At Care Animal Hospital of Pleasant Prairie, we are passionate about helping your pets live a healthy and comfortable life. Our certified rehabilitation team is proud to provide services backed by modern tools and years of experience. We are dedicated to helping your pet live a quality life, boasting optimal functionality and health.
Our animal hospital provides a high standard of care for every pet that walks through our doors so they can begin their recovery journey. We are a seasoned team of veterinarians ready to help your pets experience a comfortable, functional, and healthy future by your side for many years to come. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment and learn more about our pet rehabilitation in Pleasant Prairie!
Our Physical Rehabilitation
Process for Pets
Our process begins with a physical medicine evaluation performed by a skilled veterinarian who is certified in dog rehabilitation, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation. The assessment will include a physical, neurological, and orthopedic exam. Our team will also review current medications, the home environment, and medical and surgical history.
Objective measurements will be obtained for your pet’s musculature, joints, gait, and posture. This allows our focused team to better understand your pet’s current health status. The final step involves a discussion of your expectations and goals to plan an individualized rehabilitation and conditioning program for your pet.
Our Pet Rehabilitation Programs
We offer a broad range of pet rehabilitation services that will be tailored to the nuances of their unique situation. Whether your pet is geriatric, injured, post-operative, weakened, or neurologically impaired, we have them covered. Our areas of service include, but are not limited to:
Orthopedic/Neurological– To increase your pet’s level of comfort and to begin regaining function, we can focus on strengthening, flexibility, and gait retraining.
Geriatric/Osteoarthritis– Our goal is to increase mobility and strength so senior pets can maintain a high quality of life.
Weight Loss Program– Our program is focused on an underwater treadmill and exercises to reduce the risk of injury by increasing mobility.
Athletic Conditioning– Our athletic program can assist you in increasing your pet’s fitness level by improving cardiovascular endurance and your pet’s muscular health.
Once your pet has had their Physical Medicine Evaluation, our certified rehabilitation team is specially trained to assist in the recovery of mobility, balance, and strength through a wide range of therapy options, including:
Alternative Therapies
Once your pet has received their physical medicine evaluation, our certified rehabilitation team can assist in the recovery of mobility, balance, and strength through a wide range of therapy options. We will talk you through various pet rehabilitation options, such as:
Acupuncture
Pet acupuncture involves the insertion of fine needles into the dog’s body at specialized points, called acupuncture points, where the nerves and blood vessels converge. Acupuncture improves blood flow, which increases the oxygenation of tissues. It also reduces the amount of waste products produced and increases the amount of metabolic waste the body can remove, so there is a systemic benefit.
Acupuncture for pets relaxes muscles both where the needle is inserted and muscles located elsewhere in the body, so it relieves pain both locally and generally. By stimulating the release of naturally occurring pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory substances, acupuncture may decrease the number of pain medications needed to treat your pets.
VSMT
Veterinary spinal manipulative therapy (VSMT) is a procedure similar to a chiropractic adjustment. It can be used to improve and maintain the musculoskeletal and neurological health of the patient. VSMT primarily focuses on the biomechanics of the spinal column and its relationship with the nervous system. The vertebrae (bones of the spinal column) and adjacent soft tissue are maintained in a specific alignment. The nerves that pass between the vertebrae are in constant communication with the central nervous system.
When even a subtle change in the alignment occurs, it is called a subluxation. A subluxation decreases the transmission of information into or out of the central nervous system. We can treat the subluxation by providing an adjustment, which is a manual procedure that consists of a high velocity (fast), low amplitude (gentle) thrust with a specific line correction along the plane of a joint. Some animals may require a few sessions to resolve acute pain. Others may require several visits to reestablish and maintain normal function of the joints and nervous system for a chronic health issue.
Underwater Treadmill
The underwater treadmill was designed to improve the lives of canines and other small animals. It offers a low-impact and high-resistance treatment to aid injuries, training, conditioning, and weight loss. Our underwater treadmill utilizes the natural properties of water (buoyancy, resistance, and hydrostatic pressure) for a rigorous cardiovascular workout with reduced impact and less stress on joints.
Manual Therapy – Massage, Passive Range of Motion (PROM), stretching
This is a process of manual mobilization of joints in a specific range of motion to facilitate the improved function of the joint and decrease surrounding muscle tension.
Therapy Laser – Light Therapy Through Photobiomodulation
Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy occurs when a dose of light energy reaches the target tissue and results in decreased inflammation, decreased pain, and accelerated healing. This doctor-prescribed, technician-driven modality effectively treats a wide variety of conditions, including pre-surgical, post-surgical, acute, and chronic disease states.
Prescribed Medications & Recommended Nutraceuticals
Medications are still an integral part of pain management. In order to effectively rehabilitate your pet, they need to be relatively pain-free.
For refills of medications, you can call and request one or click on the “Contact Us” link to send us an email requesting a refill.
We also have a partner online pharmacy where you can request your refills through
Therapeutic Exercise
Combination of strengthening, stability and proprioceptive exercises designed specifically to increase muscle mass and mobility in each specific patient.
Home Exercise Program or HEP
You are encouraged to take an active role in your pet’s therapy by following a prescribed exercise program at home. This plan is designed to address pain and dysfunction identified with the physical medicine evaluation. At multiple points during this rehabilitation process, a series of home exercises will be assigned. Our certified rehabilitation team will demonstrate and explain each exercise so you feel confident doing them at home on your own.
At-home exercises are essential to the rehabilitation process because they continue the momentum and progress in between sessions. We work as a team to help your pet return to optimal function, and we are always accessible by telephone or email to address any questions or concerns.
Our Referral Process
1. If your pet is a patient of Care Animal Hospital and one of the veterinarians feels that your pet would benefit from the additional care and services offered by the Physical Medicine Department, they can refer your pet for an evaluation.
2. If your pet is not a patient of Care Animal Hospital, your veterinarian can refer your furry loved one for an evaluation and pet rehabilitation services. A referral is not needed. If we see your pet without a diagnosis referral, we may need to do further diagnostic work beyond the evaluation to ensure we are treating the correct problem.
Animal Rehabilitation in Pleasant Prairie
At Care Animal Hospital of Pleasant Prairie, we are proud to offer a broad range of rehabilitation services performed with compassion and accuracy. Our caring veterinarians and trusted staff are committed to delivering effective rehabilitation for dogs to help them get back on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.
If your furry loved one is recovering from trauma or surgery, we are proud to offer quality pet rehabilitation in Pleasant Prairie. Our experienced veterinary team will help them regain strength, mobility, and overall well-being. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!