T5-Vero Beach Living-Vol.558

Dr. Amber’s Quick ABC Guide to Animal Rehabilitation

by Dr Amb Lewis

Being a rehabilitation veterinarian means that all day my patients are special needs cases, painful patients, post-operative patients, and neurologic pets. This could be scary if your pet falls into one of these categories, but having a basic understanding of what we do at Treasure Coast Animal Rehab will help you feel more con dent in what your pet is experiencing.

Rehabilitation is evidence based, which means that there is actual science behind what we offer our patients. Utilizing decades of research, collaboration with human physical therapist, and use of integrative medicine we are able to provide the best treatment options possible for different diseases and injuries.

To help with explaining what rehabilitation for your pet can offer below is the ABCs of Animal

B. BRACING- Depending on the underlying condition bracing can be helpful. Bracing goals are to support a speci c structure to promote healing and reduce pain. Depending on the condition and animal bracing may not be needed for healing. Before purchasing braces, I always recommend an evaluation by a certi ed rehabilitation professions. Many times they can guide you with experience towards the best option for your pet.

C. “COLD LASER” or more accurately photobiomodulation. Laser therapy has been around for decades and is a noninvasive way to improve comfort, reduce pain, promote healing and decrease swelling in tissues, joints and wounds. In rehabilitation we utilize laser therapy as part of a comprehensive protocol to help injured and sprained tissues, tissue with edema and uid retention, pain from arthritis and injury to joints.

D. DRUGS - A balanced approach to medications is key to optimizing comfort and helping our patients recover. Frequently, your pet will be put on a medication to help improve pain, swelling and in ammation. Additional medications might be prescribed to also help with nerve pain, reduce pain signals from the spine, or reduce muscle spasms. We call this approach multimodal pain control; this allows us the ability to decrease pain on many fronts without having to prescribe large quantities of a single

E. EXERCISES- Central to rehabilitation is therapeutic exercises. As a therapist I evaluate each patient, understand the underlying disease or condition that the pet is managing and create a personalized protocol for exercise. With exercises I can help improve balance, coordination, strength, motor control, and timing. By targeting speci c muscles and utilizing movements that the pet can do we can improve function hopefully mobility. Exercises are a central core to rehabilitation to give our pets the ability to remain functional even after they graduate from

F. FOOD- Just like in people nutrition is so important to helping our bodies heal and recover. Frequently we will work on weight loss, balancing nutrition for wound healing and muscle recovery, and

improving cognition if needed. Not every food is right for every dog or cat and it is important to have the optimal food for your pet.

G. GAIT evaluation and normalization- With injury follows a wave of dysfunction. Just like in people an injury can result in compensation which can change how our pets move. As part of a comprehensive rehabilitation protocol we strive to normalize your pets walking pattern to decrease these adaptive movement patterns and prevent further injuries.

H. HOSPICE- This can be a scary word for many people, it indicates that our pet’s life source is weakening and it can be scary. The goal with hospice is to maximize the quality of life until the very end. Having a good support system with your veterinarian can help make this process a little bit easier. There are veterinarians with advanced training in hospice services as well for additional support.

I. ICE and Heat- Cryotherapy and heat therapy can help bring down in ammation, pain, reduce spasms, and improve comfort in pets as well as it does in people. Since our pets cannot tell us if they are not comfortable with these treatments, it is important to allow the pet the ability to move away if not comfortable. Ice and low heat should always be used with direct supervision and with guidance of a professions.

J. JOINT INJECTIONS- In addition to the rehabilitation techniques there are options to help

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feel pain until their nervous system starts to recover. Indicators of pain and pain perception are central to guiding treatment.

Q. QUIET time and rest- Recovering from injury and surgery does need time where the patient is allowed to sleep and recover. Sometimes we forget that after a big surgery on ourselves that we are told to rest and allow our bodies to heal. Frequently, we expect our pets to have surgery and be up and running the next day. For many conditions allowing rest time and having a realistic time line to return to function is vital.

painful joints from the inside. Like in people, an injection of special substances into joints can help improve recovery for some patients. The difference with pets is that the do need some degree of sedation to not move when the sterile procedure is performed. We can utilize stem cells, PRP, IRAP, and other new substances, even radioactive isotopes to help improve comfort.

K. KNEADING, ef eurage, and rolling- As a comprehensive rehabilitation protocol massage techniques can be used. This allows us to improve blood ow, release trigger points and reduce swelling.

L. LURING- with treats, toys and attention a rehabilitation therapist can make exercises, laser and therapies fun for your pet. There is nothing better than when your dog loves coming to therapy.

M. MOBILIZATIONS- This is a term that describes how a trained therapist can help move joints and tissues with varying degrees of pressure and motion to improve joint mobility, improve blood ow and neurologic input to tissues. These techniques can include passive range of motion, joint glides, compression, traction and more.

N. NEUROLOGIC diseases- There are numerous condition of the nervous system including herniated disks, degenerative myelopathy, paralysis, and degenerative diseases. The goals with rehabilitation is to normalize function the best we can and give our pets a chance to relearn and normalize the best they can to regain independence.

O. OVERWEIGHT- Rehabilitation and weight loss tend to go together. Less stress on joints and tissues in recovery can help speed the process and improve comfort. Also, since many of our patients have reduced mobility for some period of time weight control is key. Guidance from your veterinarian on how to prevent obesity when your pet has decrease mobility is recommended.

P. PAIN- Daily evaluation for pain at home with the owners helps guide treatment protocols and lets us know how the pet is truly doing. Pain perception is also important, for some neurologic pets they cannot

R. RECOVERY- All tissue types have different recovery times and this helps us plain and guide you through the rehabilitation process. For some tissues it can be days to weeks, and for some, like neurologic tissues it can be weeks to months.

S. SUPPLEMENTS- In rehabilitation we also utilize supplements to help optimize out outcomes. These can vary from joint supplements, to essential fatty acids, to supplements to help improve cognition and mental acuity. There are more supplements available now than ever and they all say they are the best. How I as a rehab professional looks at supplements is based on the research available for this product. I will only recommend supplements that have undergone clinical trials, have data to support their claims, a years of clinic proof. Additionally, many of the products I recommend are the same price or cheaper than the over the counter ones that many of my patients are on.

T. TREADMILLS- Utilization of treadmills including the Underwater Treadmill is a way to get patients who have limited mobility up and moving. Having the treadmill in water allows us to adjust the height of the water to adjust the amount of gravity applied to the joints. The temperature of the water aids in decreasing in ammation, improve circulation and improve comfort in the joints. Treadmills allow assistance in gait retraining and neuro-retraining. Frequently, the therapist is in the water with the pet to help them do the best they can.

U. UNDERSTANDING- Having a pet that has an injury, illness or degenerative disease can be stressful for you and your pet. Frequently, there will be changes to how they behave, interact, and vocalize. Knowing your pet’s illness and condition and working closely with a rehabilitation therapist can help improve and maintain the human animal bond while making this new transition.

V. VETERINARY CAREThere is no substitution for medical care while navigating disease and illness. Now you are your pets advocate you need to have a medical professional help you navigate the changes that are occurring. Being a veterinarian who is certi ed in rehabilitation I am able to help you navigate the process and let you know what is typical or not typical for your pet’s condition.

W. WHEEL CHAIRS and Assistive Devices- Wheels chairs can add quality of life for many patient and allow then

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to have freedom and enjoy mobility that might have been lost. Not all dogs thrive in a wheel chair and may need training or coaching on how to use them well. Other than wheel chairs there are many devices that can aid in mobility. Before buying products its always best to consult an expert who can help guide you through the process.

X. X-RAYS- A de nitive diagnosis is vital for your pet’s prognosis and recovery. This step gets skipped sometimes with concern for testing or nances. In the long run, it can be less expensive and more bene cial for your pet to get a proper diagnosis then trying to manage symptoms of the disease. It is important that you feel con dent in the testing and your veterinarian to work up your pet appropriately.

Y. YOUNG PETS- Not frequently thought about, but tness for the young dog can teach balance, coordination, proper body mechanics and improve mobility for the pet’s full life. Even more important for me is that your pet has a skill set that we can utilize later in life to keep them up and moving.

Z. ZERO loss of hope-As a rehab professional I always have hope, we might not be able to “ x your pet” but I will do everything in my skill set to get them as good and comfortable as possible. We are here for our clients thought the entire process for guidance, support and most of all cheerleading.

This is not an exhaustive list of what Treasure Coast Animal Rehabilitation can offer, but more of a glimpse into how we think about all of our patients.

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34 Renee Allen Insurance

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An Honest Insurance Agency

By Gabby Gregory

The words “honest’ and “insurance agency” are not often used together. After all, it’s already difficult to find ethical people, so entrusting the precious things in your life – your home, jewelry, car, motorcycle, boat, etc. – to another person, or to an agency in general, can be particularly unsettling. How do you know if you’ve made the right choice, if you’ve found a trustworthy person (or people) to handle the financial protection of your treasured items?

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Evidently, that approach has been successful, because since opening, Renée has expanded her agency to include another licensed insurance agent, Samantha Leininger, a licensed insurance support specialist, Brenda Vaccaro, and a customer service specialist, Victoria Hartman. The four women, who have a combined total of 26 years working in the insurance industry, are committed to providing the best care and service to their clients, going above and beyond to write the most comprehensive insurance policies for their specific wants and needs.

Even Renée, as the agency owner, is involved in the office’s day-to-day business, communicating with clients, writing policies, and taking payments. Samantha says that Renée’s level of engagement as an agency owner is “unheard of” in the insurance world, explaining,

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Reneé Allen Insurance is located at 947-A NE Jensen Beach Boulevard in the Pineapple Place Plaza in Jensen Beach. The office is open Mondays-Fridays from 8:30AM-5PM. For more information, please call 772-252-6161 or visit reneealleninsurance.business.site.

Ithink I write this same type of column every Christmas, but I can’t help it. You know how the old adage goes, pick your battles, when it comes to your children. Well I’m going to do one better. Pick your battles at any other time of the year, except for the holidays. Children are self-centered little people who have little understanding or respect for your time or money. ey want everything, and they expect you to make sure they get it. is type of attitude gets on parents nerves, and understandably so, but they’re only being kids. ey are hard-wired to whine, demand, insist, and all of it without any concern about your problems. ey don’t care about the rising cost of food or gasoline. Now, any other time of the year I might encourage you to make rules and follow them, but I like to give kids a free pass at Christmas. A er all, they only have six or seven years to believe in Santa, if you’re lucky, and only until they have to go out and make a living before they understand that money doesn’t grow on trees. But now, these little innocent children imagine the fun they might have playing with every toy ever made, and there’s no end to their imagination. Should you go broke trying to keep the magic in

by Dr. Melfi, Ph.D.

Christmas? Of course not. But if they only have a few Christmases to remember when they look back on their childhood some day, then shouldn’t all of them be perfect?

I’m not saying break the bank. Magic isn’t only about toys under the tree. It’s about time spent together, building a gingerbread house, or baking cookies, loading them with sprinkles, and yes, giving them sugar, even if it’s only this one time of year. It’s about buying the tree, making hot chocolate, setting out food for the reindeer, and dressing the elves each night. It’s about staying up much later than you ever thought you could, to build bikes and playhouses, and falling into bed only to be awakened an hour later by eager children to see what Santa brought them. Mostly it’s about no arguing between you and your spouse. Let them sleep with sugar plums dancing in their heads.

Too much excitement, mixed with too much sugar is a recipe for disaster, but it’s only for one very special day, and don’t we owe it to our children to let them be kids, and to believe that miracles happen?

For What it’s Worth, I say, hold your temper, pray for patience, let the house be a mess, and let the kids whoop and holler all day long. Tomorrow comes soon enough, and rules can be enforced then. Try to remember what it was like when you were a kid who couldn’t fall asleep because you were too excited. If you were yelled at, I’m sorry for you, but don’t do that to your kids. If you were raised with parents as excited as you were, let yourself go back in time and be that child again. Your children will thank you for it. Holiday blessings from me to you. ank you for spending this year with me!

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