We are often asked by new clients why we need to conduct an assessment on the patient, prior to starting treatment, especially when the patient already has a diagnosis.
When embarking on a physical rehabilitation program for an animal patient, conducting a thorough functional assessment is an essential first step. This process provides invaluable insights into the animal’s current physical condition, enabling your veterinary physiotherapist to create a tailored and effective treatment plan for your animal companion.
A functional assessment involves evaluating the animal’s movement, posture, strength, range of motion, and overall physical abilities. This comprehensive evaluation helps identify specific areas of dysfunction, pain, or compensatory patterns that may not be immediately apparent. For example, a dog recovering from orthopaedic surgery might exhibit subtle lameness or muscle atrophy
that requires targeted interventions. Without this initial assessment, these underlying issues might go unnoticed, potentially compromising the success of rehabilitation.
One key benefit of a functional assessment is that it ensures a personalised approach to therapy. Each animal is unique, and their rehabilitation needs will vary depending on factors such as their age, breed, medical history, lifestyle, previously undetected weaknesses and, compensatory movement patterns, etcetera. By understanding the specific challenges and strengths of the patient, your therapist can develop a program that optimises your pet’s recovery while minimising the risk of further injury.
Additionally, the functional assessment serves as a baseline for tracking progress. By documenting the animal’s condition at the start of the program, veterinarians and physiotherapists can measure improvements over time.
During the course of your animal companion’s recovery program we will conduct “follow-up” assessments. Ordinarily these will take place at intervals of approximately eight weeks. These follow up assessments allow us to “measure what matters”, in other words are we achieving the goals we set out to achieve at the start of the program? They help us to determine whether the patient’s recovery is going to plan and if not, enable us to adjust the treatment plan, as needed.
As a pet-parent you see your fur-child everyday, and sometimes it becomes difficult to see small improvements which occur over time. At the assessment we take a number of measurements, we record the patient’s gait the patient's gait, measure functional ability, joint angles and more. We compare the measurements from one assessment to the next and observe improvements in movement patterns and posture. This helps to objectively demonstrate the effectiveness of the interventions to pet-parents.
Finally, this assessment is crucial for ensuring safety. Engaging an animal in inappropriate exercises or therapies without understanding their limitations can exacerbate existing issues or cause new injuries. A thorough functional assessment mitigates these risks, fostering a safe and supportive environment for recovery.
A standard veterinary assessment is a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a veterinarian to diagnose and treat medical conditions in animals. It typically includes:
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Medical History: Gathering information about the pet’s health history, including previous illnesses, surgeries, and current medications.
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Physical Examination: A thorough examination of the pet’s body, including checking vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration), examining the eyes, ears, mouth, skin, and palpating the abdomen and limbs.
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Diagnostic Tests: Depending on the findings, the veterinarian may recommend diagnostic tests such as blood work, urinalysis, X-rays, ultrasound, or other imaging techniques to identify underlying health issues.
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Treatment Plan: Based on the diagnosis, the veterinarian will develop a treatment plan, which may include medications, surgery, dietary changes, or other interventions.
A veterinary physiotherapist initial assessment focuses on evaluating the animal’s musculoskeletal and neurological health to develop a rehabilitation plan. It includes:
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Functional History: Understanding the pet’s functional abilities and limitations, including any recent injuries or surgeries, and the pet’s current activity level.
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Static Assessment: Observing the pet’s posture and conformation while standing still to identify any abnormalities or compensatory mechanisms.
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Dynamic Assessment: Evaluating the pet’s movement and gait to identify any lameness, stiffness, or irregularities in motion.
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Palpation: Feeling the muscles, joints, and soft tissues to detect areas of pain, swelling, or tension.
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Range of Motion: Measuring the range of motion in the joints to assess flexibility and identify any restrictions.
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Rehabilitation Plan: Developing a tailored rehabilitation plan that may include therapeutic exercises, manual therapies (such as massage and stretching), and modalities like laser therapy, electrical stimulation, and hydrotherapy.