Smarty Paws Canine Coaching

Treadmills are used as a weight bearing exercise for conditioning or rehabilitation.

The pace of the animals movement is controlled, the footing is secure, and we can increase or decrease the challenge by changing the speed or incline/decline.  Specific muscle groups can be targeted by incline/decline, adding leg weights or backpacks.

Treadmills provide passive extension of the dogs joints and can also be used for dogs to "relearn" to place their limbs following surgery or injury.

Conditioning and weight loss can be achieved on the treadmill regardless of the weather, so it is very beneficial for dogs who do not get as much exercise due to our desert temperatures.

Your dog will receive a personalized program designed to address his specific issues. All treatments will be carried out by a licensed veterinary technician, specializing in rehab and sports medicine.

Modalities used include manual therapy, treadmill, massage, exercise balls, low level laser therapy, heat and cold therapy and land based activities. Laser therapy will require a veterinarian referral.

Heat and Cold therapies are used to aid in relieving pain and inflammation in many injuries. Increased blood flow and increased healing can also be benefits of properly applied Heat and Cold modalities.

Cavalettis, rope on the floor, incline planks, tables, wobble boards are some of the items used to help your canine in either a rehab program or a conditioning program.

Body awareness skills, stretching, coordination, balance, proprioception are some of the areas we focus on with your dog.

Each dog will have a presonalized program designed to work on the body areas he most needs help with.

Clients are sent home with homework skills to keep up with our program.

Laser therapy acts on the cellular level and the light energy is converted to biochemical energy.  This results in a change in cellular functions, mainly stimulation of tissue repair mechanisms.  Laser therapy can also decrease pain and inflammation. 

Conditions that can be treated by Laser Therapy include:wounds and ulcers, acute injuries/trauma of tendons, ligaments, muscles.  Musculoskeletal injuries, arthritis, bone spurs, also benefit from Laser Therapy.

Massage therapy benefits the canine patient by increasing circulation, removing waste from the body's metabolic system, and increasing nutrient delivery to tissues to speed healing.  Massage can also relieve pain by reducing muscle spasms, and tissue adhesions.  Massage also aids in improving the dog;s joint range of motion and boosting the immune system.

A joint should move through a variety of angles and motions. Joints affected by chronic conditions,(such as arthritis), or joints after surgery may lose their full range of motion,  develop scar tissue, and become painful or inflammed.

Manual Therapy includes joint movements to decrease pain and increase joint mobility.

ROM-Range of Motion exercises combined with stretching maximize joint flexibility and mobility.

Benefits of manual therapy include reduced pain, greater mobility, and improved rate of recovery following surgical procedures.

Your dog will receive a personalized program designed to address his specific issues. All treatments will be carried out by a licensed veterinary technician, specializing in rehab and sports medicine.

Modalities used include manual therapy, treadmill, massage, exercise balls, low level laser therapy, heat and cold therapy and land based activities. Laser therapy will require a veterinarian referral.

Therapeutic exercise balls of different shapes and sizes are valuable modalities for canine conditioning and rehab therapy.

A therapist assists the dog on the exercise ball through a series of exercises meant to

assist the dog with stance, weight bearing, weight shifting and proprioception of the limbs.  Dogs will be asked to "load" or "unload" the weight of different limbs, while also working on balance and core exercises.