What to expect During Your Pet’s Rehab Visit
Gentle care, personalized plans, and support every step of the way!
Walking into your pet’s first rehab session can feel a little unknown—what happens?! How will your pet respond?! and what happens next?! At Aligned Animal Rehab and Fitness, LLC, we want you and your companion to feel at ease knowing you are in caring hands. We talked last week about how to prepare, lets dive into what you can expect during the visit!
A Warm Welcome
Walking into your first (or subsequent) rehab sessions you are always greeted with a comfortable open space. We make every effort to schedule ways that there will be minimal to no other dog interactions to ensure your pet feels comfortable in our space. We also truly believe in a fear-free approach which means giving your dog the space and time they need so we can meet them where they are whether its gentle reassurance, treats, or simply giving them time to sniff and explore.
Gentle Assessment
Next, we take time to understand your pet’s unique needs. This includes:
We start with a discussion about your observations, goals, and concerns. Things you may have noticed. You know your pet more than anyone and we want to hear what you are concerned about. What matters to you!
Then comes the evaluation-we look at how they move, how well they do getting up/down from different positions
Checking for stiffness, soreness, and/or weakness
Check out their posture, how they are walking, and how well they use their body. Is pain stopping them? Weakness? are they compensating?
This isn’t just about a diagnosis—it’s about seeing the whole picture of your pet’s health and mobility. Everything is connected!
Hands-on Therapy & Exercise
Based on what we find out during the evaluation, we’ll introduce gentle therapy right away. This may include:
Manual therapy-to release tension and improve comfort
Exercise-for strength, Coordination, or introduce better use of the legs
Laser treatment-to reduce pain and inflammation
Guidance on safe movement strategies- strategies to keep your pet safe and comfortable at home including home environment tips, home exercises, and any other education so you are prepared to help your pet optimize their recovery.
Every activity is tailored to your pet’s abilities and comfort level-we do NOT rush or force things. Dogs remember what happens and if they have a bad experience, they won’t forget it! We want them to enjoy their experience in order to help future sessions and the overall healing journey!
Subsequent visits don’t different too significantly from the first, although they don’t typically last as long as day 1 (plan for 90 min). We always begin with a discussion on how they are doing, changes, issues, or questions you may have. Then a quick assessment on how they are today, followed, by progressive activities. Each and every visit is important to building up your pet to living their most functional, pain-free, and mobile life!
Your pet’s rehab journey is more than exercises, it’s about trust, care, and partnership. Each visit is designed to support healing, reduce pain, and help you and your companion rediscover joy in movement!
Contact us to book a consultation or learn more about how physical therapy can make all the difference for your dog’s mobility.
Because your pet deserves comfort, connection, and a body that supports the beautiful life they’re here to live!
