People You Should Know

BY LIESEL SCHMIDT

Designer pet leashes; dog strollers; gourmet pet food made with fresh, organic, all natural ingredients. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that people are extremely dedicated to their pets, giving them all the love and care they would a member of the family. Really, they are a member of the family; and for some people, those furry, four-legged creatures are even the next best thing to having a child.

With that level of care, there are considerations to be made when our pups encounter health problems, including mobility. Much like humans, dogs face injury, deterioration of strength, and flexibility issues, and for passionate dog-lover Dr. Danielle Bercier, addressing those concerns became her raison d'être.

An equine veterinarian with 20 years in the field attending to lameness and performance issues, Bercier was active in dog sports and had a talented dog at the highest level of his sport. Naturally, keeping him there required research into how to keep him strong, flexible, and free from injury. Excited to learn about this new field of study, Dr. Bercier became certified in canine rehab through the University of Tennessee and then went on to take more sessions in sports medicine. “So much is being learned now about how best to enhance healing in animals and add to their longevity and quality of life, and that's a special thing to be a part of,” she says. to use, founding K9 Strong Rehabilitation & Conditioning in 2018 and setting up shop in Silverhill. While primarily focusing on dogs, the team has also worked with cats and even a ferret. And much like care given to humans, Dr. Bercier’s treatment of her patients requires a diagnostic process to determine the very best course of action. “Every case is different, so we begin with a comprehensive orthopedic and neurologic exam with digital thermal imaging and computerized gait analysis,” she explains. “We discuss nutrition, applicable history of the issues, and review radiographs and surgical reports. Then, we identify problems, prioritize goals, and develop a complete rehabilitation plan. The plans always include home exercises for daily workouts and a schedule of in-clinic visits that

might include aquatic therapy in the underwater treadmill or pool; e-stim; therapeutic exercises; and manual therapies such as joint motions, massage, manipulations, chiropractic care, and laser or shockwave. There are many modalities from which to choose, and it all depends on the specifics of the injury or the conditioning plan. It's important to me that the animal's primary veterinarian and surgeon (if they have one) are all apprised of our plans and updated throughout the process. It's a group effort, and we only provide the rehabilitation aspect of it; so we all work together to help the patient and their owner to achieve the best outcome possible.”

As someone whose childhood dream was to work with animals, Dr. Bercier is continuing that dream through K9 Strong. While this particular aspect of medicine may be different than traditional veterinary care, it is still incredibly important—and that keeps Bercier incredibly passionate. “I believe in the science of it and have seen how much it can help with healing to return an animal to the best possible function with the least amount of discomfort,” she says. “The benefit of an early orthopedic exam to identify and manage an issue before it becomes limiting is so important, especially for our working K9s and sport dogs. As challenging as it can be sometimes, I enjoy all of it—especially finding the right combination of therapies. But my favorite patient group might be the old, overweight dogs with mobility issues. It's so rewarding to help the owners realize that their dog friend can lose weight and can regain mobility, which will help them regain their happiness and ability to rejoin family activities again. It's a proven fact that the one thing we can do to add years to our pets’ lives is to maintain them at an ideal body weight, and we love watching the weight loss. We all want our dogs to live longer, and it's our privilege to help owners achieve this goal.”

Four years in, Dr. Bercier is successfully treating the canine members of the community and growing her practice, giving dog owners an option that they might never have realized was possible. “People want the best for their pets,” she says. “They know that if they themselves had orthopedic surgery or a musculoskeletal injury they would be sent to physical therapy for the best possible recovery. They expect that same level of care for their pets, and we can even offer alternatives to pharmaceutical pain management. The fact that many pet insurance companies cover rehabilitation now is a huge help.”

For more information on K9 Strong Rehabilitation & Conditioning, visit k9strong.org.