Assessments
Initial Rehabilitation Evaluation
At Canine Rehabilitation Centre, every patient begins with a comprehensive rehabilitation evaluation before any treatment starts. This detailed assessment allows us to understand your dog’s condition, identify the source of discomfort or reduced mobility, and develop a treatment plan tailored specifically to their needs. Dogs often compensate for pain or weakness in ways that are not immediately obvious. A thorough assessment helps us identify subtle changes in movement, muscle use, and joint function so we can target the underlying problem rather than just treating the symptoms.
During this visit, our practitioner carefully evaluates several aspects of your dog’s movement and physical condition, including:
- Gait assessment – observing how your dog walks, stands and sits
- Owner observations – discussing any changes you have noticed since the injury, illness or surgery, including mobility or activity levels
- Spinal assessment – gentle palpation along the length of the spine to identify areas of tension, pain or restriction
- Joint mobility – assessing functional range of motion in the hips, stifles, shoulders, elbows, tarsi and carpi, as well as scapular movement
- Soft tissue assessment – examining muscles and surrounding structures for pain, tightness or weakness
- Neurological examination – evaluating nerve function, coordination and reflexes
- Muscle measurements – measuring muscle mass to identify loss of strength or asymmetry
This detailed evaluation provides important baseline information and allows our rehabilitation practitioner to design the most effective and individualised treatment plan for your dog. It also helps us track progress over time and adjust therapy as your dog improves. (edited)
