Case Studies
When Maizey suffered a sudden onset of paralysis in her rear legs, she underwent spinal surgery to remove a ruptured disc. This was followed by rehabilitation exercises prescribed by her surgeon's team. However, 10 weeks post surgery, Maizey was still much weaker on her right side and avoided walking, opting to instead scoot around in a sitting position. Her owners decided to bring her to TC Rehab, where we began an intensive rehabilitation program with gait retraining, work on coordination and balance, and overall strengthening. With increased muscle mass, tone and improved coordination, she can now enjoy long walks at home again.
Maizey
Basset Hound 5 years old
Joey is an active competitor in the sport of agility. When he began limping on one front leg after particularly active days, his family knew something was wrong. Dr. Tomlinson performed a diagnostic ultrasound of his shoulder area, and the imaging showed Joey had injured his biceps tendon. Joey was treated with a series of therapeutic ultrasound followed by a closely controlled strengthening program including hydrotherapy along with targeted exercises to help the tendon to heal while preventing scar tissue. Joey is now back enjoying agility with no loss of speed.
Joey
Flat-coated Retriever 6 years old
Daisy came to TC Rehab roughly two months after surgery to repair a luxating patella. Surgery went well, but Daisy absolutley refused to bear weight on her injured leg and was losing a significant amount of muscle mass and range of motion in her hind legs. Her owners were dedicated to her full recovery, and through a program of hydrotherapy and therapeutic exercise here and at home, Daisy began using her leg correctly and regained normal range of motion, thus returning to her active, playful lifestyle.
Daisy
Miniature Poodle Mix 2 years old
Henry came to see us with growth abnormalities that had caused his front legs to curl under so he could hardly walk. Henry would improve with rest, but every time he experienced a growth spurt, his feet would curl again. After we treated him with a series of therapeutic ultrasounds, custom braces, and even Botox (yes, you read that right), Henry is now moving well and enjoying life.
Henry
Great Dane puppy
Riley came to us with a shoulder injury. He was a young dog and loved to go on runs with his owners. We treated his rotator cuff injury with a brace and strengthening exercises, and after, we redesigned his running program (couch to 5k!). Riley is back running three times weekly with his family. His rotator cuff is strong, and he has no soreness. The Olsens said they are "ecstatic" to have their dog back.
Riley
Golden Retriever 2 years old
Spur is an active dog who loves agility and herding. He came to see us for front limb lameness, and we diagnosed him with a toe sprain (proximal interphalangeal joint was sprain and the ligaments overstretched resulting in a loose, painful joint). After tape support and strengthening, Spur has returned to full activity without issues. Surgery is sometimes recommended for sprains, but in the case of mild to moderate sprains, nearly all cases can be medically managed.
Spur
Australian Shepherd 6 years old
Mercer is a sled dog who came up with swelling in his achilles tendon. Diagnostic ultrasound showed swelling and fiber tearing in the gastrocnemius tendon (part of the achilles); the tear was not complete, in other words, a partial tear of achilles tendon. Mercer had an injection of platelet rich plasma into the defect to stimulate healing, and after a comprehensive home rehabilitation program with frequent ultrasound examinations to monitor progress, he has returned to being the lead sled dog.
Mercer
Siberian Husky 4 years old
Bella was diagnosed with a partial ACL tear in her right knee. She was managed here with a comprehensive rehabilitation program (no surgery), and at five months post injury returned to doing her obedience jumps and loving it!
Bella
Beagle mix 8 years old
Kola came to TC Rehab after he suffered a sudden and complete loss of ability to use his rear limbs. He underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with an explosive disc rupture. Surgery was not advised, and instead of recommending rehabilitation, Kola's owners were instructed to keep him on strict rest to decrease the risk of more disc rupture.
We saw Kola four days after the initial incident, and we recommended some very careful exercises to stimulate sensation and keep joints moving while still protecting his back. We advised he stay confined to a small area when not supervised, one with high traction flooring and nothing to climb on to. Early intervention with our approach of home exercise and laser therapy helped decrease inflammation, and when we began strengthening Kola via hydrotherapy and other exercises, he regained mobility on his own. Kola can now walk and run well with only slight occasional scuffing of his toenails when he is not paying attention.
