What is it?

1.What is it? | 2. How can it help your animal? | 3. Is your physio qualified?

Veterinary Physiotherapy

1. What is it?

Veterinary care is developing rapidly – characterised by growing demand, new technologies, and emerging professions. The traditional image of the one-man practice is being replaced by groups of practices and a multi-skilled team in which specialist vets, nurses, technicians and other professionals work together, providing an interdisciplinary approach to patient care.

Veterinary physiotherapists are a welcome addition to this team, and means that the benefits of physiotherapy and rehabilitation are no longer just for humans.

Physiotherapy is a science-based health care profession in which a range of physical modalities are used to treat and prevent injuries, restore movement and function, and maximise potential by:

Flynn receiving stretches to his hind limb

Reducing pain
Promoting the healing process
Increasing and maintaining muscle strength and joint flexibility
Promoting and restoring normal movement patterns
Increasing cardiovascular fitness

Chartered physiotherapists are trained in:

Joint and soft tissue mobilisation and manipulation (including massage, stretching, acupressure, trigger point/myofascial release)
The correct and safe use of electrotherapy (e.g. laser, ultrasound, muscle stimulation, TENS)
The development of appropriate exercise and rehabilitation regimes to improve strength, suppleness, stamina and proprioception

Physiotherapists carry out a full assessment on each individual client and then instigate an appropriate treatment plan. To achieve best results, a combination of manual techniques, electrotherapy, exercise and advice may be given.

Veterinary Physiotherapy is a growing profession, and although it has yet to reach the level of recognition achieved in human physiotherapy, it is making steady progress. The recent establishment of a 2-year part-time MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the Royal Veterinary College is helping to raise the profile of animal physiotherapy, as well as ensuring practitioners are suitably trained.

Whilst many people may have had physiotherapy themselves, the notion of having it available for their pets may be quite novel, but the principles and benefits of treatment remain the same. Animals respond particularly well to the gentle, non-invasive approach of physiotherapy, which compliments standard veterinary treatment.