Toronto Veterinary Rehabilitation Centre

Toronto Veterinary Rehabilitation Centre A veterinary practice focusing exclusively on physical rehabilitation and chronic pain management.

Wishing this amazing human an amazing birthday celebration today (and birthday yesterday). 🥳Emelia you are one of the ki...
08/08/2025

Wishing this amazing human an amazing birthday celebration today (and birthday yesterday). 🥳

Emelia you are one of the kindest and most authentic people I know and we are so honoured to work with you every day. Thank you for everything that you do for our patients, their caregivers and our team.

Drinks are on me! 🥂🩷

Think rehab is just for after surgery? Think again.Prehab is rehab done before surgery to help your dog:🔹 Preserve muscl...
07/23/2025

Think rehab is just for after surgery? Think again.

Prehab is rehab done before surgery to help your dog:
🔹 Preserve muscle mass
🔹 Improve flexibility
🔹 Reduce anxiety about handling and the clinic
🔹 Build proprioception + core stability
🔹 Improve circulation + joint health

Prehab dogs often:
✅ Recover faster
✅ Have fewer complications
✅ Need fewer pain meds post-op
✅ Resume weight-bearing earlier

If your dog is booked for surgery in the next 2–6 weeks, let’s get them on a prehab plan.
Think of it as training for a successful comeback.

Prehab is rehab done before surgery to help your dog:
🔹 Preserve muscle mass
🔹 Learn therapeutic movements
🔹 Reduce anxiety about handling and the clinic
🔹 Build proprioception + core stability
🔹 Improve circulation + joint health

Prehab dogs often:
✅ Recover faster
✅ Have fewer complications
✅ Need fewer pain meds post-op
✅ Resume weight-bearing earlier

If your dog is booked for surgery in the next 2–6 weeks, let’s get them on a prehab plan.
Think of it as training for a successful comeback.

Rehab doesn’t only happen in the clinic—just like in human physiotherapy, the work has to continue every day at home to ...
07/21/2025

Rehab doesn’t only happen in the clinic—just like in human physiotherapy, the work has to continue every day at home to see progress.

🏥 Clinic-Based Therapy Offers:
• Modalities like laser, PEMF, and hydrotherapy
• Hands-on neuromuscular re-education
• Progress assessments + early detection of setbacks
• Advanced equipment + tailored progression

🏠 Home Exercise Programs Provide:
• Daily movement reinforcement
• Structured routines for strengthening and flexibility
• Behaviour cues to support movement quality
• Environment modifications (slippery floors, stairs)

We’ll show you how to safely help your dog at home (check out the guides at https://torontovetrehab.com/shop/educational-resources), and we’ll do the heavy lifting in-clinic.
Together, we cover all the angles. 💪

Imagine walking without full weight on your sore leg. That’s what our underwater treadmill offers your dog.It is a safe,...
07/18/2025

Imagine walking without full weight on your sore leg. That’s what our underwater treadmill offers your dog.

It is a safe, low-impact way to:
✅ Encourage limb use earlier
✅ Build muscle while reducing joint strain
✅ Improve balance and core stability
✅ Retrain gait patterns
✅ Provide consistent cardiovascular exercise

The buoyancy of water significantly reduces stress on joints, making it ideal for dogs after orthopedic surgery. The resistance? Perfect for gentle strengthening.

Many dogs start walking more evenly after just a few sessions. Plus, it’s fun! We use toys, treats, and encouragement to make it a positive experience. 🦴🎾🌭

Ready to dive in? Let’s talk treadmill!

Not all healing is hands-on. Sometimes, it’s light that does the work.Photobiomodulation, also known as Low-Level Laser ...
07/16/2025

Not all healing is hands-on. Sometimes, it’s light that does the work.
Photobiomodulation, also known as Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), is one of our go-to post-op tools.

Here’s why:
🔬 It stimulates mitochondria (cellular powerhouses) to repair faster
🧊 Reduces inflammation and swelling
🔄 Improves local circulation
💥 Supports nerve regeneration
🐾 Provides gentle, non-invasive pain relief

We use laser for:
1️⃣ Post-surgical incision healing
2️⃣ Muscle strain or compensatory pain
3️⃣ Joint inflammation
4️⃣ Neurologic support after nerve compression or spinal surgery

Bonus: Dogs find it relaxing—and many nap through treatment. 💤

Ask us if laser therapy is part of your pup’s post-op plan!

Recovery isn’t a straight line—and that’s OK.Here’s what a typical post-op timeline might look like (though every dog’s ...
07/14/2025

Recovery isn’t a straight line—and that’s OK.
Here’s what a typical post-op timeline might look like (though every dog’s journey is unique!):

📆 Week 1–2: Rest & Healing
Pain management
Short, controlled leash walks
Passive range of motion exercises

📆 Week 3–4: Foundational Mobility
Gentle strengthening exercises
First underwater treadmill sessions (if cleared)
Coordination, balance + proprioception work

📆 Week 5–8: Functional Strength
More challenging therapeutic exercises
Active movement and flexibility patterns
Pain reassessment + progress check

📆 Week 9–12+: Return to Activity
Endurance and dynamic stability training
Safe re-introduction of stairs, off-leash time
Preparing for sport, hiking, or a more active life again

Rehab helps avoid setbacks and keeps your dog moving forward—one week at a time.

📍 Save this for reference and share with someone whose dog is recovering.

You did it—you got through the surgery. The hard part’s over, right?Not quite.Orthopedic surgery fixes the mechanical pr...
07/12/2025

You did it—you got through the surgery. The hard part’s over, right?
Not quite.

Orthopedic surgery fixes the mechanical problem—but rehab restores function, strength, and confidence.

Without rehab:
👎🏻 Pain lingers
👎🏻 Muscles atrophy
👎🏻 Imbalances develop
👎🏻 Compensatory injuries can develop

With rehab:
👍🏼 Pain is actively managed
👍🏼 Muscles regain tone and strength
👍🏼 Range of motion is protected
👍🏼 Your dog walks and runs more symmetrically
👍🏼 Reinjury risk is dramatically reduced

Rehab bridges the gap between "surgical repair" and "real life." Don’t skip the second half of recovery.

📲 DM us to book your dog’s post-op assessment today!

Summer is always a busy time for us in rehab. The nice weather is a great opportunity for more outdoor activities but fo...
07/08/2025

Summer is always a busy time for us in rehab. The nice weather is a great opportunity for more outdoor activities but for some dogs this may lead to more chance of injury, and in some cases surgery to correct those injuries.

This month is dedicated to discussing the process of recovery from orthopedic surgery, and how rehabilitation plays an integral role in helping your dog get back to the activities they love. We will also cover:
‣ What you can expect in the 8-12 weeks that your dog is in recovery
‣ Why customized plans are non-negotiable
‣ Who you need as part of your care team
‣ How you can get a jump on your dog's recovery with "prehab"

Rehabilitation is the bridge between surgical success and full functional recovery, which is why we always say that 'Movement is Medicine'. Check out our blog for July - 'Healing in Motion: Why Post-Operative Rehabilitation Is Essential After Orthopedic Surgery in Dogs' - for a more in depth overview of how rehab can contribute to your dog's recovery.

Canada is a pretty special place and we have never been more proud to be Canadian! 🇨🇦Wishing all of our fellow Canucks a...
07/01/2025

Canada is a pretty special place and we have never been more proud to be Canadian! 🇨🇦

Wishing all of our fellow Canucks a very happy Canada Day on behalf of the TVRC family! We hope you get to enjoy the day outdoors in this beautiful country that we call home. ❤️

Happy Pride weekend Toronto! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩷
06/29/2025

Happy Pride weekend Toronto! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩷

Has your dog suddenly developed a head tilt, started walking in circles, or seemed dizzy and disoriented? It might be ve...
06/28/2025

Has your dog suddenly developed a head tilt, started walking in circles, or seemed dizzy and disoriented? It might be vestibular disease — and while it can look scary, the good news is: most dogs recover beautifully with time, support, and rehabilitation.

🧠 The vestibular system helps with balance, coordination, and spatial awareness. When it’s disrupted — whether from old dog vestibular syndrome, ear infections, toxicity, or neurologic causes — dogs can appear drunk, confused, or even unable to stand.

Common symptoms include:
1️⃣ Sudden onset of head tilt
2️⃣ Loss of balance, falling or rolling
3️⃣ Nystagmus (rapid eye movement)
4️⃣ Nausea or vomiting due to motion sensitivity

Most cases — especially idiopathic geriatric vestibular disease — begin to improve within days, but full recovery can take weeks. This is where rehab plays a key role.

How rehabilitation helps dogs with vestibular disease:
🧍‍♂️ Balance and coordination retraining: Gentle exercises help the brain adapt to changes in vestibular input, improving stability and walking ability faster
🐾 Proprioceptive work: Tasks that improve body awareness help dogs figure out where their limbs are in space — critical when their world feels tilted
🪜 Graduated mobility support: We use slings, harnesses, and environmental changes to keep dogs safe and mobile while their balance improves
🌊 Hydrotherapy: In some cases, underwater treadmill work allows dogs to relearn controlled walking without the fear of falling
🌿 Modalities like acupuncture or laser therapy can support neurologic recovery and help manage any lingering discomfort
🫂 Caregiver support and education: You’re not alone — we teach you how to lift safely, reduce fall risks, and know when to expect improvement

Most dogs with vestibular disease go on to live full, happy lives — some even keep their adorable head tilt as a badge of resilience. 🐶💛

📍 If your dog is recovering from vestibular disease, let’s work together to help them find their feet again — safely and confidently.

So your dog was diagnosed with a neurologic disorder - maybe they are going for surgery, maybe they aren't. Either way y...
06/26/2025

So your dog was diagnosed with a neurologic disorder - maybe they are going for surgery, maybe they aren't. Either way you are worried about how you will care for them in the first couple of weeks after surgery or injury.

Which is why we created a step-by-step guide to caring for your canine companion in the first two weeks following spinal surgery or injury. While the first two weeks involve a lot of rest and recovery, there are several things that you can do early on to speed up your dog's recovery, and when it comes to neurologic injuries, early intervention definitely improves outcome.

This guide is free to download on our website in the Downloads section of our website!

Address

Toronto, ON

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14166930993

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Providing integrative medicine for your pet in the comfort of your own home.

What is integrative veterinary medicine?

Integrative veterinary medicine is a rapidly growing field of veterinary medicine that combines the best of conventional treatment with alternative and complementary therapies.

What are the benefits of providing treatments at home?

My goal is to make your pet’s treatments as easy and low stress as possible. Home consultations allow me to evaluate your pet in their natural environment, where they are most comfortable.