What are at home physical therapy exercises that I can be doing for my dog/cat after orthopedic surgery?
• Restricted Activity: It is important that your pet’s activities be severely restricted during his/her recovery. He/she should be housed in a crate during the first 8 weeks after surgery to allow the bone time to heal properly. The crate should be large enough to allow your dog the room to stand up comfortably and turn around. The only times that your dog may be out of the crate would be to go out for bathroom duties and to have rehabilitation exercises performed. During these trips outdoors you dog should be on a leash and the sling be in position under his/her abdomen. The sling should not be used to carry your dog around. He/she should be allow to bare his/her own body weight and the sling be used to catch his/her weight should he/she trip or fall. Any other time that your dog is out of the crate is considered to be a risk for injury. • Rehabilitation Exercises: For the first 7 days post-operatively, there is a considerable amount of swelling due to the surgery. For these first 7 d
