Tag Archive for: rehabilitation dogs

Ortopedia canina

How to help the recovery of newly operated dogs

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Dogs that undergo an operation have to go through a period of rest and care to return to their normal lives. Therefore, the recovery of dogs requires special care that in many cases depends on the type of operation they have undergone.

Regardless of this, a series of guidelines to follow will have to be taken into account when the animal leaves the veterinarian and arrives home. This way you will be more comfortable and your recovery will be more bearable

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What to do to help dogs recover after an operation

While the dog is still in the veterinary clinic, it is advisable to accommodate its rest area according to its condition. It is convenient to keep it especially clean and ventilated. And as quiet as possible so that the animal can be relaxed and smooth.

During the first days, and depending on the severity of the operation, it is convenient that you do not do much exercise. You just have to go out to relieve yourself. And in these cases, you don’t have to let him walk away.

You also have to be very careful of your wound, and prevent it from licking it. Although in many cases, a dog licks a wound is good, if it has stitches it is not advisable. He could remove them ahead of time, and the wound would open. So, if the animal begins to lick the wound of the operation, everything possible must be done to avoid it.

The simplest way is to place a necklace around his head, shaped like an open bell. This collar, made of transparent plastic, prevents him from doing so, and is annoying for the dog. However, it is the best way to avoid problems with wounds.

You also have to remember to give him the medication that has been prescribed. And make him drink plenty of fluids. Above all, in the hours after the operation, so that it expels the anesthesia.

Wound cleaning

In addition to certain medication, the veterinarian will recommend to the owner of the operated dogs how to take care of the wound. Above all, how you have to clean it to avoid infections.

In general, an antiseptic solution should be used for this purpose two or three times a day. And carefully monitor the wound so that there are no problems. Of course, before any alteration that presents, you have to go to the veterinarian to rule out problems.

External aids in limb operations

Operations on the limbs are some of the most annoying for dogs. Not a few, in addition, take a long time to heal. And some even require specific rehabilitation so that the animal can regain mobility in it. As long as, of course, the wound is already completely closed and healed.

In these cases, the dog may need some kind of support or protector not only to avoid harming himself. Also to be able to have more firmness in the use of the affected leg. For example, in the case of bone fractures, it may be advisableto put a splint on it. Or simply, a protector or a support, which can be knee, carpal, tarsus, hip, etc. With them, the dog will feel safer when moving.

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Ortocanis

How to use thermotherapy in dogs?

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Thermotherapy is, broadly speaking, the treatment by means of temperature. It is the most initial and intuitive phase of a rehabilitation; to such an extent, that all of us throughout our lives have applied it on occasion. Who has not hurt their ankle and when they got home they put on ice? Or heat when our back hurts?

The use of heat or cold in these cases is based on the characteristics of inflammation. In the initial phases (24-72h from the trauma) it is indicated to put cold. Thus, by decreasing the supply of blood to the area, we limit the exudate and, therefore, the inflammation. After the first few hours, it can be started with the application of heat, to increase blood flow and reorganization of the scar.

As for the analgesia produced by both heat and cold, there are several
soporte para perro con displasia de caderatheories, although the most accepted is the gate control theory. According to this theory, the fibers that transmit heat and cold are much faster than those that transmit pain, in such a way that the pain signal is inhibited in favor of those of temperature, pressure … That is, we “overload” the nervous system with information (in this case temperature) so that the body does not perceive the pain, even if the cause continues. It is also believed that the application of heat increases the secretion of endorphins.

Here you have an article where we delve into something more about thermotherapy, contraindications or precautions that we must have.

Guzman Herrera

Source: Veterinary Rehabilitation

Cama ortopédica para perros

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Ortocanis

The importance of rehabilitation in dogs

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Increasingly, physiotherapy and rehabilitation are being established as one of the basic pillars in veterinary traumatology and neurology.

While good diagnosis and surgical or pharmacological treatment are critical, rehabilitation can really make all the difference.

The structures of the musculoskeletal system are closely related to each other. The inactivity or poor function of one severely affects the others.

Pelota-cacahuete RehabilitaciónLet’s take a frequent example: hip dysplasia. This is an incongruity of the hip joint, in which bone, cartilage, joint capsule, synovial fluid and ligaments are affected.

The moment the dog feels pain, it lowers its activity drastically. This causes a loss of muscle mass around the joint. As a result, the joint will be less “embraced” by the muscles, increasingly weak and with less force. Then the joint will be more unstable, causing more osteoarthritis (which in turn will increase the pain, which will further lower the activity of the animal). As you can see, it is a vicious circle from which it seems very difficult to escape. The key is to re-exercise those muscles. A possible solution is the use of a wheelchair: these support most of the weight of the animal, but allowing it to exercise the hind limbs. For very advanced cases in which the animal can no longer move the limbs, there is the option of electrotherapy, which will allow us to make passive movements of the muscles. There are even electrotherapy terminals for home use.

When our dog has a musculoskeletal or nervous problem, it is very important that we ask the veterinarian what is the appropriate activity at each stage of the disease.

Here we leave you with a video where the importance (and the wonderful consequences) of a gentle and constant rehabilitation is demonstrated:

Material para rehabilitación veterinaria

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