Anyone who has ever experienced a major injury or surgery can attest to how vital rehabilitation therapy is in the recovery process.
However, it has only been in recent years that we have begun to recognize how important this type of therapy can be for veterinary patients as well.
Physical therapy has tremendous benefits for pets with injuries and aging joints. A wide variety of modalities are used in order to relieve pain, increase healing, and provide an overall better quality of life for our beloved pets.
Union Lake Pet Services is proud to incorporate this service into its patient offerings through its Animal Rehabilitation Center.
Animal Rehabilitation Center of Michigan
Founded 2001, our Animal Rehabilitation Center’s goal is to help pets live a better life. Over the past 13 years, we have successfully treated a wide variety of pets including police dogs, agility, obedience, dock diving, and confirmation dogs, along with plenty of family pets. Some of the techniques we use include:
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy uses the properties of water to improve function and strength in our pets. We often use an underwater treadmill to decrease pain, improve circulation, and provide low-impact exercise for our patients.
Electrical Stimulation
This technique utilizes electrical impulses applied to a muscle or muscle group to stimulate contraction. This is commonly utilized to prevent muscle loss, particularly during periods of recovery after an injury or surgery.
Therapeutic Ultrasound (Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy)
During therapeutic ultrasound, sound waves act on the tissues to stimulate healing, decrease pain and inflammation, and reduce swelling.
Therapeutic Laser
Cold laser therapy acts on the selected tissues to decrease pain and swelling and to increase healing. Your pet won’t feel a thing.
Rehabilitation therapy is utilized for a wide variety of conditions including orthopedic problems (fractures, soft tissue injuries), neurological problems (disk disease), arthritis management, weight problems, and even athletic conditioning.
Our Staff
We currently have two certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioners on staff, with another on the way.
Our own Annette Engler LVT, CVPM, CCRP was Michigan’s first certified practitioner, and Lisa Blanchard LVT, CMT, CCRP also has been an important part of our staff for the last 9 years. Lisa’s passion and knowledge of the canine anatomy, motion and modern rehabilitation techniques are second to none, and we are so grateful for her level of commitment to our rehab center
Dr. Kate Reynolds, who has been with us since 2004, is also a valuable member of our Animal Rehabilitation Center team. She will be completing her Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner certification this year, and we are so excited to include her in our growing rehab family.
We are extremely proud of our Animal Rehabilitation Center and even more proud of all the pets that we have been able to help over the years. We hope to continue to grow and continue to improve the quality of life for more and more pet in the years to come.
To learn more about Union Lake Pet Services’s Rehabilitation Center and all that we do, please explore our new website or give us a call.