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Canine Sports Medicine & Physical Rehabilitation

Our Canine Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation service uses rehabilitation therapy to assist recovery in canine veterinary patients and to improve or maintain strength, stamina, and body condition in otherwise healthy patients. 

In this section

Canine rehabilitation

Hours & Appointment Scheduling

Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm

Please call (614) 292-3551

What is Physical Rehabilitation? 

Physical rehabilitation, or rehabilitation therapy, targets restoration of physical function; for example, the ability to walk in a previously paralyzed patient. Physical rehabilitation involves numerous techniques including manipulation, electrotherapy (therapeutic laser, ultrasound and electrical stimulation) and exercise. Physical rehabilitation can also promote a more rapid recovery from neurological or orthopedic disorders and surgery, helping to avoid complications associated with prolonged bed rest.

Common Conditions

Veterinary patients benefiting from rehabilitation often include experiencing the following conditions: 

  • Preoperative orthopedic surgical patients, e.g. cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture, hip dysplasia

  • Postoperative orthopedic surgical patients, e.g. CCL repair, femmoral head ostecomy, fracture repair

  • Orthopedic medical patients, e.g. osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthropathy

  • Neurological patients, e.g. intervertebral disc prolapse, degenerative myelopathy, wobbler syndrome, fibrocartilaginous embolism

  • Overweight patients

  • Geriatric patients

  • Agility, performance and working dogs

Service Highlights

  • Underwater treadmill

  • Terrestrial treadmill

  • Low-level laser therapy

  • Therapeutic ultrasound

  • Electrical stimulation

  • Massage therapy

  • Heat and cold therapy

  • Acupuncture

  • Strengthening exercises

  • Balance and coordination training

  • Gait training

Benefits of Rehabilitation

  • Reduce pain

  • Promote the healing process

  • Restore and maintain range of joint motion and normal movement patterns

  • Build muscle mass during recovery from injury or surgery

  • Allow safe and controlled activity during the recovery period

  • Increase cardiovascular fitness

  • Combat obesity, in association with correct diet

  • Improve overall quality of life

What to Expect

After initial evaluation, a customized plan for therapy is developed to address the particular challenges of the patient. We will discuss management options with you and determine a schedule of visits. Post-operative patients might initially be managed as inpatients, but the majority of treatments are performed on an outpatient day-care basis. The education of owners to perform simple strength and coordination exercises at home is an important role of our service. The response to rehabilitation is monitored by your attending board-certified neurologist, nutritionist, or surgeon.

The whole staff in the rehab area are wonderful and my dog loves going. He greets them like family!

People Grid Category of

Care Team

Nina Kieves

Nina Kieves

DVM, DACVS, DACVSMR, CCRT
Associate Professor; Small Animal Surgery Section Head
Mary Elgin

Mary Elgin

DVM, CCRP, CVA
Staff Veterinarian
Kelly Andrews

Kelly Andrews

RVT, CCRVN
Supervisor
Amanda Burkhart

Amanda Burkhart

RVT
Technician

Clinical Trials

The Canine Sports Medicine & Physical Rehabilitation service is often recruiting patients for related studies for which your animal may be eligible. If you have any questions regarding your animal's eligibility, please contact the Blue Buffalo Clinical Trials Office (cvm-clinicaltrials@osu.edu). 

For a listing of current trials please click here.