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Physiotherapy For Animals

AnimalCare Jan 25, 2012 AnimalCare, NGOs 0 comments

We’ve had requests to learn physiotherapy for animals as we can see for ourselves how much good it has done for Sunshine.

Lydia has shared the below and wishes to emphasize that she does not hold any qualifications on physiotherapy for animals. What she knows is based on whatever skills she has picked up while in Bali (vets do not euthanise over there, they teach you how to nurse and take care of paralysed animals).

However, Lydia walks the extra mile by working with and consulting vets on every single case. She also spends 6 hours daily reading up on all her cases in order to provide the best for the animals under her care.

Lydia encourages all who are interested to study physiotherapy and get the proper qualifications. It is both a science and an art…of healing and complementing veterinary care.

Here’s her sharing:

It is certainly good to know that there is more awareness about animal physiotherapy and even some interest in learning. To the best of my knowledge, I do not know of any courses for Animal Physiotherapy run in Malaysia (I will stand corrected if I am wrong as I may not be adequately informed as I’m not Malaysian). Some countries run a diploma course and others a graduate ciurse. I’ve written a short note below introducing the field of animal physiotherapy.

It is important that the persons interested have a high level of animal knowledge and experience and an unfailing passion for animals.

For example, in my work, many if not most of the animals I treat are experiencing some level of discomfort or pain. As such they can be uncooperative and�aggressive due to pain. So experience and confidence in dealing with fearful and aggressive animals if definitely valuable in adding to one’s effectiveness.

Hands-on experience with animals from all different scenarios helps as�animals cannot speak english or our languages so one’s power of observation has to be very keen.

An�Animal Physiotherapist works only with direct referrals from a veterinarian and this is a legal requirement everywhere else in the world.

The�animals that�I treat are from referrals from a veterinarian and I work closely with the vet on physiotherapy treatment which is complimentary to their treatment.

The most common areas of treatment are:

Musculoskeletal injuries.
Post operative rehabilitation for animals with orthopaedic conditions.
Rehabilitation for neurological conditions.
Enhancement of quality of life in�animals with degenerative conditions eg. arthritis, degenerative myelopathy etc etc

The animal physiotherapist must have an in depth knowledge of animal anatomy and physiology and be able to recognise reduced movement and other conditions that can affect animals in their care. Knowledge of diseases and musculoskeletal conditions�is also necessary.

An animal physiotherapist’s�focus to is design individual rehab and exercise�programmes to�restore mobility, function and fitness.�They may also give advice on adapting an animal’s living environment where necessary. For this reason I usually do house calls as it is important to understand the home environment and the part it can play in assisting the rehab efforts if modifications are necessary.

Some physiotherapy techniques include soft tissue mobilisation, joint mobilisation, neuromuscular stimulation, ultrasound, deep tissue massage, hydrotherapy, re-education of muscle function and movement, strength and balance training etc.

One has also got to have “seeing” hands to feel and diagnose�for different soft tissue issues like tight muscles, inflammed tendons, soft tissue adhesions etc

The animal physiotherapist also needs to have nursing skills especially in Malaysia where home care support is not usually provided by the mainstream veterinary practices. Often with animals suffering from disabilities, be it acute or permanent like paresis or paralysis, the caregiver often needs help in learning from the physiotherapist the more common areas�like bladder and bowel care/management and wound management.

In my work I often have to teach caregivers�how to express the bladder, evacuate stools and clean and dress wounds. Also to prevent recurrences and deterioration. Some wounds can be almost�as big as one’s closed fist.

The technique I showed you for Indy was deep tissue massage and passive range of motion and these are basic for the care of animals suffering some degree of imobility but there is always a planned program with an animal under treatment and it has different stages- as with Sunshine, you can see that at the beginning it was passive range of motion to preserve joint function. And deep tissue massage to prevent muscle contracture which can occur with immobilization with injuries and cause permanent paralysis later. The bowel and bladder management and the urine burn sores management.

Then we graduated to assisted standing. Then it was assisted walking and now independant walking with restoring proprioceptive deficit ie. it’s almost like teaching the dog to walk again right from the start.

This weekend I will be working on strength training for the hind legs to regain strength and also balance training. Balance training is important as since often one leg is stronger than the other, in Sunshine’s case it is her right hind leg that is stronger, the body tends to bear weight more oon the stronger limb and then the posture starts to shift from the normal reference and other issues can develop from this.

Gait training is also important. Often an animal with neurological deficit like Sunshine has, will adapt their gait. I am trying to rehab her so that she regains a normal gait instead of hopping like a bunny with her hind legs which is not unusual for a dog recoevring from paralysis with deficits.

“We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals… In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.” – Henry Beston

So, as you can see, it entails a lot of hardwork, commitment and serious study to be able to administer physiotherapy for animals. You need, as Lydia puts it, “seeing hands” and that can only come from extensive and intensive study and experience.

If you are interested, by all means, please take it up as a study and practice. We need more animal physiotherapists.

By the way, I love that quote by Henry Beston!

Source: http://myanimalcare.org/2012/01/25/physiotherapy-for-animals/

AnimalCare

AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.

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