Animal Rehabilitation: The Path to Recovery

After an injury, diagnosis, or major orthopaedic surgery, one of the first questions pet owners ask is, what now?

At Veterinary Specialists of Sydney (VSOS), we believe surgery is only one part of a much bigger recovery journey. Just as a person would never be expected to walk properly again after a major operation without the guidance of a physical therapist, we believe our animal patients deserve the same expert support.

Our mission is to make sure you and your pet are not simply sent home after a procedure and left to navigate recovery alone. Instead, we guide you through every stage of the healing process with a tailored rehabilitation plan focused on restoring strength, mobility, comfort, and confidence.

VSOS is proud to offer rehabilitation services from our Consulting and Rehabilitation Centre at 272 President Avenue, Miranda.

Why Professional Rehabilitation is Essential

Rehabilitation is more than just "going for walks" or swimming. It is a clinical discipline that requires a formal diagnosis, detailed goals, and a structured recovery plan.

While home exercise is a key component, professional intervention is necessary to:

Manage Pain: Using non-invasive modalities to reduce inflammation and discomfort.
Prevent Re-injury: Ensuring the pet uses the limb correctly as it heals.
Optimise Success: Rebuilding muscle mass in the correct sequence to ensure long-term joint stability

Expert Care from Certified Professionals

Fortunately, VSOS has a team of highly skilled animal rehabilitation professionals. Our staff are trained through the world’s leading programs:

Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CCRT/CCRA)
University of Tennessee Canine Rehabilitation (CCRP)

This advanced specialist training allows us to move beyond basic exercise and offer a sophisticated level of manual and therapeutic care.

At VSOS, rehabilitation is closely integrated with specialist care. Our rehab therapists work alongside your pet’s surgeon, which supports early physical therapy, sometimes even before your pet has been discharged from the hospital. This connected approach helps guide recovery from routine orthopaedic procedures through to more complex spinal cases.

Our Modalities & Rehabilitation Services

Our rehabilitation facility at Miranda is equipped with a wide range of tools and therapies designed to improve balance, flexibility, comfort and healing.

Manual Therapies: Professional massage and therapeutic stretching to improve mobility, reduce tension, and support recovery.
Clinical Modalities:Therapeutic LASER and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (e-stim) are used to help reduce pain, improve nerve function, and promote tissue healing.

VSOS has invested in a state-of-the-art K-Laser designed specifically for veterinary care. This high-intensity laser therapy allows us to deliver faster, deeper, and more efficient treatment to help reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling while supporting tissue repair. It can also be used on trigger points and acupuncture points as part of a tailored rehabilitation plan.
Therapeutic Exercise: We use specialised equipment, including physio balls, therapy bands, rocker/wobble boards, and Cavaletti poles to challenge your pet's coordination in a safe, controlled environment.
Depending on your pet’s needs, we also offer a range of additional support services, including TENS and EMS sessions, wheelchair fitting, sales and hire, assistive harness fitting and sales, custom splints and braces, home advice and exercise programs, and regenerative therapies such as platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid. Hydrotherapy is also planned as a future addition to our service offering.
Prehab: Preparing for a Better Recovery: Rehabilitation is not only helpful after surgery. Prehab, or preventative rehabilitation, helps condition the body before a procedure so that recovery can be smoother, faster, and more effective.
If your pet is stronger before surgery, they are often better placed to meet physical recovery milestones sooner afterwards. Prehab can be especially beneficial for pets undergoing joint replacement procedures, bilateral repairs, or amputation.

Other Services

TENS/EMS sessions (and hire)
Wheelchair (mobility cart) fitting, sales and hire
Assistive Harness fitting and sales
Custom splints and braces
Home advice and exercise programs
Platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) and Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
Hydrotherapy - coming soon

The Three Pillars of Recovery

Our team plans every program with three specific goals in mind:

1

Balance & Proprioception

We work to improve weight-bearing and help your pet "re-learn" exactly where their paws are in relation to the ground.

2

Gait Re-education

Injury and surgery can alter how a pet walks. We use techniques to normalise their movement for better efficiency and comfort.

3

Muscle Strengthening

Once balance and gait are improved, we focus on rebuilding the muscle function that was lost during the period of injury and rest.

What to Expect

Your First Appointment

For most of our surgical patients, your first rehabilitation session is included in the cost of the procedure. This initial appointment typically takes place 10 to 14 days after surgery. During this visit, our rehab team will:

Perform a thorough assessment.
Remove any remaining sutures (stitches).
Design an individualised "home exercise" plan that is fun for both you and your pet.

Ongoing Support

Following your initial (included) visit, we will guide you through the remainder of the recovery with ongoing sessions.

Location: 272 President Avenue, Miranda.
Fee: $124 per session.
Bookings: Call (02) 8376 8767 or email rehab@vsos.com.au.

Success is a Team Effort

The best way to ensure your pet’s surgery is a long-term success is to follow a professional rehabilitation schedule. We are here to help your pet get back to the life they love.

Rehab Hours

Monday & Thursday: 8 am - 4 pm

Every second Saturday: 8 am-1 pm

Meet Our Team

Alicia Smith

VSOS has been fortunate to have Alicia Smith join the team after an appointment at Illawarra Veterinary Rehabilitation.

Alicia gained her certification as a Canine rehabilitation assistant through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute, USA. She has extensive experience in land-based therapies, as well as hydrotherapy for patients recovering from surgery and injury, and managing senior pets. She is adept at designing fitness and strengthening programs, home and lifestyle adjustments and is an advocate for prehabilitation; working with owners and patients prior to surgery for the best recovery outcomes.

“After surgery, the fun begins! I love working with the clients to set goals and progress their dogs through recovery and gradually return to their normal lifestyle and activities.

My neurological patients are my most rewarding role. Each milestone and goal reached is through hard work and commitment from owners and the patient. It can be a tough time in a family but with the right guidance and support the rewards are amazing.”