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Introducing Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

  • Dr. Wanda Gordon-Evans with patient

    Introducing Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

    This new service at the Veterinary Medical Center aims to help working, sporting, performance, and companion dogs improve and maintain their athleticism and mobility 

    Dr. Wanda Gordon-Evans, head of the Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, sits with a canine patient. 

Whether they’re retrieving felled waterfowl, dashing through an agility course, or regaining mobility after surgery, dogs need specialized care to ensure their bodies are healthy and ready for whatever their days hold. 

The new Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation specialty care service at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) is now open and offering non-invasive and non-surgical techniques that aim to improve and maintain patients’ physical performance and mobility. 

Dr. Wanda Gordon-Evans

“Sports medicine and rehabilitation is conditioning, nutrition, and a combination of other specialties that apply specifically to sporting and working dog breeds, as well as dogs who are recovering from injury and those with mobility issues such as geriatric dogs,” says Dr. Wanda Gordon-Evans, who leads the new service. 

The service bridges a gap between orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation services, and its clinicians have expertise in pain management, rehabilitation, conditioning, injury prevention, and diagnosing conditions affecting mobility such as lameness. These offerings are open to working, performance, and sporting dogs as well as companion dogs. 

Services offered by Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation include:

  • Chronic pain and arthritis management
  • Post-surgical or injury recovery
  • Treatment for sport or working-related injuries
  • Geriatric mobility care
  • Diagnostics and treatment for muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries
  • Orthotics and braces
  • Treatment for traumatic orthopedic injuries
  • Sport or performance conditioning
  • Treatment for post-surgical neurological conditions

Gordon-Evans says these services will be especially helpful to clients whose dogs are experiencing issues that don’t quite fit under one care specialty or aren’t as easily diagnosed. 

From agility athletes to sheepdogs to older dogs with trouble walking, the Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at the Veterinary Medical Center has the expertise to help patients prevent and overcome mobility issues.

“They might have a dog with mild problems that are affecting their work or in need of injury prevention or conditioning,” she says. “For others, their dog might not be as mobile as they once were and they feel like their quality of life is declining, but it doesn't seem like anybody can help them. Or their dog that may be limping and it seems like nobody can figure out what's wrong with them.”

This service works closely with the VMC’s Small Animal Surgery, Neurology, Medical Imaging, Rehabilitation, Nutrition, and Anesthesia services to diagnose problems and improve performance and quality of life for pets.

For more information, contact the Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at 612-626-8387 or [email protected]


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