🚫 No donuts were harmed in the making of this film!🚫
DISCLAIMER: 🚫 No donuts were harmed in the making of this film!🚫 That being said, Rehab often includes figuring out what motivates a patient to work. Obviously, we can't feed patients donuts - sorry Gizmo 😭! But his desire for donuts coupled with our skilled hands has helped Gizmo go from non-ambulatory to independent walking in less than a month! We'll keep working to help him get stronger and more confident, but we are very proud of this little guy already. Though the team may grieve the loss of such a lovely donut, the sacrifice was well worth it!
"This is cool and all, but what else ya got?"
Some dogs become such pro's in the Underwater Treadmill that they get bored and that's certainly the case with Timber! You can almost hear him saying "This is cool and all, but what else ya got?"
Tyson Graduates!
Remember Tyson? We posted some videos of him a few weeks back showing how he couldn't even sit upright when he first started therapy.
🤩 LOOK AT HIM NOW!!! 🤩 What a glow up! This video was captured during his last therapy session - our little man has graduated now that he can get back to tackling life on his own! We miss him already, but loved being a part of his recovery 💙
Check Out Banxy's Progress!
Banxy came to us completely unable to use his back legs. While he still has a long journey ahead of him, we're so proud to share his progress! In this video, you'll notice that he's repeatedly shifting forward, especially when made to stand in a normal position. He's doing this because bearing weight on his back legs is hard! It's so much easier for him to just let his back legs fall and use his super strong front leg, chest, and back muscles to propel himself where he wants to go. It's our job to encourage Banxy to use his back legs despite their weakness and neuropathy and to strengthen those legs to make independent standing and walking possible. The fact that he is motivated to go where he wants, can support his weight, and is moving his back legs as an attempt to walk is extremely promising so we're very excited to help Banxy achieve his best recovery!
Your pet has homework!
Don't get us wrong, the Underwater Treadmills and Therapeutic Lasers are super cool and effective tools in our Rehab arsenal, but simple exercises like this are also a huge part of a patient's recovery. That's why every CROC patient is prescribed a customized home care regimen; their "homework" so to speak. Patients whose families stick to their prescribed home care will recover faster and better than those who did not.
Motivation to Succeed!
A big part of a patient's success is to find what motivates them; what will make them keep trying even when they're tired and the task is difficult. The more motivated a patient is to participate, the more likely they are to attain their rehab goals. So, even when the squeaker is obnoxious and we sound like fools with our loud baby talk, we're not even a little embarassed because look at Willow go! Absolutely worth it to see her walking without assistance and even self-correcting when she stumbles!
Tyson's Update!
Check out Tyson now! Consistent and frequent therapy as well as his mom's dedication to his "homework" between sessions has paid off! Tyson is now walking and able to take on more difficult challenges like slick floors, stairs, ramps, and the wobbleboard shown here.
Tyson's Beginning
Tyson came to us in September, not only unable to walk, but unable to even sit up! Here, we're carefully checking what Tyson can do on his own so we can improve what he has and start working on regaining what he doesn't. Check out our next post for an update on this kiddo!
Blue's Hydrotherapy Session
What conditions is Hydrotherapy using the Underwater Treadmill good for? The limit does not exist! Dogs with Intervertebral Disc Disease? Yep! What about Osteoarthritis? You bet! Even post-op orthopedic surgeries, like those for torn ligaments or Hip Dysplasia? Absolutely! What about incurable things like Degenerative Myelopathy? It's the best! If you're not sure if Hydrotherapy is right for your dog, give us a call and we're happy to discuss your pet's case 💙🐾
Buford's Target Exercises
This might look like some playtime with toys, but there's some serious work going on here! By holding the toy that Buford wants near his hips, we ask him to make a tight turn to get it. Just like when we lean over, one side of the back stretches while the other side's muscles pull tight. Buford also has to contend with his body weight shifting and make sure he maintains his balance by using stabilizing muscles and correctly placing his feet.
Gus in the Underwater Treadmill
Why is the Underwater Treadmill the best hydrotherapy option for patients with spinal issues? Watch as Gus is walking. His back stays level the entire time with no more twisting or strain than when he is walking on dry ground. Swimming on the other hand causes additional twisting and stress on the spine - yikes! Using an Underwater Treadmill means that Gus gets all the benefits of hydrotherapy in the safest way possible!
Lucky on the Cones
Lucky perfectly demonstrates the importance of this exercise as well as how much his Help 'Em Up harness supports his recovery. By giving him the support he needs to stay on his feet, his weaker legs get the chance to exercise the muscles needed for him to walk on his own. By having him go around the cones, we challenge his body to adjust to the obstacles which also helps exercise muscles needed for stability so he doesn't fall.
CROC was established in 2017, though it originally began as The Vet's House Rehabilitation in 2014.
