Veterinary rehabilitation therapy is new and exciting field in which human physical therapy techniques are adapted to treat animals with debilitating and painful musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.
Rehab-certified veterinarians use an array of traditional and alternative therapies to reduce pain, increase strength and flexibility, and enhance recovery from injury, surgery, and degenerative diseases in their efforts to help their animal patients live full and comfortable lives.
Dr. Tricia Munroe
Dr. Tricia Munroe, cVMA, CCRT, completed a rigorous training course and certification in canine rehabilitation therapy and sports medicine in 2016.
She uses her training to evaluate our patients with orthopedic and neurological conditions, then prescribe and implement an individualized treatment plan aimed at increasing muscle strength, joint flexibility, and balance, while decreasing pain.
Treatment plans may include:
- specialized exercises
- laser therapy
- acupuncture
- massage
- cold or heat therapies
- electrical stimulation
- medication
Dr. Munroe educates owners about their pets’ condition and what they can do at home to help their pet, such as home exercise programs. She can also suggest home adaptations and tools that may be useful to help a pet move more comfortably and confidently.
As one of only 17 veterinarians with CCRT certification in Washington, Dr. Munroe is seeing an increasing number of patients for rehab therapy and accepts referral patients from other veterinary clinics for patients who would benefit from rehab therapy.
Here’s a video of Dr. Monroe working with patients (on our Facebook page)