Your pet has had an injury to the hind limb that requires physical therapy to speed the return to function. The process of physical therapy is very easy to do, however a few precautions should be taken to ensure your safety and the comfort of your pet.
- Any pet that is injured or has had surgery on a limb may become aggressive when touched in the affected area. Under these circumstances, your pet may growl, or even bite you. To prevent this from happening, we recommend that you place a muzzle on your pet before beginning the physical therapy (this can be made simply by wrapping a ribbon or rope around the dog’s muzzle and tying it behind the neck).
- Always encourage your pet to enjoy the physical therapy by giving treats before and after the procedure.
- If possible, physical therapy is best done with two people. One person will hold the pet gently on its side, while the other person manipulates the limb.
- Place you pet on his/her side on a table or the floor with the bad leg up.
- Sit behind the affected leg and grasp the thigh gently with one hand, and the foot with the other:
- Slowly draw the foot up towards the body while flexing the knee and ankle. When the leg is flexed as far as it will go, hold it for 15 seconds.
- Slowly pull the foot away from the body while extending the knee and ankle. When the leg is fully extended, hold it for 15 seconds.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 ten to twenty times 2-3 times per day.
- When you are done, remove the muzzle and praise your pet with petting and treats.