When to see an orthopaedic vet
An orthopaedic problem rarely begins with a dramatic accident. Far more often an owner notices that the dog gets up more slowly than it used to, is stiff after a long rest, is reluctant on stairs or has stopped jumping onto the sofa. Cats mask pain even more effectively — with them the signal tends to be reduced activity and giving up high places.
Lameness deserves examination even when it comes and goes. So does a sudden reluctance to move after a fall or injury.
Diagnosis
The basis is an orthopaedic examination — gait assessment, palpation of the limbs and testing the range of motion in individual joints. This is complemented by X-rays, which we take on site rather than referring you elsewhere.
Degenerative joint disease and dysplasia
The largest group of orthopaedic patients are animals with degenerative joint disease and dysplasia. These are chronic conditions where the goal is not a one-off cure but maintaining mobility and limiting pain over years. The plan usually combines weight control, appropriate exercise, pain management and physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy and pulsed therapy
Our clinic has a BIOMAG device for 3D pulsed therapy. Magnetotherapy relieves pain, inflammation and swelling, and relaxes muscle tension — it can be particularly useful in patients whose drug treatment is limited by concurrent disease, for example of the kidneys or liver.
It does not replace treating the underlying cause; it supports it. We describe the sessions, indications and contraindications in detail in our article on 3D pulsed therapy.
Surgery and recovery
Some cases call for surgical intervention. Orthopaedic procedures are carried out under general anaesthesia, after pre-anaesthetic testing and an individual risk assessment — which we cover in our guide before and after a procedure under anaesthesia.
Recovery after injury or surgery is a stage of care in its own right, and physiotherapy and controlled activity have a real influence on how well an animal returns to full function.