Handbook of Canine Exercise Therapy

Jennifer A. Repac (Editor), Leilani X. Alvarez (Editor), Kara L. Amstutz (Editor) 

ISBN: 9781394171972

Wiley-Blackwell

January 2026

624 pages

Description

A step-by-step guide to developing and implementing exercise treatment plans for dogs from a team of board-certified veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation specialists

Handbook of Canine Exercise Therapy is a comprehensive and practical guide to developing exercise treatment plans for canine patients. It provides up-to-date and relevant information to create and implement effective exercise plans, along with specific recommendations for common types of patients.

The book offers well-organized and easily accessible guidance, with illustrative images and video links demonstrating exercises and manual therapy techniques. Handbook of Canine Exercise Therapy provides evidence-based instructions for veterinary practitioners at all experience levels.

Readers will also find:

• A thorough introduction to creating a rehabilitation-specific assessment and patient problem list

• Quick-reference summaries of common rehabilitation conditions, presented in a streamlined format outlining key exam findings, etiology, and treatment strategies

• Comprehensive ways to track patient progress, including limb circumference, gait analysis, goniometry, weight, pain scale, and functional outcomes

• Practical discussions of refractory cases and factors that can hinder patient progress

• An appendix containing charts of all included exercises, including their specific benefits, and example client handouts

Designed for small animal general practitioners and rehabilitation and sports medicine specialists, Handbook of Canine Exercise Therapy also benefits veterinary students, interns, and residents with an interest in exercise therapy.

Table of Contents

Contributors xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

About the Companion Website xvii

1 Introduction 1

1.1 What Is Canine Exercise Therapy? 2

1.2 The History of Rehabilitation 4

1.3 Veterinary Rehabilitation Training 6

Part I Patient Assessment 9

2 Rehabilitation Examination 11

2.1 History 12

2.2 Patient Evaluation 14

2.3 Myofascial Examination 24

2.4 Pain Assessment 29

3 Outcome Measures 35

3.1 Gait and Stance Analysis 37

3.2 Passive Outcome Measures 44

3.3 Functional Outcome Measures 57

4 Clinical Reasoning 65

5 Reassessment 71

Part II Plan Implementation 75

6 Exercise Selection and Progression 77

7 Environmental Modifications 87

8 Operant Conditioning in Veterinary Rehabilitation 97

9 Assistive Devices 105

10 Workplace Ergonomics 115

Part III Rehabilitation Conditions 127

11 Orthopedic Conditions of the Forelimb 129

11.1 Carpus 130

11.2 Elbow 149

11.3 Shoulder 173

12 Orthopedic Conditions of the Hindlimb 199

12.1 Tarsus 200

12.2 Stifle 220

12.3 Hip and Pelvic Region 272

13 Orthopedic Conditions of the Digits 311

14 Neurological Conditions 327

Part IV Patient-Specific Strategies 375

15 The Osteoarthritic Patient 377

16 The Geriatric Dog 389

17 The Canine Athlete 399

18 The Working Canine Athlete 431

19 The Developing Dog 453

20 The Veterinary Orthotic and Prosthetic Patient 477

21 The Critical Patient 503

22 The Overweight Patient 515

Part V Appendix 527

Appendix 1 Muscles of the Neck and Thoracic Limb 529

Appendix 2 Exercises 537

Appendix 3 Manual Therapies 553

Appendix 4 Passive Therapies 557

Appendix 5 Neurological Techniques 559

Appendix 6 Client Handouts 561

Appendix 7 Example Exam Forms 573

Index 000

About the Author

Jennifer A. Repac, DVM, DACVSMR, is an Integrative Medicine Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Leilani X. Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, is the Head of Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, New York, USA.

Kara L. Amstutz, DVM, DACVSMR, is the Owner, CEO and Clinical Instructor for the Canine Rehabilitation Institute and Founder and Medical Director of Momentum Veterinary Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation in Springfield, Missouri, USA.