Services & Modalities

Rehabilitation Evaluation

Each patient is thoroughly evaluated during an in-depth one hour examination. The exam consists of:

Routine health check
Gait analysis
Palpation of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints and bones
Goniometry (measurement of joint flexion and extension)
Muscle girth measurement of legs

The exam findings, combined with a detailed history, lead to a diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan. Treatments may include manual therapy techniques such as mobilization, massage, and range of motion exercises; specialized modalities like therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and hydrotherapy; as well as specific medications and supplements to alleviate pain and optimize healing and mobility. Many pets are very relaxed or actually sleep during the exam. Families stay with their pets during the exams.

Rehab Plan

A detailed written plan goes home with every pet. The plan includes recommendations for further diagnostics, in-clinic treatments, medications, and supplements. A home rehab program is included with detailed instructions on how to perform the recommended massage, stretching, passive range of motion, and therapeutic exercises. We will demonstrate all the recommended home exercises in-clinic, but we have found it is nice to have a reference at home as well. All successful rehabilitation plans rely on dedicated owners teaming with our skilled staff.

Healing Cold Laser Therapy

Frequency Specific Low Level Laser Therapy (FSLLLT), or more simply called healing cold laser therapy, is a high-tech therapy used to treat nerve, bone, joint and muscle problems such as arthritis, back problems, ligament injuries, and other painful conditions. By utilizing cool red laser light for biostimulation of tissue, cold laser therapy promotes healing, relieves pain, boosts immune response, reduces swelling and improves circulation. Our hospital utilizes a frequency-specific cold laser made by Erchonia.

To your pet, this means a more comfortable, pain-free life in which they are better able to participate in normal activities such as climbing stairs, running and playing. In a painless session, lasting no longer than a few minutes, the laser light is applied to your pet twice daily for the first 3 days, then once daily for the next 3 days. After the first 6 days, the laser light is applied twice weekly for 2 weeks, for a grand total of 13 doses. The doses do not have to be applied on consecutive days. Pets that are pregnant or have a pacemaker should not receive laser therapy. Healing Cold Laser Therapy is very safe, with the only known side effects being a deep sense of relaxation that may cause drowsiness. Please click here to learn more about Healing Cold Laser Therapy.

V.O.M. (Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation)

This is a non-surgical approach to spinal diseases, pain and lameness in animals. It uses a hand-held spinal adjusting device to treat neurological interferences along the spine. It turns on switches that have been VOM turned off by injuries or pain.

Most pets will receive five treatments over a span of 2 1/2 months. Each treatment takes about 5 minutes to apply. This therapy can benefit most of the common pet species: dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, chinchillas, birds, lizards, snakes, turtles (and horses too!). This therapy is completely safe, fast and effective.

Click here to learn Conditions That Can Be Treated with V.O.M.

Click here to learn What to Expect Following V.O.M. Therapy.

Hydrotherapy

Our state of the art underwater treadmill uses the resistance of water to provide an excellent workout for the muscles, heart, lungs, and mind while protecting the bones and joints by using the buoyancy of water to greatly reduce the concussive forces of walking. The warm water relaxes pets, provides pain relief and reduces swelling.

In addition to patients in need of rehabilitation, overweight pets can safely exercise in the treadmill to facilitate weight loss without overstressing their joints, and canine athletes often benefit from conditioning in preparation for competition and during the “off season.”

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Therapeutic ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound uses sound waves to promote healing by reducing pain, decreasing swelling, and decreasing muscle spasms.

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulations (E-Stim)

Tiny electrical pulses produce gentle muscle contractions. This combats the muscle atrophy and weakness that is so common in physical rehabilitation patients. After learning how to safely administer this treatment you may be able to rent the unit and provide this therapy at home.

Osteopathic Manual Therapy

A treatment in which the veterinarian uses his/her hands to gently manipulate the patient’s bones, joints, organs and blood vessels. The goal is to free-up problematic restrictions thus allowing the body to heal itself. This holistic, drug-free treatment not only improves the existing symptoms but also promotes long-term health and well-being. Osteopathic manual therapy uses several non-invasive hands-on techniques including functional indirect technique, craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation and others. These techniques are used widely by osteopathic doctors and physical therapists to treat their human patients. Veterinary medicine is just beginning to embrace osteopathy and recognize its tremendous potential in pet health care.

Manual Therapy

Joint mobilizations, Passive Range of Motion (PROM), massage and acupressure are applied. This is a “healing touch” which helps to improve joint nutrition, improve flexibility, alleviates pain and swelling.

Therapeutic Exercises

These are exercises prescribed to achieve specific goals such as strengthening, improving balance or flexibility. An individualized, home exercise plan will be prescribed. Some technically demanding therapeutic exercises need to be performed under the watchful eye of a trained, knowledgeable assistant and will be performed at West Hills Animal Hospital. Theraballs, resistance bands, wobble boards, and cavaletti poles are all examples of therapeutic exercise equipment.

Weight loss and conditioning program

This program is designed for those pets in need of weight loss or for the highly trained canine athlete who needs further conditioning, endurance training or strengthening. The cornerstone of this program is hydrotherapy. Visit our page devoted to weight management for additional information.