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Orry is a greyhound. His light-colored hair is scruffy, his eyes are sad, and his once tight lips appear to frown. He can't fetch and he can't roll over. Orry is paralyzed from head to toe and cannot move. Yet, Susanne Lauer, an LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) surgeon, thinks there is still much hope for Orry's condition. She plans to utilize the SVM's new underwater treadmill and exercise tank to evaluate and rehabilitate Orry's movement and strength. Lauer was primarily responsible for bringing this new technology to LSU in August 2003, making it one of few universities to have a cutting edge rehabilitation facility. "Under water rehabilitation is relatively new," said Jackie Davidson, an SVM general surgeon working with the program. "It was used on humans before dogs. Humans rehabilitated by swimming, walking, and doing aerobic exercises under water. The same principle applies to dogs." Each dog that undergoes rehabilitation is first examined to evaluate its condition and set rehab goals and plans.
The examining surgeon devises a rehabilitation plan. That may combine several methods, such as medicine, exercise, electronic stimulation, acupuncture, and other techniques. Often the surgeon will prescribe underwater exercises, either swimming in the tank or walking on the treadmill. Davidson said the water gives the dogs buoyancy and takes the stress off their joints and legs while they exercise. In addition to water therapy, the dogs also might move through an obstacle course of cones and crossbars. They also might improve their strength while balancing on exercise balls. The surgeons try to vary the treatment in each session.
The first time a dog gets into the tank for treatment, a faculty member gets in with it, so it does not become frightened when the tank begins to fill with water. The staff uses toys, like tennis balls and a rubber ducky, to make the exercise time more fun for their four-legged patients. "We try to make the rehabilitation fun for them because they don't know what they are doing," Davidson said. "So we invent games and play with them so they don't get bored and tired." Most dogs come to the therapy twice each week. Davidson said many dogs would benefit from more frequent sessions, but only minimal staffing is available for the program. The therapy can rehabilitate both orthopedic and neurological surgery patients. It helps reduce pain and swelling, as well as increases range of motion, movement, and strength. The time each dog spends in the tank depends on its problem and physical condition, Davison said. In addition to the rehabilitation each dog receives at the vet school, the surgeon will prescribe work to be done at home with its owner. This can include leash walks and other movement exercises. "It is very important that what the owners do at home supplements what we do here," Davidson said. Canine rehabilitation serves a two-fold function at the vet school. It benefits the patients, but it also helps to answer many questions in a relatively new field of research. "Research-wise there are so many things we don't know about rehabilitation," Lauer said with excitement. "There is so much to learn." Lauer bought the treadmill with part of her faculty start-up fund when she came to the vet school.
The vet school staff usually rehabilitates about five dogs at a time. Most of the patients are already being treated within the vet school, but local clinics also refer dogs. "We want to make this facility more available to the community," Lauer said. "But first we need more staffing—a physical therapist and a technician who can be dedicated to only this cause. Right now we are so limited that we cannot deal with too many cases." Several vet school doctors are working with the canine rehabilitation program, including Davidson, Lauer, surgeon Loretta Bubenik, and anesthesiologist Glenn Pettifer. Contact Heather Matthews | LSU
University Relations Related Links LSU School of Veterinary Medicine |
Underwater rehabilitation aids four-legged friends
"We can determine what our expectations are and if we can get [the patient] back to what he or she was doing," Davidson said. "An agility dog might run five miles a day with its owner. This owner has different expectations than someone who just wants a pet to watch TV with."
The SVM surgeon on clinical duty oversees each dog's rehabilitation treatment. A surgery technician usually facilitates the rehabilitation by helping the dog in and out of the tank and standing beside it, to talk to and play with the dog while it swims. Often fourth-year vet school students volunteer their time to help. 
"When I first got here, we would have two or three cases a week where I found myself saying, 'Ooh, I wish I had a pool to work with the dogs in. It would be so useful,'" she said. "We see so many difficult patients here that have had several surgeries. The rehabilitation is so important for these patients."
