Sports and Performance Medicine

Types of Conditions

• Lameness and mobility issues
• Soft tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament) injury recovery
• Post-operative return to functional movement
• Osteoarthritis and pain management
• Non-surgical orthopedic conditions (e.g.,. hip and elbow dysplasia, stifle disease)
• Non-surgical neurologic conditions (e.g.,. spinal cord injury, lumbosacral disease)
• Posture, balance, strength, and gait abnormalities or insufficiencies

Causes can include:

• Congenital abnormalities
• Prostate disease
• Stones, crystals, or debris
• Infection or inflammation
• Ingestion of toxic substances
• Trauma
• Cancer
• Stress
• Spinal cord abnormalities

Services We Offer

• Fitness assessments for pets, canine athletes, and working dogs
• Occupational health assessments for working dogs
• Pain management of musculoskeletal conditions
• Canine athlete conditioning evaluation, and conditioning plan development
• Lameness evaluation and treatment
• Diagnostic imaging (e.g., radiographs, musculoskeletal ultrasound, CT, MRI)
• Therapeutic exercises
• Physical conditioning to return to sport or work

What to Expect

Your scheduled visit to the Sports and Performance Medicine Service begins with check in at the reception desk. If any diagnostic imaging is necessary, do not feed your pet in the morning before the appointment in the event that sedation is needed for imaging. You will be greeted in the waiting room by a member of our team and brought to a private examination room or to an outside area.

Your pet’s history and a physical examination will be performed by either a student or technician, followed by further assessment by a resident or faculty member, and a full sports medicine (including orthopedic and soft tissue) examination. We may recommend further testing, and will discuss with you potential diagnosis, next steps, cost and logistics.

You may be asked to leave your pet in our care for certain tests or imaging if same day services are available. Depending on the outcome of the appointment we will discuss therapeutic options and help you choose the best course of treatment for you and your dog.