Articles by Susan E. Davis PT

Susan E. Davis (Sue) is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 30 years of practice in the human field, who transitioned into the animal world after taking courses at the UT Canine Rehabilitation program. She has been providing PT services to dogs and other animals through her entity Joycare Onsite, LLC in pet’s homes and vet clinics since 2008. For more information abous Susan, see her website www.joycareonsite.com, or follow on Twitter. Sue is also the author of fantastic books on animal physical therapy. Physical therapy can do so many great things for your dog. Understanding all the possibilities physical therapy can offer will change your dog’s life. These books belong on the shelf of every dog lover. Learn more about Sue.

Scientific Evidence Behind Canine PT: Where’s The Beef?

Is there scientific evidence to back up using canine physical therapy? Quite a few years ago, a funny commercial appeared on television for Wendy’s, the famous American hamburger fast-food chain. It featured a little elderly lady picking up the top hamburger bun and peering down at the sandwich. She frowns, raises her chin, and yells, “WHERE’S the BEEF?!!!” Remember it? …

by Susan E. Davis PT

Treadmills for Dog PT: A Comparison of Canine Treadmills

Treadmill walking can benefit your dog’s health and lifestyle, but which type to choose is the question: by land or by sea? The following is a comparison between land and underwater treadmills. Walking as a primary form of dog exercise I am a big fan of leash walking as a primary form of dog exercise. However, factors such as weather,…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Canine Core Strengthening Exercises: Paring Down to the Canine Core

What are canine core strengthening exercises and what is their benefit? When you research canine functional strengthening part of the new field of PT and Rehabilitation for dogs, you will find information about the fore and hind limbs. You will not find much at all on the “Core” groups which contain the diaphragm, abdominal, and spinal musculature. We are starting…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Using Neurophysiology for Dogs: Canine Athlete Injury Prevention beyond the Traditional Means

There is a little-known technique used by rehabilitation professionals–priming the joints to respond to the unexpected stimulus, using neurophysiology. These techniques use principles utilized in human rehabilitative medicine. Yet, the veterinary field is just beginning to appreciate their effects for injury treatment and prevention. Neurophysiology? What is that? The primate human and non-human body uses sensory receptors to monitor external…

by Susan E. Davis PT

TPEFM Therapy for Dogs: Staying in the Loop with Targeted Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy

Targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (TPEFM) is an effective non-invasive and non-pharmacological treatment option. TPEFM therapy offers adjunctive or supplemental treatment to ongoing veterinary care from your dog’s vet, therapist, chiropractor, etc. You can easily apply this treatment on days other than laser or other therapy sessions. Adding this option can extend the benefits between scheduled professional appointments. TPFEM is…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer by day, dog health advocate, dog writer, member of the Dog Writers Association of American and an award-winning author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Endless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that simply seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to finally get a diagnosis for her initial issue. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners . What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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