Veterinary Rehabilitation and Pain Management

This lecture will discuss osteoarthritis as the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs, affecting up to 40% of adult canines. This progressive and degenerative condition mostly affects diarthrodial joints and as the degenerative process continues, this can lead to joint failure. The consequences of this failure can limit activity, decrease performance, cause pain and discomfort and decrease the quality of life for the patient. This lecture will discuss normal joint physiology and joint pathophysiology to all for the recognition of early signs of osteoarthritis. This lecture will show the practitioner the benefit of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan combined with a multi-modal treatment approach that can lead to improved outcomes for the patient.