Animal Rehab & Pain Center

Our amazing team 2022

We want to take a moment to thank our amazing team for all they do for our patients. We truly could not do this without them! Thank you so very much!

#toweltuesday Miss Lola is not a girl to sit still. She has way too much socializing to do. Life is too much fun to take slow!❤️

Figure 8 between the legs

This final exercise is very special to me. When we first met Dakota she was sweet but cautious. It took her time to warm up to us and to allow us to help her work through the exercises. Dakota was not comfortable with us reaching over top of her or being in tight spaces. I took my time with her and patiently waited for her to get comfortable going underneath my leg, and then through my legs until finally we were able to complete this exercise. Dakota now really enjoys this exercise and is perfectly comfortable with it.❤️ Besides being a good exercises for a dog to build their confidence it is also a good exercise for flexibility. Figure 8's encourage a dog to bend their spine as they make the tight turns necessary to execute the maneuver. We first start a dog in a wide figure 8 around cones and work into tighter circles as their flexibility improves. Watch as Dakota bends her body around my legs in her perfect figure 8's. Dakota did a fantastic job demonstrating these exercises. We hope you have enjoyed watching her.

Stand to Folding Down

Dakota is demonstrating today's exercise the Stand to Down. This is another basic yet powerful exercise that really helps strengthen a dog when done correctly. First Dakota stands with her legs nice and square underneath of her body. She is then asked to go into a down position, directly from the stand, without moving her legs. Once down, she will stand back up with little to no movement of her feet. What Dakota is performing is very similar to squats and push-ups done simultaneously. This can be a difficult exercise for a dog that is not strong but practicing correct form regularly will quickly improve a dog's strength in the core, the front limbs and the rear limbs. Like the sit to stand, the Stand to down to Stand is the foundation for many more challenging exercises. Great job, Dakota!

Sit to Stand

Today's exercise demonstrated by Dakota is the sit to stand. This is a basic exercise that is critical to the development of many more challenging rehabilitation and fitness exercises. This exercise, when performed correctly, is the difference between sitting with a slouched posture versus sitting tall and engaging your core with a proper posture. Many dogs at rest will sit sloppily, rolled to one hip, way back on their tail or in that classic Buddha pose. This may be acceptable around the house but in Rehab we work towards a correct form that will help strengthen a dog's core and supporting muscles. Dakota demonstrates the tuck sit. The rear legs are nicely tucked at her sides and she sits by engaging her rear legs and bringing them towards her front feet rather than allowing gravity to take over and leaning back onto her bum. Instead of walking forward into a standing position, Dakota engages her core and the muscles of her rear legs and steps back into a standing position. This is called a kick back stand. This exercise is the foundation for many other exercises and mastering correct form is essential for an effective and strengthening exercise.

Brick did such a good job showing off some of the exercises that he works on that little miss Dakota thought she would give it a try. Dakota is a sweet, sensitive soul and where Brick will work through the chaos, Dakota prefers calm and quiet. Dakota has grown comfortable in the rehab environment but she still gets a little anxious when there are distracting noises around. Today we had workmen on our roof hammering away. A year ago that would have shut Dakota down and she couldn’t possibly have been asked to continue. Today she just paused for a moment and, once reassured, continued with her exercise. Dakota is demonstrating the front feet up to sit to stand exercise on a very unstable surface. We added shake a paw to add challenge but also because it is one of Dakota’s favorite games and it helped to distract her from the noises that were worrying her. Isn’t she just the most adorable girl?❤️

Front Feet Up with Pivot

Today's exercise is the Front Feet Up with Pivot The pivot exercise is a good one for teaching a dog to become aware of his/her rear limbs and to step sideways with them. This is a beneficial exercise for the muscles of the inner thigh that can become weak with disuse and the ones most likely to be strained if a dog slips on a smooth flooring or ice. When the front limbs are elevated the exercise is also a weight bearing exercise for the rear limbs while the shoulders get worked as they stabilize the dog on the object. Another way to teach this exercise is to elevate the rear limbs and pivot around with the front limbs. #arpcpatients #strongpets #alongandhealthylifeforpets

Four Feet up with treat stretch

Today's exercise- Four Feet up with Treat Stretch This exercise is one that benefits a dog in multiple ways. Standing with all four feet up on an unstable surface is a difficult task and requires balance, coordination and confidence. These qualities are our primary goals when developing a therapeutic exercise. Balancing on two separate unstable surfaces helps to build strength and endurance, the treat stretch works on the flexibility of the spine through the neck, thoracic and lumbar regions. Before this exercise is performed, a pet must first learn to target the front feet on an object. Once they are comfortable with that they will learn to target the rear feet up on an object. Once they have those two skills they can move to stepping up onto a single unstable object with all four feet. Standing on two separate objects adds a challenge because they will move independently and a dog must be able to balance both the front and rear end. Adding the treat stretch is the icing on the cake. #arpcpatients #strongpets #alongandhealthylifeforpets

cavalettis

We wanted to give you an inside look at some of the therapeutic exercises that our patients perform in a rehabilitation session. Meet Brick! This goofy, loveable boxer comes to us for continued fitness after TPLO surgeries in both stifles due to cruciate tears (CCL tears) that were most likely related to conformational issues. Brick has mastered various exercises that help him to maintain his muscle, strength and fitness. The hope is that staying active will delay arthritis and keep him in the best condition for a long, comfortable life. Stay tuned each day while we introduce another exercise that Brick performs to maintain his orthopedic health. Great job, Brick! Today's exercise: Cavalettis Cavalettis are a grouping of poles spaced apart enough for a dog to take one step between each pole. Poles can be made from PVC pipe cut to size, sticks or branches, broom handles, or complete sets can be purchased online. This exercise teaches a dog to pay attention to where their legs are in space (proprioception). A dog with good proprioception will step over the poles cleanly. A dog without proprioception will knock poles down. Cavalettis are a good exercise for developing balance and for encouraging a dog to bear even weight on all four limbs. Once basic cavalettis are mastered, the exercise can be made more challenging by changing the height and spacing of the poles. #arpcpatients #strongpets #alongandhealthylifeforpets

Nobody told Miss Hammy that cats aren’t supposed to like water. We do everything in our power to make our patients feel comfortable with their therapy. This includes helping our kitties acclimate to our underwater treadmill.

Here is Zoe walking in the treadmill ~ and yes she is a talker! She does 2 sessions daily twice a week and is a happy girl when she’s in water. She just wasn’t crazy about the phone being in with her taking her video.

Lucy