Rehab & Sports Medicine

Physical Therapy and Rehab Therapy 

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, 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
• hydrotherapy
• 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.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is a comfortable, drug-free, non-invasive therapy used to successfully treat a variety of painful pet conditions.

Laser therapy speeds healing and enhances comfort for chronic issues, such as arthritis and some neurologic conditions, as well as acute injuries like wounds, injuries, dental extractions, incisions, and broken bones. And, in the hands of a trained veterinary acupuncturists, therapeutic lasers can also be used to perform laser acupuncture therapy.

While a relatively new therapy, laser technology has significantly improved in recent years from the older, less powerful “cold lasers” to the newest and most effective Class IV Therapeutic Lasers, such as our Companion Laser.

What does laser therapy feel like?

Dr. Munroe with a happy laser surgery patient.

During laser therapy, patients feel a soothing warmth during the treatment and typically relax and enjoy the session. Areas of inflammation may briefly feel sensitive to the touch, before pain reduction occurs. Therapy sessions usually last 10-20 minutes, depending upon the number of body sites treated and the size of the animal.

How often should a patient be treated?

Acute conditions can be treated daily, particularly in cases of severe pain. Chronic problems (arthritis, some skin conditions) may respond better with treatments 2-3 times weekly, tapering down to once every 2-4 weeks, or as needed.

How long before results are seen?

While some patients experience significant pain reduction after the first visit, improvement is usually seen by the third or fourth session, and the benefits of treatments are cumulative. Acute conditions often improve quickly, while chronic conditions (such as arthritis) may require ongoing therapy treatment to achieve and maintain optimal results.

We offer both single and discounted packages of laser therapy.

Rehab Forms

So that our staff may prepare for your pet’s arrival, please complete and submit the appropriate online form(s) at least 30 minutes before your pet’s scheduled appointment time. Click here for a full list of client forms.

Rehab/Acupuncture First Visit History

Rehab/Acupuncture Followup Appointment