Paw-sing for health

Thanks to an intensive regimen of strength training and physical therapy, Gigi Amerson has recovered from a broken leg that once seemed a lost cause. The 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier was among the first of what veterinarian Richard Freedman hopes will be a long line of satisfied customers. Dr. Freedman's recently opened Canine Rehabilitation and Fitness Center of Virginia is based on the notion that the care and treatment of older, athletic or injured dogs has been lacking. For a dog such as Gigi, the conventional wisdom has long been "put them in a cage and don't let them put too much weight on [the injured leg]," Freedman said, noting that in such cases the injured body part typically begins to weaken almost immediately.

Now, with techniques largely adopted from human therapy and tailored toward canines, a pup like Gigi might receive a routine of exercise therapy and mobility training as well as neuromuscular electrostimulation, ultrasounds, pulsed signal therapy and in some cases, acupuncture. Instead of keeping a dog off the injured body part, the treatment frequently involves novel methods intended to get the canine to use the weakened extremity as much as possible. In addition to post-surgery or injury rehab, some of the treatment is aimed at making sure the "weekend warrior" canine is working out in a healthy manner. "It's all borrowed from humans," Freedman said. "My other interest in fitness and rehabilitation comes from having worked with high school and college athletes and seeing what they do to improve their ability to perform."

Freedman, the owner and surgeon of Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center, said he'd been training at various schools on the East Coast en route to becoming a certified canine rehabilitation therapist; the only one for more than 100 miles, he believes. Since embarking on the venture, Freedman said he has probably sunk about $100,000 into new equipment and is now scouting the area for a centralized location for the center. The veterinarian doesn't imagine the practice will be particularly lucrative, and says he'll be "happy if it's profitable." Profitability is going to rely in large part on the public understanding the benefits of the therapy and post-surgery referrals from area specialists, according to Freedman.

As far as an endorsement of the therapy goes, Freedman would be hard-pressed to find a better spokeswoman than Barbara Amerson, owner of the injured Gigi. "I have to tell you, that if it was not for Dr. Freedman, my little dog would be walking on three legs," Amerson said. "It was just amazing what he was able to do." Amerson said the dog needed a new surgery and a daily training routine both at home and the rehab center. While Gigi's injured leg had once been a candidate for amputation, the dog now has use of all of its appendages, Amerson said. And though not inexpensive, the owner said cost was secondary to the dog's long-term health. "It was very costly. We call her our little $6 million dog," Amerson said. "But it's better than having her go through life on three legs." (Gigi had 1surgery and then a corrective surgery. She then had extensive rehabilitation. Her difficulties weren't actually $6 million.- CRFCV correction)

Freedman said a case like Gigi's is the beginning of what the therapy can accomplish."I've got to tell you, it's exciting," Freedman said. "I've got a couple of paralyzed dogs that are walking now."