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Physiotherapy in pets

by Dr David Brooks

There have been great advances in the medical management of arthritis in pets but only recently has the veterinary world embraced the multitude of theories and complimentary therapies widely used within the medical world. One of the most proven methods of maintaining mobility in arthritic joints is physiotherapy (otherwise known as physical therapy) and the more advanced the mobility problems are, the more important this complimentary therapy becomes. In this article I hope to introduce you to the concepts and terminology of physiotherapy so that you can approach your veterinarian and see whether it may benefit your pet.

Warming up before exercise

We all know we should warm up before exercise and this applies for pets too, especially if they have stiffened joints due to arthritis. Warming up literally means warming up the muscles. This reduces the stiffness in the ligaments, tendons and muscles and also greatly increases blood supply and oxygen to the limbs. A method used in physiotherapy is to use warm compresses to emulate this warming up process in particularly stiff joints. Simply take a warm hand towel and place it in a plastic bag (please ensure that it is not too hot) and apply it to the stiff joints. This is especially useful first thing in the morning when your pet awakes as this is the time tha joints will be at their stiffest. Once the joints are warmed up they can then be flexed and extended passively to increase the lossening of stiff muscles and connective tissues. Do this for 5 minutes before exercise and when your pet starts the day to help soothe and prepare their stiff joints for exercise.

Regular Low Impact Exercise

Regular low stress exercise is crucial in preventing the poor muscle conditioning that occurs due to poorly mobilised arthritic limbs. Short walks and swims are excellent as they do not leave your pet too sore the day after exercise. Exercise helps to lose weight which reduces the load on the arthritic joints. In comparison to this long walks and short bursts of vigorous activity can worsen lameness by creating pain and inflammation. If your pet does seems to be sore after exercise, do not exercise them again until the pain has resolved. Re-start the exercise gently to start with. In particularly painful joints apply a bag of frozen peas to the joint for fifteen minutes to reduce pain and inflammation

Cooling Down After Exercise

At the end of any exercise a short period of gentle exercise helps to "cool" the muscles down. Dedicate 5 minutes of slow pace walking to the end of any exercise period.

Passive Range of Motion

One method that can be used to aid flexibility is passive flexion and extension of joints. This is most commonly referred to as passive range of motion exercise. Simply lie your pet on their side and starting with the foot, flex and extended the joints through their natural range of movement. Continue up the leg all the way to the shoulder or hip. If this exercise causes too much discomfort do not continue. Repeat passive motion on each joint around 20 times at least once a day.

Massage techniques

The benefits of massage include increased lymphatic flow, improved mobility of muscles, increased circulation to the area and relaxation. Any combination of the following techniques can be used on your pet. Some useful massage techniques that you can perform at home are summarised below:

Stroking
With the palm of your hand gently stroke your pet moving from head to tail or from shoulder/hip down to foot.

Friction
Use the tip of your fingers to make small rotary motions over your pets muscles.

Effleurage
With the palm of your hand apply even pressure. Effleurage follows the opposite direction of stroking (foot to body). Overlap your strokes to cover the entire body area.

Percussion
Tap your pets body with a cupped hand with light brief contact. The "karate chop" position of the hand can also be used here and is similar to techniques involved in Swedish massage.


Please contact your veterinarian for further advice if your pet is suffering with their arthritis. Before performing these techniques check with your vet that there are no reasons why you shouldn't do them in your pet and to get instruction on how to perform the techniques correctly

About the Author

Dr David Brooks is part of the online veterinary team at PetDoctorOnline.com - the complete pet health resource. Visit us today to use our free pet health library and use our Ask the Vet Service.