An Innovative Senior Dog Program

Overview

There is very little research in the field of animal rehab, particularly when it comes to senior dogs. The majority of techniques and exercises are extrapolated from human physiotherapy.

Those of us practicing animal rehab see a huge difference in overall mobility once dogs start doing a specific exercise program.

It is common to see changes like being able to return to doing the stairs, getting up on furniture, and getting into a vehicle again. These changes can actually save a dog’s life, as problems with mobility are one of the most common reasons for euthanasia.

Relevance to Physiotherapy

Animal rehab therapists see senior dogs on a regular basis for weakness, stiffness, and overall loss of mobility. There are simple and effective exercises that can help these special patients live longer and more comfortably.

Learning Objectives

Dogs age faster than we do!

Over 40% of Canadian homes include at least one dog, and in recent years, owners are becoming more proactive about helping their aging pets stay active and mobile. This online course outlines a 12-week Senior Dog Mobility Program, which helps dogs improve overall strength, balance, proprioception, and mobility as they enter their golden years. Just like in humans, a simple walk is not enough to maintain strength and fitness.

At the end of this online physiotherapy course, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize the signs of aging and common conditions seen in senior dogs
2. Use fun and easy ways to mobilize fascia in their own dog
3. Understand hind end, front end, and core strengthening exercises using common household items

Audience

This presentation will be most useful to physiotherapists who are involved in animal rehab, but attendees who are not practicing animal rehab will be able to use these techniques and exercises on their own dogs and may become interested in pursuing animal rehab themselves.

Additional Information

One of the goals of the Animal Rehab Division is to become more apparent to physiotherapists and to increase the number of Canadian physiotherapists who are practicing animal rehab. This online course is fun and will show physiotherapists how their skill set can be easily transferred to animals!

This course was recorded at the Canadian Physiotherapy Association 2019 Forum in Charlottetown, PEI.

Welcome and we hope you enjoy this online course: An Innovative Senior Dog Program with Carrie Smith!