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.

Assessing Range Of Motion in Dogs: It’s A Matter Of Degree

Every joint in a dog’s body is designed for movement and has a “normal” amount of scope it moves through. This is termed as “Range of Motion”, or ROM, of a joint. There are documented values, measured in “degrees”, which are the standards optimal for each of the joints. Dogs function best when their ROM is within these normal values. …

by Susan E. Davis PT

PT for Dog Gastrointestinal Disorders: Can Physical Therapy Help with my Dog’s Digestive Issues?

Can physical therapy help with pancreatitis, constipation, colitis, and many other digestive disorders your dog might face? Your veterinarian is the first point of contact for help with these issues. Any gastrointestinal disorders require evaluation by a primary care specialist for diagnosis instruction on proper nutrition, medication, and supplements Physical therapy is adjunctive care for internal disorders. However, it can…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Frailty Syndrome in Geriatric Dogs: Physical Therapy and Home Care to Reverse Frailty

What is frailty syndrome in geriatric dogs and what can I do about it? What is the frailty syndrome? You might assume this refers to dogs that are overweight and are at risk for arthritis, loss of mobility, metabolic disease, etc. While obesity is a common problem with older dogs, there is another condition I will highlight here: frailty in…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Understanding Scar Tissue: Is it Too Much of a Good Thing?

You may think your dog is the peace-loving sort of pet, but I can assure you that its body is designed for war! Similar to the human, a dog’s body reacts to trauma or disease with an all-out fight! At the onset of any injury, the “troops” are sent in. White blood cells saturate the area, especially in cases of…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Heat and Cold Therapy for Dogs: When To Use Heat versus Cold?

It is a question commonly asked of physical therapists everywhere: when do I use heat, or should I use cold? How do you know which one to use? Your veterinarian or physical therapist will be able to provide this answer for your dog’s individual circumstance, assuming you can contact them. What if you are unable to reach your dog’s care…

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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