the winter months. We think they look fabulous. They seem to think so, too! What do you think? ------------------- The Saginaw Children’s Zoo says that...
Shockwave Therapy
This non-invasive modality can successfully treat a range of orthopedic and soft tissue problems in animals. Though most commonly used for horses, shockwave therapy also has many applications in small animal practice. Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that can speed the healing of many types of orthopedic and soft tissue injuries and conditions. It has been used in Europe in human medicine to treat tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, rotator...
The importance of massage for older dogs
The longer we are on the planet the more we use and overuse our muscles. As we mature, repetition of certain movements such as walking, moving from sit to stand and bending can affect our muscles and joints and cause a reduction in mobility. This is the same for dogs too and why massage for older dogs is an important part of the quality of their older years. Massage therapy...
Osteoarthritis in Dogs
Overview: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in dogs, affecting approximately a quarter of the population. It is a chronic joint disease characterized by loss of joint cartilage, thickening of the joint capsule and new bone formation around the joint (osteophytosis) and ultimately leading to pain and limb dysfunction. Majority of OA in dog occur secondarily to developmental orthopedic disease, such as cranial cruciate ligament disease, hip...