Now that Gracia Polarek's 15½-year-old golden retriever Bobbie is using a water treadmill to treat the osteoarthritis in the dog's hips, she no longer drags her right rear paw.
Bobbie's hind legs were so weak that she used to drag her paw against the sidewalk so often it would bleed. She has since had about 10 sessions of water treadmill therapy at Bethany Animal Hospital, 2400 Bethany Road, Sycamore, and is now able to walk without dragging and even steps over objects on the floor.
"I swear by all of this," Polarek said. "If anyone is questioning whether to do it with their dog, I say try it. They deserve it. That's for sure."
Bethany Animal Hospital has only had the water treadmill for about six weeks, but they are already seeing results for the five or so dogs that are trying it. The treadmill is only one part of Bethany Animal Hospital's new rehabilitation services, which also includes an ultrasound, electro stimulation machine and exercise equipment.
Some animal rehabilitation services in the area are being offered because of demand from customers and the recent availability of the equipment, local veterinarians said. The benefits include helping pets live a better quality of life, veterinarians said.
Sycamore Animal Hospital, 310 E. State St., Sycamore, also has an off-site rehab center in Cary that offers a water treadmill, acupuncture, electro stimulation, laser therapy and ultrasound therapy. Animal rehab is offered after surgical procedures just like ifitwould be if a human had surgery, Sycamore Animal Hospital Veterinarian Lori Wyatt said.
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Rehab also might be recommended to keep an animal active during the winter and help dogs with arthritis and knee surgeries, Wyatt said. Acupuncture itself can stimulate nerve muscle connections and improve blood flow for pain control, acting as an anti-inflammatory treatment, she said.
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"Technology has become more accessible as far as being able to diagnose the problem," Wyatt said. "It becomes a little faster and accessible. Maybe based on that, you have more and more people saying that makes sense."
Offering rehab services at Bethany Animal Hospital was a no-brainer for co-owner and veterinarian Deborah Schelkopf. Schelkopf began to train about a year ago to become more familiar with how the rehab services work.
Bethany Animal Hospital has offered laser therapy for about three years. Laser therapy quickens the healing process by causing cells to multiple in a healthy and controlled way, Schelkopf said.
Still, Schelkopf felt they needed to offer more services and began to convince the other owners of the hospital.
"It's so important that dogs have this available to them, especially when you see how fast they heal after surgery," Schelkopf said. "It's going to make a lot of dogs healthier faster and help their quality of life."
Bethany Animal Hospital Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner Jodie Jeskie has been working with Polarek's dog from the beginning. Bobbie comes twice a week to utilize the water treadmill, which is filled with about 15 inches of water and is kept at between 86 and 90 degrees.
The water treadmill bears about 48 percent of Bobbie's 70-pound frame, which helps her walk since there isn't as much weight bearing down on her, Jeskie said. Bobbie walks at about 1 1/5 miles per hour, but the treadmill can go up to 5 miles per hour.
"I had a dog with a hind leg injury, and taking him to a rehab facility in Aurora made a huge difference," Jeskie said. "He's back to hunting and doing normal activities after four weeks of therapy."
