Rehab Resources

Lunch and Learn

If you’re a local vet and interested in getting more information about veterinary physical rehabilitation – what it is, how it works, who could benefit from it – please contact us to schedule an informative talk (in person or virtual) and/or have some educational resources and client handouts sent to you.

Pet Pain Resources

As pets cannot tell us how they are feeling, it can be difficult to determine when they are in pain. Many animals are also prone to not showing any signs of pain, until it’s very severe – especially with cats. Because of this, the veterinary community has developed a few different questionnaires to try to determine if any of their at home behaviors could be signs of pain. Below you can find a few dog and cat pain scale questionnaires you can use at home – either to gauge whether or not they are painful now, or to use it routinely (weekly, biweekly, or monthly) to track chronic painful conditions (such as arthritis, elbow and hip dysplasia, etc.) to see if their pain is improving, worsening, or remaining the same. If you’re looking for a cat-specific pain resource, we’d also recommend checking out https://painfreecats.org/

If your pet has recently developed a new sign (especially one that comes and goes) it is usually extremely helpful for veterinarians to have videos of what you are seeing at home – since pets usually act differently in a high-stress environment, like a vet clinic. However, not all videos will be helpful to your vet – below is a guide that will give you step-by-step instructions on how to take a video of your pet that will be useful for the veterinarian to help diagnose their condition(s).

If you have a pet with a chronic condition, another way you can keep track of their pain is to keep a pain diary. This can be done in an actual journal, on your computer, on your phone, on a calendar, or wherever is easiest for you. You can then track one or a few behaviors your individual pet shows when they are in pain – such as eating less, walking less, limping, panting more, sleeping more, sleeping in an area they don’t usually sleep, avoiding the stairs, avoiding certain beds, etc. And when they seem to be having more “bad” days vs. “good” days, that would be a good time to get your pet back to your regular or rehab veterinarian to reassess their pain management plan.  

Pain can be very subtle, so it’s important to catch these signs as early as possible – especially as chronic pain can be harder to manage the longer it’s been going on, and can cause other health issues. If you are in doubt, please feel free to reach out for a physical exam with our veterinarians.

Quality of Life

If your pet is dealing with a severe and/or chronic issue, there is often the question of when is the “right” time for humane euthanasia. While no one ever has all the answers, one resource your family can use is the Quality of Life questionnaire created by the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. This resource can also also be used routinely (daily, biweekly, or weekly) for those pets that have a terminal illness – as it’s usually very difficult for pet parents to gauge those small changes that can happen from one minute to the next. 

Pet Nutrition

Pet nutrition is a vital component of your pets’ wellbeing and longevity. As veterinary professionals we are not only concerned about how much food your pet is getting, but also what type of food and supplements they are eating.

In rehab, we often see pets who have joint and/or mobility issues that may have been caused by (or at least worsened by) carrying excessive weight – and (according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention) about 60% of cats and dogs are overweight in the US. However, we also have research showing pet parents saw a significant improvement of their pet’s limping behaviors when they lost just 6% of their weight – so it’s never too late to help improve your pet’s overall health! We also have research that showed dogs who stayed at an ideal weight throughout their lives, lived an average of about 2 years longer than dogs who were overweight! There is certainly nothing else we as veterinarians can do or recommend that could give your family this kind of result.

So, the first step in improving your pet’s nutritional health is to figure out what their starting point is. Your veterinarian will be able to determine if your pet is under, over, or at an ideal weight with the help of Body Condition Score (BCS) charts, like the ones below (which can be used for both cats and dogs):

If your veterinarian has diagnosed your pet as over- or under-weight, please be sure to consult with them on a plan to get them to an ideal body weight. Pets that gain or lose weight too quickly can run into other health issues, and there are various hormonal diseases that can affect your pet’s ability to gain or lose weight, so we want to make sure you have a safe plan, that’s actually going to work for your family. Even the type of diet your pet is on could be helpful or a hindrance, which is why your vet would be the best person to recommend a prescription or over the counter diet for your individual pet. If your pet is dealing with multiple diseases, or food sensitivities, it may even be a good idea to consult with a veterinary nutrition specialist.

If you are interested in learning more about nutrition, here are a couple resources to help you get started:

Apart from their weight, another important aspect would be making sure they are eating a balanced diet, which may need to include adding supplements outside of their usual diet – especially for pets with an injury, older pets, or pets with chronic conditions. There are an array of supplements out there, so it is important to do your due diligence by first asking your veterinarian if your pet needs to be on any particular supplement(s). And, as supplements are not FDA approved, please make sure you purchase them from a reputable source and reliable company. Useful resources such as AAFCO.ORG and NASC.CC can be a useful starting point, but it would be best to confirm with your veterinarian before making any purchases.

Other Resources

This questionnaire can be used to help determine if your older dog or cat is starting to show signs of cognitive decline.

This document goes through a few fun exercises you can do with your healthy cat, to keep them strong and active at home. Please be sure to start these exercises gradually, and ask your veterinarian if you’re unsure whether your cat is a good candidate for these exercises.