Motory riabilitation and phisyotherapy
by
Dr. Caterina Vallani
Veterinary doctor - Milan, Italy
Founding member of A.S.T.R.A.D. (Disabled Animals Reabilitative Therapy Studies Association)

From about ten years we are studying the application of physiotherapy for animals with motory problems, either from neurological or orthopedic lesions. Our effort also went for its recognition as a branch of veterinary medicine.

Fortunately today the situation is getting better: before only the most severe cases took in consideration this practice as a last resort, today we start to see a different veterinary culture in which this practice is slowly getting its deserved recognition.

Riabilitation is a delicate teraphy just as any other medical practice, and if applied in the wrong way it can create problems instead of resolving them, this is why it's important to address oneself to a veterinary medic.

Physiotherapy is a complex and delicate work, but also very rewarding and exciting: it'a about making an animal who has a lesion, either of orthopedic or neurological origin, move and walk, regaining his motory autonomy.

Keep in mind that physiotherapy can do a lot, but obviously it can't do miracles.

Unfortunately not all lesions allow a total motory recovery; if in some cases physiotherapy can give back a patient a perfect movement, in others it can recover a good motory action. But in some cases lesions are complete and irreversible, case in which even physiotherapy cant make miracles, even though it may help in maintaing musucular tone to help circulation with massages and passive excercises. It may guide to the use of trolleys that, anyways, guarantee a good standard of life.

Physiotherapy is indicated both as a preparatory treatment before the surgical operation and immediately after as riabilitation; in the cases where the operation is not possible due to old age, heart problems, or a not so severe symptomatology it can become a valid alternative.

Statistics show that physiotherapy allows to exploit all possible chances of recovery in a very easy way, starting from pain control.

As a matter of fact pain inhibits heavily movement, therefore the starting step in a riabilitatory therapy should be the reduction of this factor; this shouldn't be done with pain killers but should be limited with the use of instrumental therapies like the laser or the magnetotherapy.

The patient should be calm, relaxed and collaborative; meaning each step of the physiotherapy shouldn't cause pain.

When programming the physiotherapy one should take in consideration not only the lesioned part but the patient as a whole, observing his movement and posture to evaluate wether other areas of the body have been affected by an alteration of the corporal and motory scheme.

Thus, physiotherapy is a progressive preparatory work that expects a proprioceptive stimulation, the application of massaging techniques and passive movements and the stimulation of active movements through the aid of familiar vocal orders.

For example, during the execution of specific postural excercises the presence of the owner is very important in giving vocal commands that allow the dog to actually perform these excercises, like sitting down correctly or in the assisted deambulation on tapis roulant.

Ground physiotherapy can be integrated working in water, either meant as controlled swimming and either as excercises in progressive load.

Swimming can be useful, but only if done with the necessary precautions: in a specific riabilitatory bath that allows the therapist to interphere in controlling and correcting the movement in a favorable condition of weight absence like the one created in water.However swimming is not necessary, and if applied in the wrong manner it can be very harmful.

Riabilitation can be considered successfully completed when the max possible autonomous movement is recovered.

Physiotherapy is indicated in all those cases in which a pathology that limits or reduces movement is verified.

Text and pixtures gently granted by:
A.S.T.R.A.D. - Associazione Studio Terapie Riabilitative Animali Disabili