Lameness Examination

Treating pain effectively starts with understanding the source of pain.

This involves an extended history review and a general physical examination carried out by a veterinarian to firstly assess if any other medical issues may be of concern.

The musculoskeletal and neurological systems are then assessed in detail to find both primary issues (e.g pain from a surgical operation) and secondary issues (e.g compensatory pain along the back and other limbs due to carrying up an injured limb)

Measuring Progress

Certain measurements and media (photo and videos) are then taken to be able to help establish a base line of pain and mobility which we can measure again after some time.

This may involve:

  • Muscle mass measurement

  • Weight distribution measurement

  • Gait analysis

  • Pain and mobility scoring

Issues identified that need further investigation may require to be referred back to their regular GP or specialist for imaging or pathology testing.

Tailored programs

Once the issues are identified we discuss an individualised pain and mobility treatment program that takes into account:

  • Patient factors - how easy they are to medicate, if the tolerate handling/exercises etc

  • Client factors - time available at home for patient treatment, physical limitations, budget and financial capacity etc

We can then establish a set of goals that are then regularly reviewed and reassessed according to patient progress.