Services and Procedures

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a technique used to stimulate specific points on the body by inserting thin needles through the skin. It has been practiced throughout the world — most notably in Eastern cultures — for thousands of years. The practice is becoming more widely used for a variety of ailments in all cultures, either alone or in combination with western medicine. Acupuncture primarily promotes integrated medicine – using acupuncture in conjunction with more conventional therapy to achieve the best outcome.

Acupuncture is a tool frequently used as part of a comprehensive physical rehabilitation and/or pain management program, including the treatment of osteoarthritis, myofascial disease, generalized pain, intervertebral disc disease, and paresis/paralysis.

Heat & Cold Therapy

Heat and cold therapy are commonly used for a variety of conditions. While it is a simple approach, the proper use of heat and cold therapy can be used to help relieve pain and sore muscles, treat acute injuries, and promote circulation.

Benefits of heat therapy include:

• Increases blood flow and the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles
• Stimulates the sensory receptors in the skin, which helps to decrease transmissions of pain signals to the brain and partially relieve the discomfort
• Facilitates stretching the soft tissues including muscles, connective tissue, and adhesions

Benefits of cold therapy include:

• Reduces swelling following a traumatic injury
• Decreases inflammation
• Produces a numbing effect than can reduce pain
• Decreases blood flow to an area that can help reduce pain
• Lessens the likelihood of muscle spasms

Lower Level Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is a form of light therapy used for the treatment of osteoarthritis; muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries; wound repair; bone healing; and pain relief. Laser light penetrates deep into the tissue layers, stimulating cellular energy and metabolic processes and releasing natural, pain-killing chemicals within the body.
Low-level laser therapy has been approved by the USA Food and Drug Administration for the management of chronic minor pain, such as osteoarthritis and muscle spasms. Low-level lasers have properties that allow light to penetrate the skin without causing damage to the skin or any heating effect. A typical laser therapy protocol begins with treatments two to three times per day for the first week. Then, based on the individual response, the length of interval between treatments is extended over successive weeks.

Laser therapy is used in the post-operative phase during healing, and may be used as part of a multi-modal treatment plan for chronic conditions, such as osteoarthritis.

Companion Laser Therapy

What is laser therapy? 

Laser therapy (photobiomodulation therapy), is fast-acting and versatile. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy occurs when a dose of light energy reaches target tissue and results in decreased inflammation, decreased pain, and accelerated healing.  

What conditions can be treated with Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy? 

• Sprains & Strains
• Post-surgical
• Osteoarthritis
• Inflammation
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Lick Granuloma
• Wounds
• Fractures
• Degenerative Joint Disease
• Dental Procedures
• Infections 

How does it work? 

There is a vast body of research supporting the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM). For PBM to occur, a therapeutic dose of light is delivered to impaired or dysfunctional tissue, which leads to a cellular response mediated by mitochondrial mechanisms that reduce pain and inflammation and speed healing.1 There are a number of factors that can help maximize the amount of light that reaches target tissue, including: proper wavelength selection, sufficient laser power, reducing reflection off the skin, and minimizing absorption by molecules not involved in photobiomodulation. 

What can my pet expect during a treatment? 

Laser Therapy is a painless treatment that lasts an average of 3-5 minutes. Your pet may experience a comfortable sensation at the point of application. 

What can be expected after the treatment? 

Most patients see positive results in one to three treatments. Acute conditions can subside with as few as one set of treatments. Chronic conditions can be managed with regular monthly treatments. And there are no known negative side effects. Often, pain medications can be reduced or eliminated after Laser Therapy treatment. 

Benefits of laser therapy: 

• Relief of chronic pain, such as arthritis
• Relief of acute pain, such as trauma or injury
• Strong anti-inflammatory effect
• Stimulates healing of damaged tissue
• Speeds recovery of the structural integrity of injured region
• Improvement of local blood circulation
• Postoperative pain relief and faster wound healing
• Please feel free to visit the Companion Animal Health website for further information: https://companionanimalhealth.com/ 

Piezo Shockwave

Shockwave therapy is the use of high-energy shockwaves at the cellular level to accelerate healing, improve blood flow, and provide pain relief. In humans, shockwave therapy is FDA approved for plantar fasciitis and tennis elbow. For dogs and cats, it also can be used for the following applications:

• Osteoarthritis
• Joint injuries
• Chronic back pain/LS disease
• Non-union or delayed-healing bone fractures
• Tendon/Ligament injuries
• Chronic wounds (lick granulomas)

Piezo shockwave therapy is a safe and effective treatment for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. It can stimulate the body’s natural healing process and provide lasting pain relief.

Please reference the website below:
https://elvationusa-vet.com/

Pain Management

VSCR promotes multimodal pain management for the best pain control with fewer side effects. Pharmaceutical and complementary modalities are recommended based on a pet’s individual needs.

What are the signs that pets are in pain? 

Unfortunately, pets do not always communicate their pain with us in obvious ways. Most patients do not cry out or limp until their pain is significant. Each pet is unique and has different pain tolerances and behaviors that may interfere with identifying his or her discomfort. 

Common signs that may indicate discomfort in your pet: 

Dogs

• Unwillingness to greet owner
• Aggression
• Slow to rise, refusing to move
• Less willing or unable to navigate stairs
• Decreased appetite
• Self-mutilation
• Whimpering/howling

Cats 

• Less willing or unable to jump
• Reduced activity
• No grooming or excessive grooming in some cases
• Hiding
• Pawing at the mouth, dropping food
• Stiff posture/gait
• Tail flicking

Is pain just a normal part of aging? 

Weakness and pain do not need to accompany aging. In itself, age is not a disease—we just tend to see more problems as we age. Unfortunately, we also see young animals with weakness or pain. By working with your veterinarian and practitioner to identify a problem, you can help make your pet more comfortable and improve his or her quality of life. 

Based on your pet’s needs and concurrent conditions, a variety of options are available: 

• Pharmaceutical intervention: New research and drug development are expanding our options for veterinary pain control. 
• Physical rehabilitation: Manual therapy, massage, and strengthening can help to alleviate pain and build strength to support diseased joints. 
• Low lever laser therapy: Light therapy is used to promote healing and pain relief for a variety of conditions. 
• Ultrasound and electrostimulation: Gentle stimulation of affected areas with these tools can induce faster healing.
• Acupuncture: Dry needle, aquapuncture, or electroacupuncture are used to stimulate endorphin release and other mechanisms of pain relief. 
• Additional modalities: Shock wave therapy, stem cell therapy, and platelet-rich plasma therapy 

Orthotics and prosthetics

Read more about pain awareness and management in animals on the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management website. 

Reiki

Reiki (rā-kē), which literally means “spiritual energy,” is a natural way to help pets and animals of all shapes and sizes feel better. This gentle, hands-on therapy does no harm to your pet and can help promote deep relaxation and restore balance to his/her body. 
Created by Master Mikao Usui, Reiki treatment uses Japanese meditative and breathing exercises as a tool for spiritual development. Reiki practitioners use intention, meditation, and focus to build a “bridge” to the “recipient,” or patient. 

Benefits for pets: 

• Helps maintain physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• Provides relaxation
• Aids in healing after surgery or during illness or discord
• Reduces pain
• Promotes healing after trauma
• Offers additional support during hospice care
• May help with behavioral issues

Reiki is safe and can be combined with conventional veterinary medicine approaches. We currently only offer Reiki at VSC Vienna.

Strength & Conditioning

The ideal conditioning program prepares the body for optimal shape and strength and maintains the body at this level. At the same time, the conditioning program works to minimize the damage that occurs during activity or performance. A poorly conditioned dog is very susceptible to soft tissue damage or joint injury. The goal should be for a long-term healthy body condition for every patient and, for athletes, a long, productive career not just an occasional outing. The conditioning program should be designed to fit your pet’s lifestyle, training, and work or athletic requirements.
Various exercises can be implemented into a conditioning program. The following are examples of exercises for canine conditioning:

Underwater treadmill: Hydrotherapy utilizes the properties of water, such as buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, viscosity, and resistance to improve physiological function. This exercise is excellent for patients that have arthritic pain, weakness, or neurologic disabilities and dogs that just love the water and/or need a challenge in muscle strengthening.

Agility exercises: Obstacle course work challenges proprioception, increases range of motion, and aides in strengthening of different muscle groups. Multiple obstacles or challenges can be incorporated into the obstacle course, much like an agility course.

Physioball exercise: Ball exercises can be implemented to focus on core and limb strengthening and body awareness. These exercises are challenging for the pet throughout the entire body.

Stretching & PROM

Stretching

Stretching is an important part of a dog’s physical well-being. For many dogs, whether due to advanced age, injury, or surgery, concerns such as muscle atrophy, joint degeneration, loss of flexibility, and subsequent pain are very common. Stretching can help address these concerns by helping keep a dog fit, flexible, and feeling great.

It is important to observe and have an assessment to determine what stretching activities are appropriate for your dog. A well-functioning dog may easily retain his natural elasticity and suppleness. However, a dog with restricted mobility may have short and stiff muscles. When a dog has shortened musculature or tonicity pressure is exerted on the joints, leading to decreased mobility. This affects the blood vessels and impairs blood circulation. Muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments then receive insufficient nutrition and less oxygen. Reduced blood flow also means that lactic acid accumulated in the muscles is not naturally removed from the body. The lactic acid builds up along with other waste products, leading to irritation of the pain receptors in the muscles. This causes the dog to experience pain. Pain can cause further tension, which reduces blood flow even more. This cycle can continue and cause further persistent problems and lead to chronic pain.

Done in conjunction with massage therapy, stretching is an effective way to prevent muscle- related problems and strain injuries and can help improve the dog’s quality of life. Stretching and massage can complement daily exercise and obedience training, and proper diet and can help build a strong bond between dog and owner. Stretching before activity (to warm up) and after the fact (to cool down) has a preventative effect. Before stretching is performed, it is important to have the muscles warmed either through activity or massage.

Range of Motion Exercises

Range of motion (ROM) exercises are used to prevent weakening of the muscles and muscle atrophy after an injury or surgery. ROM exercises can increase blood flow to the joint cartilage, stimulate new cartilage production, and improve overall range of motion at the joint. These exercises are performed to help maintain or improve joint mobility and flexibility of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and to help enhance awareness of neuromuscular structure and function. These exercises also help to manipulate all the muscles and prevent the joints from stiffening.

There are several types of range of motion exercises and it is important to discuss them with a veterinary rehabilitation professional to design a routine tailored to your dog.

Therapeutic Massage

Therapeutic massage for animals is a type of manual therapy used to maintain and improve physical and mental health. Massage therapy promotes relaxation of muscles, increased oxygenation to the body, relief from pain, and improved joint flexibility. It can help prevent injuries and aid the body with healing. Massage therapy also can strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

Massage therapy offers many benefits and can help your pet’s physical and mental health in several ways:

• Increases circulation and helps eliminate toxins and wastes from the body
• Improves joint flexibility and muscle tone, which can be very beneficial for older animals and animals with active lives, particularly performance animals. Massage is also very popular with agility dogs and sport horses
• Enhances the condition of skin, coat, gums, and teeth
• Boosts their attitude and ability to focus, which can affect behavior, training, and performance

Massage therapy can be beneficial for pets that are recovering from injuries or have chronic conditions by addressing the following:

• Enabling atrophying muscles to work more efficiently and regain normal function
• Reducing the recovery time from soft tissue injuries
• Providing relief from muscle soreness and spasms
• Relieving pain and discomfort associated with conditions such as arthritis and hip dysplasia

Therapeutic massage can be very beneficial but as with any new therapy, monitoring your pet during therapy is essential. If your pet is on any medication, has a specific health condition or injury, or other complications, check with your veterinarian prior to offering massage or starting a massage therapy program.

Therapeutic Ultrasound & Electrical Stimulation

Depending on the condition of your pet, your rehabilitation practitioner may recommend either therapeutic ultrasound or electrical stimulation to help ease muscular tension and relieve pain.

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound harnesses ultrasonic waves, which, at varying frequencies, penetrate into affected muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints to increase blood circulation and promote healing. Common conditions for therapeutic ultrasound include biceps tenosynovitis, iliopsoas strains, and ligament injuries.

Electrical Stimulation

Electrical stimulation provides comfort by blocking pain pathways, soothing aching joints, and relaxing muscles. In some cases, it may be used to stimulate muscular contractions for neuromuscular re-education and improving strength. A small electrical current runs between two to four gel pads placed in the areas needed for treatment, and often a warm heating pack will be placed over the pads to provide additional comfort during therapy.

Hydrotherapy

The underwater treadmill is a form of hydrotherapy that utilizes the properties of water, including buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, viscosity, and resistance, to improve physiological function.

Incorporating the treadmill with water therapy allows for exercise with less strain on the joints, improved range of motion, and increased stability for patients that may have significant weakness.

This exercise is excellent for patients that have arthritic pain, weakness, neurologic disabilities, and for pets that just love the water and/or a challenge in muscle strengthening.

Sessions vary for each patient based on their current level of conditioning and concurrent medical problems. This service is offered at all three of our locations.