Rehabilitation procedure after surgical stabilization of the patella and cranial cruciate ligament in a dog – case study

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program during recovery from surgery in a dog with patellar dislocation and rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament. Manual techniques, active and passive kinesitherapy and hydrotherapy were used in the study. Parametric methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy: goniometric measurements, lameness severity analysis, pelvic limb circumference measurements, and a non-parametric method: a questionnaire. The results of our study showed that physiotherapy had a positive effect on restoring normal gait and increasing muscle mass in the operated limb. The study confirmed the great usefulness of rehabilitation in the recovery process after surgical stabilization of knee joint structures. Beginning physiotherapy as soon as possible after the surgery is crucial to prevent the negative effects of limb immobilization.