We welcome you and your four-legged family member to BALANCE! Our goal is to help diagnose and heal soft tissue and joint injuries for your canine and feline companions. It is very distressing to sustain an injury for oneself, but when it is your beloved pet, it can make us feel even worse. We are animal lovers and understand the level of concern and care our clients have for their pets. Let us help! This practice is restricted to rehabilitation therapy and specific orthopedic surgeries. We do not see patients for other medical issues, vaccines, nor other wellness practices.
How it works
We recommend to call our office at 814-774-7300 to schedule an initial appointment. This is typically a consult that is scheduled for an hour. The office will let you know if it is important to see your regular veterinarian first for xrays or other diagnostic tests. Generally, referral from a veterinarian is not necessary. Dr. Nestor will review any material from your veterinarian and then proceed to examine your pet thoroughly. She will review the pet during gait and also during movements. She will evaluate the joints though range of movement and measure the angles while also evaluating the muscle mass and soft tissue structures. Lastly, there will be a discussion about the exam findings. A plan is made with the owner regarding the next steps of action. This may be more testing and/or rehabilitation sessions that may include any of the services we offer at BALANCE such as appropriate exercises, water therapy, acupuncture, and laser.
Depending on the case and the time allotment, we may consider performing some therapy at the initial consult, but most likely we try to schedule those the following visits.
Typically, physical therapy techniques work if we repeatedly perform them. Our goal is to give owners “homework” for continued therapy at home. We also do sessions to continue our success. It is a process! Everyone would love a quick fix but that is not how it works, so we have to work together.
Results
We are happy when we can make a difference. Our patients may come in slightly apprehensive the first time, but so many are truly joyous to return. We are not like the regular vet hospital. Dogs jump in the water treadmill and they really have fun in the exercise room. We can work with most temperaments. There are times that expectations for full recovery may need changed. We have seen all sorts of individuals (animals) with disabilities and most are living fantastic lives due to their amazing owners. It is our pleasure to help with these issues and educate on various assistive devices such as harnesses, braces, wheelchairs that can allow more ease with walking.
Come and See what we are about!