When is the best time to start rehab?

One of the most common questions we hear is: “When is the best time to start rehab?”

Sometimes owners and colleague veterinarians also ask: “If my animals already has permanent changes, can rehab fix it? Can you do magic?” 

Rehab is More Than Exercise

Rehab is not just manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, or “playing with the animal.”

It includes all the treatments that make an animal more comfortable and functional,

such as:

• Pain and inflammation control (medication, modalities)

• Client education and home strategies

• Gradual, structured activity plans

• Physical therapies and equipment

• Acupuncture and other supportive options

What Rehab Aims to Do

The main goal of rehab is to support recovery and prevent long-term problems like loss of range of motion, muscle atrophy, or abnormal gait patterns.

• If permanent changes already exist, rehab still helps by optimising comfort, teaching the body to move in the best way possible, and maintaining quality of life.

• However, it is important to be realistic: rehab rarely “fixes” the fundamental disease or injury. Setting the right expectations is part of good rehab care.

After Surgery (e.g., TPLO)

From clinical experience:

• Pain and inflammation control come first. If this is not achieved, everything else falls apart.

• When pain is well managed, patients recover more smoothly, with fewer cases of stiffness or loss of range of motion.

• From there, rehab focuses on gentle mobility, gradual strengthening, and a safe return to activity.

Spinal Injury Cases

Rehab can sometimes help dogs walk again, but outcomes depend heavily on the type of injury.

• Dogs with upper motor neuron (UMN) signs generally have better chances of regaining ambulation than those with lower motor neuron (LMN) injuries, even dogs without deep pain perception.

• Typically, we try 6 weeks of focused rehab. Some dogs improve, others don’t—the severity and location of the original injury matter most.

As clinicians, it’s our job to explain these differences clearly to owners and referring vets so expectations stay realistic.

The Bottom Line

• Rehab can start anytime—earlier is better.

• If guided by an understanding of tissue healing, early rehab is safe and beneficial.

• The priorities: pain control first, careful evaluation, realistic goal-setting, and gradual progress.

Rehab may not cure the primary problem, but it plays a crucial role in keeping patients comfortable, functional, and living their best possible life.

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