Rehabilitation - Vet in Red Deer | Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital

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Rehabilitation

Decrease pain and restore function.

Skin Conditions

Pets with degenerative joint, nerve, or spinal conditions who sustain orthopedic injuries or who have undergone surgery can benefit greatly from our hospital’s rehabilitation services. We have a certified rehabilitation specialist on staff who can assess your pet and develop an effective treatment plan, and we contract with a chiropractor to provide periodic on-site care for our patients.

Pets with the following conditions may benefit from rehabilitation services:

Trauma or injury recovery
Chronic athletic or overuse injuries
Surgery recovery
Intervertebral disc disease
Degenerative myelopathy
Osteoarthritis, or hip or elbow dysplasia
Obesity
Movement or muscle disorders

Rehabilitation

Skin Conditions

Skin problems can be caused by parasites, bacteria, fungi, allergies, inflammation, autoimmune disease, endocrine disease, or cancer. Your veterinarian can narrow down the underlying cause and determine the best treatment with some simple diagnostics tests, including skin scraping, skin cytology, and fungal culture. If these tests are inconclusive, we may also biopsy the affected skin and recommend blood or urine testing to look for underlying systemic infection or disease.

We also offer these services to reduce pain and augment your pet’s recovery:

Cold laser therapy — A therapeutic cold laser uses specific light wavelengths that penetrate tissue to stimulate cell regeneration and repair. Multiple therapy sessions (i.e., up to several times weekly) build on each other’s progress for maximum benefit. Laser therapy is painless, and is proven to reduce pain and inflammation in many soft tissue conditions.
Electrical muscle stimulation — E-stim or TENS therapy sends mild electrical stimulation to your pet’s muscles through electrodes. Your pet’s pain can alter their nervous system and deactivate or weaken painful muscles over time, but E-stim can help re-activate and strengthen these muscles, and reduce pain.

Skin Problems

Our Cedarwood Veterinary & Animal Emergency Hospital staff aim to offer the most comprehensive therapy program possible. However, if we determine your pet would benefit from other exercise or therapy types, we may refer you to another trusted area facility to ensure your pet receives the best care.

Diagnostic Testing

Underwater treadmill therapy can be used to help pets gain strength and confidence following surgery or an injury. Water’s buoyancy supports pets while they walk on the treadmill, which provides a gentle yet thorough muscle workout. Underwater treadmill therapy can benefit the following pets:

Older pets with long-term orthopedic issues
Dogs who engage in heavy exercise or work
Pets recovering from orthopedic or neurological injuries
Pets who have had neck, back, or limb surgery
Overweight or obese pets

We are excited to add this helpful treatment modality to our rehabilitation program.