Bounce Animal Rehabilitation Centre

Like physiotherapy in people it combines manual and exercise treatments along with a number of equipment modalities to help reduce pain and inflammation while helping the body heal itself.

The whole body is considered as muscles and fascia can be overworked to compensate for an injury elsewhere in the body. This is an underestimated cause for poor outcomes in Veterinary medicine.

Objectives include improving flexibility, core strength along with strength in the problem area. Some treatments are targeted at pain management, scar tissue or swelling reduction while other will stimulate the release of the bodies own cascades of healing chemicals and cells to get to work on long term tissue healing.

The focus is always on therapies with the very best evidence available.

This will be a longer visit so you will need to allow an hour for this. Your pet will be assessed and a treatment plan created. A referral note from your vet will be requested.
Each patient and owner have unique requirements and expectations so every treatment plan is individually tailored.

Dogs will have their gait assessed while moving, along with a hands on physical examination. Patients will have measurements taken which may include a pain score, muscle mass size and joint range of motion angles.

It is important to have a set of baseline measurements to appreciate the progress being made or if treatment changes are needed.

The Stance Analyser is a fabulous tool for providing accurate lameness information. It is a pressure sensitive platform that your pet stands on. It’s assesses the force applied through each foot compared to normal along with the patients centre of gravity. This is calculated on a computer and a printout can be provided for reference. This can detect subtle lameness as well as informing us on your pets level of improvement in function.

Some treatments will be included in the first visit. It may include some exercises on the specifically designed pet equipment Sophie has or the use of one of the many treatment modalities available.

You will be shown how to safely continue to provide appropriate exercises and manual therapies at home with your pet. You will additionally have personal access to online video guides with the specific exercise plan for your pet.

The number of sessions with Sophie will vary according to pets condition and response to treatment.
Typically there would be 6-10 initial therapy sessions that may start twice a week then change to once a week. For acute injuries and after surgery this may be sufficient for your pet. For chronic conditions such as spinal pain or osteoarthritis maintenance treatments are often required to manage your pets comfort longer term.

Though the equipment is a large investment there is no extra charge for the various modalities so these are used as selected by Sophie to optimise your pets outcome.

Most dogs love their visits and exercise sessions with Sophie. Tasty treats are used to help your pet get used to the equipment and everything is kept at a comfortable level for your pet.

Though the name sounds scary it is not at all. In fact this treatment is very well tolerated and is really quite amazing.

This is a fabulous tool that is a real favourite as it provides consistent results in some of our most challenging conditions. The shockwave is actually pulses of potent sound energy that penetrates to a targeted depth in tissues before releasing its energy. This triggers the body into starting a whole range of proven healing chemistry and biological processes.

We have the Piezowave 2 Veterinary device that is a state of the art machine producing focussed shockwaves. This means it is quiet and produces minimal discomfort unlike many devices, making it perfect for pets without the need for sedation.

The depth of penetration and power can be precisely adjusted to meet your pets needs. This machine is the only one with a linear handpiece that allows treatment of larger areas such as back muscles and tissues around joints.

This treatment has more robust evidence than any other modality and is recommended for numerous human musculoskeletal issues. The evidence in Veterinary medicine is also very positive with studies in hip arthritis, lower back pain, elbow arthritis, shoulder conditions, bone healing including after TPLO and with some important new studies underway.

The Piezowave Vet is now available for pets in New Zealand for the first time.

Though pain relief can be seen immediately after a session the full benefit builds over weeks to months. Typically a course of therapy is provided weekly for 4-6 weeks.

Our class 4 “ K Laser “ is another great tool to help our pets. In the case of laser therapy certain specific invisible wavelengths of light can penetrate deeply enough into tissues and release enough energy to stimulate proven healing processes.

Our powerful K laser has the synergy of four different wavelengths working together.

Benefits include pain reduction along with swelling and inflammation reduction. This is a very gentle treatment with just a relaxing warming sensation for your pet. It can be a nice option for cats.

In recent years a lot more positive studies are coming out for people indicating clinical benefits for a number of painful conditions with those benefits being more marked with the class 4 type lasers. Recent work in dogs highlights the benefits at high doses for neurological conditions.

With this high energy laser you and your pet will need to wear eye protection during the session.

Lasers often have to be used more frequently than shockwave for the full clinical benefits. For acutely painful or swollen tissues daily to every other day treatment will be needed before tapering down.

When a therapeutic ultrasound probe is applied with gel to the skin it can provide heat deeply into treated tissues significantly more effectively than topical heat pads. It can also improve tissue elasticity for a short time which is great for a trained practitioner to then help stretch tight tissues around joints and tendons.

These devices produce mild tingly electrical pulses to the skin which effects local nerves.

A TENS device can affect local nerve feedback to the brain thereby providing some short term pain relief. This can help an acutely painful patient get some relief and be able to get more out of a rehab visit.

A NMES option provides electrical stimulation sufficient to cause muscular contractions. This can be helpful in neurological conditions to help decrease muscle loss and improve tone.

Controlled and targeted exercises are a proven tried and true method to speed recovery in humans and dogs.

A series of guided exercise activities with your rehab practitioner is often the best start to a program. Sophie has a range of imported exercise equipment that is designed specifically for safe and effective use in dogs.

There are many targeted and clever exercises that can actually be great fun for your dog while getting stronger.

Sophie’s therapeutic exercises will be combined with a range of personalised exercises and stretches for you do do at home with your dog. This can be made to suit your home situation and lifestyle. Training will be given along with your online pass to your pets chosen exercise plan with explanatory videos and step by step guides.

Manual therapies include massage techniques which work on tight or knotted muscles and stretching exercises to help with circulation and joint range of motion.

Welcome to Bounce animal Rehabilitation centre (BARC), where we provide specialised rehabilitation services for small animal pets, including dogs, cats and rabbits.
We are located at a standalone building at 1/854 East Coast Road, Browns Bay, just across the road from East Coast Bays Vet Clinic.

Our dedicated team is committed to helping your furry friend on their path to recovery and well-being.

To ensure the best care for your pet, we require a veterinary referral in the form of clinical notes from your GP clinic. This referral helps us understand your pet's medical history and any specific conditions or concerns that need to be addressed during their rehabilitation journey.

Getting started is simple! Just reach out to us via email at BARCrehab@gmail.com, and let us know that you're seeking a veterinary referral for your pet's rehabilitation. Please provide your contact information, and our friendly team will promptly respond and guide you through the next steps.

At BARC, we understand that each pet is unique, and our specialised rehabilitation services are tailored to meet their individual needs. Our experienced professionals are dedicated to improving your pet's mobility, strength, and overall quality of life.

As pet rehabilitation is a recognised mainstream option for pet health care internationally many pet insurance companies cover this care if it comes with a Veterinary referral and performed by a qualified practitioner. This includes Southern Cross and Petplan.

Whether your pet is recovering from surgery, dealing with chronic pain, or in need of therapeutic support, we're here to provide expert care and compassionate guidance.

Don't hesitate to contact us at BARCrehab@gmail.com to start your pet's journey towards a healthier and happier life. We look forward to working with you and your beloved furry companion!