Regaining Function
Little Bronte was born with severe hip dysplasia. By 9 months old, when she had left FHO surgery, she had developed an abnormal gait to minimize her pain. Despite surgery to remedy the misalignment in her hip joint, she was still placing about 90% of her weight on her forelimbs and was holding her right hindleg in for better balance in her tripod-like gait. Since the source of the pain was gone, her mom was eager to change this abnormal learned behavior to prevent additional injuries. Once her veterinarian cleared her – about 2 weeks post-surgery – we embarked on a two phase recovery program with clear goals and timelines:
Phase 1 (2 weeks)
- Resolve pain and inflammation
- Stimulate early tissue healing
- Encourage range of motion in the joint
- Non-impact strength & mobility training
Phase 2 (12 weeks)
- Mobilize scar tissue
- Retrain gait
- Low-impact strength & mobility training
- Ensure return to full functionality
Just four months after her surgery, Bronte is running and playing with her pals at the dog park – this time using all 4 legs!
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