Latest articles and insights
The Glasgow Composite Pain Scale is a starting point, not an endpoint. Here is how I assess post-operative pain in canine rehab beyond standard scoring tools.
Read Article →How I adapt OA rehabilitation protocols for senior retired service, sport, and working dogs. Covering hydrotherapy dosing, supplement evidence, and why weight management is non-negotiable.
Read Article →No lactate analyzer on the field? Learn the heart rate recovery protocols and field tests I use to estimate conditioning status in sporting dogs, and why human physiology has real limits here.
Read Article →Passive range of motion after hemilaminectomy is not enough. Here is the proprioceptive retraining protocol I use: cavaletti, tilt boards and targeted neuromuscular techniques.
Read Article →The biggest variable in canine rehab outcomes is owner compliance with home exercise programs. Here is how I design, document and track programs that actually get done.
Read Article →As a CCRA, my scope covers skilled rehabilitation execution under veterinary supervision. Here is what that means in real clinical practice and why it matters.
Read Article →Medication-adjacent weight gain in psychiatric service dogs is underreported. Learn how I assess body condition and coach nutrition in this unique population.
Read Article →What veterinary review of network health content actually covers. Clinical accuracy, task-dog health claims, behavior guidance and the line between information and practicing medicine.
Read Article →Drew Fisher, CCRA, breaks down how he structures pre-season canine conditioning programs for dock diving, flyball, and lure coursing athletes.
Read Article →Wattage alone tells you nothing about therapeutic laser efficacy. Here is the clinical breakdown of joules, fluence and depth that actually drives PBM outcomes.
Read Article →A technical protocol for proprioceptive retraining after hemilaminectomy in dogs, covering cavaletti work, tilt board progression and neuromuscular facilitation.
Read Article →Cavaletti exercises outperform treadmill work for specific gait deficits. Drew J. Fisher, CCRA, breaks down spacing, indications, and clinical progression principles.
Read Article →Owner compliance with the home exercise program determines rehabilitation outcomes more than almost any clinical decision. Here is how I design programs owners actually do.
Read Article →A phase-by-phase walkthrough of aquatic rehabilitation after TPLO and TTA: water depth buoyancy loading, session duration scaling and gait progression milestones.
Read Article →Iliopsoas strain is the most commonly missed injury in agility dogs. Learn how I identify it, differentiate it from hip pathology, and stage return-to-sport protocols.
Read Article →A deep dive into canine shoulder anatomy, clinical exam findings, diagnostic imaging, and rehabilitation for biceps tenosynovitis and supraspinatus tendinopathy in working dogs.
Read Article →Post-op confinement instructions fail more often than surgeons realize. Here is why that happens and how I coach owners to close that gap at home.
Read Article →The Glasgow Composite Pain Scale is a starting point in rehab. Learn the behavioral markers I track, owner-report limits, and when to escalate to the supervising DVM.
Read Article →When surgery isn't the path forward, conservative hip dysplasia management can deliver real function. Here's how I approach it in canine rehab.
Read Article →How I use joint range of motion measurements clinically, manage inter-rater reliability, and track ROM benchmarks through canine rehabilitation phases.
Read Article →Learn how to estimate lactate threshold in sporting dogs using field tests and heart rate recovery, without lab equipment, from a CCRA perspective.
Read Article →How I adapt osteoarthritis rehabilitation protocols for retired service dogs and working breeds: hydrotherapy dosing, supplement evidence and weight management.
Read Article →The most commonly missed injury in agility dogs. How I identify iliopsoas strain, differentiate it from hip pathology, and stage an 8-12 week return-to-sport protocol.
Read Article →The Glasgow Composite Pain Scale is validated and essential, but post-op orthopedic rehab demands deeper behavioral and gait-based assessment to guide safe recovery.
Read Article →Working dogs demand a different wellness screening cadence than companion dogs. Here is what I assess beyond the annual exam for service dog health.
Read Article →When conservative hip dysplasia management is clinically appropriate, what exercise selection actually looks like, and the honest owner conversations I have at a specialty canine rehabilitation practice.
Read Article →The single biggest variable in canine rehab outcomes is owner compliance. Here is how I structure home exercise programs that families actually follow through on.
Read Article →Wattage alone doesn't define a therapeutic laser dose. Learn why fluence, wavelength and treatment time calculations drive real clinical outcomes in canine PBM.
Read Article →A phase-based walkthrough of aquatic treadmill protocols after TPLO and TTA: buoyancy by depth, loading progressions and session duration by recovery stage.
Read Article →How I adapt osteoarthritis rehabilitation protocols for senior working dogs: hydrotherapy dosing, joint supplement evidence and why weight management comes first.
Read Article →How I structure pre-season conditioning programs for dock diving, flyball and lure coursing dogs using a cardiovascular vs neuromuscular conditioning ratio.
Read Article →Field methods, heart rate recovery protocols and the real limits of applying human lactate threshold models to sporting dog conditioning.
Read Article →Passive range of motion after hemilaminectomy is not enough. A technical proprioceptive retraining protocol: Cavaletti work, tilt boards and underwater treadmill for post-IVDD dogs.
Read Article →Drew J. Fisher, CCRA, breaks down canine shoulder anatomy, clinical exam findings, and rehab progressions for biceps tenosynovitis and supraspinatus tendinopathy.
Read Article →Medication-adjacent weight gain in PSDs is underreported. I explain the household dynamics behind it and how I coach body condition in this population.
Read Article →How I use joint range of motion measurements to drive clinical decisions in canine rehabilitation, from inter-rater reliability to ROM benchmarks through recovery phases.
Read Article →Learn how CCRA scope of practice works in real-world veterinary rehabilitation settings, including supervision requirements and safety protocols.
Read Article →Cavaletti exercises offer superior results for specific movement deficits compared to treadmill work, requiring active proprioceptive engagement and limb clearance that benefits orthopedic cases beyond traditional neurologic applications.
Read Article →Post-operative confinement instructions fail because they ignore real home environments. Learn how individualized protocols prevent re-injury while avoiding over-restriction harm.
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