Splinting & Assistive Therapy
Splints are used occasionally in rehabilitation to provide support to an injured area. They’re similar to a bandage, but they have the additional benefit of preventing movement of the injured area. When a human injures their finger, they get a splint. The same applies to our pets injuring their limbs.
If a splint is used to support a fractured bone, it will be applied so that it immobilizes both the joint above and the joint below the fracture. This means that your pet will likely be hobbling around for a while during the healing process. Don’t worry, they tend to sort themselves out quickly, and they’ll be back to their exuberant selves in no time.
Splints can be simple, such as wrist and ankle splints for joint stability, but occasionally more advanced assistive measures are taken to help pets in their recovery or long term functioning. This includes the use of slings or wheelchairs, depending on your pet’s individual needs. We can help them maintain mobility even while suffering from chronic or degenerative conditions, such as spine damage or nerve diseases.
Benefits
Splinting & Assistive therapy is great for:
- Generalized weakness
- Wrist or ankle hyperextension injuries
- Unstable joints
- Birth defects
- Degenerative myelopathy
- Following tendon surgeries
- Nerve or spinal cord injuries
- Contractures
