The Veterinary Rehabilitation and Hydrotherapy (VRH) team is passionately committed to improving the mobility of your cherished animal companions. We strongly believe that play and movement are essential components of a fulfilling life. Our rehabilitation services are tailored to a wide range of cases, playing a pivotal role in managing pain, building, and strengthening muscles, and providing overall maintenance to help slow the process of deterioration.
We also provide specialised treatment for companion animals with:
- Osteoarthritis
- Mobility issues
- Weakness or muscle atrophy
- Neurological and orthopedic surgeries
- Degenerative joint issuesOur Rehabilitation Department
Types of rehabilitation therapies at VRH
Acupuncture
Acupuncture stimulates meridian points with needles, promoting biochemical changes that aid healing. It releases natural painkillers, reduces inflammation, and enhances blood flow and tissue repair. It can also improve joint mobility in animals with arthritis.
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)
NMES is an electrical stimulation therapy that strengthens the muscles. It is non-invasive, benefitting animals with muscle weakness, atrophy, or those recovering from injury or surgery. NMES can supplement various therapies to treat neurological disorders and orthopaedic conditions.
Ultrasound Therapy
Therapeutic ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to increase blood flow, enhance soft tissue healing, reduce pain and inflammation in joints and muscle tendons. It is particularly effective for increasing collagen extensibility, which is important for flexibility and mobility.
Low-Level Laser Therapy
Laser therapy treats musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc disease, trauma, and lameness. It stimulates biochemical changes in the body that promote cellular respiration, accelerate tissue repair and wound healing, and reduce inflammation, which in turn relieves pain. Laser therapy is also effective in treating dermatological conditions such as wounds and dermatitis. Additionally, laser therapy is suitable for animals with kidney disease.
Underwater Treadmill (UWTM)
UWTM is a low-impact therapeutic exercise that leverages the unique physical properties of water to promote muscle building and strengthening. Hydrotherapy improves overall stamina, flexibility, and proprioception, making it beneficial for animals in post-surgical recovery, or who may have musculoskeletal disorders, chronic orthopedic conditions, muscle atrophy, or limb weakness.
Therapeutic Massage
Various manual massage techniques are used to improve muscle movement and tissue repair by increasing blood circulation, relieving muscle spasm and tension, and relaxing the muscles. It is helpful for companion animals who experience pain, discomfort, or limited mobility due to injury, illness, or age-related conditions.
Chiropractic Adjustments
This manual therapy mobilises joints, identifies blocks, and increases blood flow. Chiropractic adjustments realign the body, remove compensation problems, release pain, and improve health, thereby facilitating a greater range of motion in an affected region.
Land Exercises
Land-based exercises rebuild and strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and endurance, improve cardiovascular health, and reduce joint pain and stiffness. These exercises enhance joint proprioception and position awareness, which are also essential for core stability and coordination. In addition, they can provide mental stimulation to our companion animals.
Heat Therapy
Heat therapy is commonly combined with physical therapy or massage to improve blood circulation and relax the muscles, thereby increasing range of motion of the joints. This technique involves the application of heat to a targeted area of the body, using hot towels, heating pads, or other specialised devices.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a therapeutic technique utilising cold temperatures via ice packs and ice baths to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. It is suitable for animals with arthritis, muscle strains, sprains, musculoskeletal injuries, post-surgery swelling or edema, and inflammation.