Veterinary Sports Medicine Care for Active Pets

Sports Medicine vs. Rehabilitation: What’s the Difference?

Sports Medicine focuses on methods to promote healing, reduce pain and inflammation, and identify targeted ways to treat pain and inflammation, and optimize performance. This includes advanced diagnostics, orthopedic and neurological evaluation, and various regenerative/nonsurgical therapies.

Rehabilitation becomes essential once a diagnosis has been made. Rehabilitation focuses on rebuilding strength, mobility, and function through therapeutic exercise, hydrotherapy, manual therapy, conditioning programs, and other physical modalities.

Both services belong to the same department and work together, but each plays a distinct role in a pet’s recovery and long-term function.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

Your visit begins with a thorough assessment to understand your pet’s mobility, comfort, and performance needs. This includes:

• Review of medical history, lifestyle, and activity level
• Comprehensive gait analysis
• Orthopedic and neurological evaluation
• Pain assessment and mobility scoring
• Discussion of treatment options, procedures, and next steps

Advanced Diagnostics & Technology

We use modern diagnostic tools to accurately evaluate injuries and guide personalized treatment plans.

• Pressure-Sensitive Walkway (Gait Analysis Technology)

  Evaluates stride, symmetry, weight distribution, and subtle lameness patterns

• CT (Computed Tomography)

  Provides detailed 3D imaging of bones, spine, and complex orthopedic structures.

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

  Ideal for evaluating soft tissue, spinal cord, nerves, and complex musculoskeletal injuries.

• Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

  Real-time imaging to assess tendons, ligaments, and muscle injuries.

• Needle Arthroscopy

  Minimally invasive joint visualization to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide treatment.

Patients Who Can Benefit

Many pets can benefit from veterinary sports medicine, including:

• Working dogs
• Sporting and competition dogs
• High-activity pets
• Pets with orthopedic or neurological issues
• Pets with chronic pain, lameness, or mobility decline

Conditions We Treat

Our team addresses a wide range of musculoskeletal and mobility-related issues that can affect your pet’s comfort and activity, such as:

• Lameness of unknown origin
• Chronic pain and mobility decline
• Osteoarthritis (OA)
• Tendon and ligament injuries
• Muscle strains
• Neuromuscular and neurological  conditions
• Back pain, including lumbosacral disease
• Performance-limiting discomfort in working or athletic pets

Nonsurgical Treatment Options (Sports Medicine Treatments)

A variety of evidence-based, minimally invasive therapies are available to improve function, reduce pain, and support recovery.

• Intra-Articular Joint Injections

  Precision injections to reduce inflammation and improve joint function.

• Regenerative Medicine

  Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) use a patient’s own cells to reduce inflammation and stimulate healing in damaged tissue. They are used for joint, tendon, and ligament injuries.

• Arthramid (Hydrogel Therapy)

  Used to treat osteoarthritis and improve mobility in chronic OA cases.

• Lumbosacral Disease Management

  Evaluation of and recommendations for mobility issues relating to back pain.

  Treatment options include extracorporeal shockwave therapy, epidural steroid injections, and epidural PRP injections to help relieve chronic back pain and nerve-related issues.

• Radiosynoviorthesis with Sn-117m (Synovetin OA)

  Radiosynoviorthesis with Sn-117m (Synovetin OA) is a targeted joint treatment used to help reduce pain and inflammation associated with chronic osteoarthritis.

When Sports Medicine Is Recommended

Some of the signs that your dog or cat might benefit from sports medicine include:

• Sudden or chronic lameness
• Reluctance to exercise or reduced performance
• Difficulty with running, jumping, or climbing
• Behavioral changes related to pain
• Mobility decline
• Recurrent orthopedic injuries

Sports Medicine FAQs

Explore common questions to better understand how sports medicine can help your pet stay healthy and active.

• What is the goal of sports medicine?

  The goal of sports medicine is to improve your pet’s comfort, mobility, and performance by diagnosing and treating injuries, preventing future problems, and supporting overall musculoskeletal health.

• Does my pet need imaging?

  Imaging may be recommended to better understand what’s causing your pet’s pain or mobility changes. X-rays, ultrasound, or other tools help guide accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

• How do regenerative therapies work?

  Regenerative treatments use your pet’s own cells or biological products to support healing, reduce inflammation, and improve tissue repair in injured areas.

• Does sports medicine replace rehabilitation?

  Sports medicine and rehabilitation work together. Sports medicine diagnoses and manages injuries, while rehabilitation focuses on restoring strength, mobility, and function.

• Can both dogs and cats be treated?

  Yes. Dogs and cats of all activity levels can benefit from sports medicine, whether they are athletes, working animals, or pets recovering from injury or managing chronic conditions.