OhAna physio offers physiotherapy services to small animals mostly, as well as some horses. When someone gets in contact, we tend to ask a few questions to understand if your animal would benefit from physiotherapy. If we understand that your animal is an appropriate candidate for physio, we will send a consent/referral form to your vets prior booking an appointment.

The ACPAT physiotherapist will either have already a referral and consent form from your vet, or we will send a referral form to your vet to gain consent for treatment prior to the initial assessment. In accordance with the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966) ACPAT physiotherapists cannot offer treatment without consent/referral from the vets. When we receive this, we are ready to book the initial assessment appointment!

OhAna physio advises to bring any harness/collar or other equipment that you normally use with your animal. Bringing any jumper/winter coat that they wear will be beneficial following the treatment to keep them comfortable and warm during winter. If they are on any specific diet or have any allergies, please bring some treats that they are allowed to eat, as we will need to use them during assessment and treatment. If they are stressful/scared when meeting new people, please consider bringing any toys/beds that will help them to settle easier in a new environment. If you know that your dog needs to wear a muzzle from previous experience and they are muzzle trained, please bring this along with you, otherwise just inform the ACPAT physiotherapist about this or any other issues with handling.

The ACPAT physiotherapist will explain the timeframes of your animal’s condition and what to expect in terms of healing process/acute or chronic problems in the initial assessment. This will depend on the condition, as neurological or chronic conditions require more time to improve than acute muscle strains. Also, this will depend on veterinarian’s guidance and protocols in case of post-operative rehabilitation regarding exercise restriction and loading.  We need to remember that animals do not follow advice to avoid running or sudden movements, as they react with “fight or flight” instinct, which sometimes might be the reason of a slow progression on exercise routine. Compliance with advice and exercises given is a key component of successful treatment, so bear in mind that it might boost or delay the treatment progress. Honesty is our ethos, so we will not hesitate to contact your vet if there are any concerns during the treatment. Also, during the physiotherapy you will be given advice and education for long term management and prevention to maintain the good results.

OhAna physio advises that your animal is accompanied by maximum two people (for appointments that take place at the clinic). We understand that sometimes there are two owners, and it is beneficial for both to come to appointments to see their animal’s progress. Unfortunately, if there are more than two people this can bring extra stress to the animal due to reduced space which will not help to build good rapport and trust with the veterinary physiotherapist. For home visits, we advise up to two people maximum ideally at the same room where the treatment takes place, to avoid distraction.