Do I need a referral from my vet before my animal can be treated by a veterinary physiotherapist?
If your animal is currently being treated by a vet for an ongoing issue, veterinary consent is required. Veterinary consent is not required for maintenance if the animal is fit, sound and healthy.
Is veterinary physiotherapy covered by insurance?
Most insurance companies provide veterinary physiotherapy cover. Please contact your insurance provider before treatment to check what benefits are available, as some policies may vary.
What does a veterinary physiotherapy session involve?
Appointments generally last around one hour including static and dynamic assessment as well as palpation. Treatment is specific to each patient and may include manual therapy like massage and stretching and electrotherapies.
How often will my animal need treatment?
Every animal is different and there are no set rules. We will discuss your horse's plan after undertaking an initial assessment. Treatment will depend on the severity of the condition being treated and how long it has been a problem.
What are contraindications?
These are influences, factors or situations where the application of treatment is inadvisable or forbidden. Some situations can be made worse if they were to have massage or physiotherapy applied to them so we will not proceed with treatment in these cases.
Should one of these influences, factors or situations become apparent during discussion, assessment or treatment, I may ask that the horse is referred back to a vet before further treatment can be applied.
What is the recommended maintenance treatment frequency?
Every animal is unique and has different requirements so treatment plans should be tailored to meet their needs but on average:
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Competition and working animals: 4-8 weeks during active season, every 8-12 weeks off-season
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Adult and senior animals: 8-10 weeks, depending on individual needs
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Post-rehabilitation: Likely every 4 weeks, but this will change as the issue improves and every case is different.