North Macomb Canine Rehabilitation is a division of Wilson Veterinary Hospital

North Macomb Canine Rehabilitation and Conditioning is a division of Wilson Veterinary Hospital. The facility is located in Washington Township, just south of Romeo, at 12000 Durham Street.

The rehabilitation facility is a recently completed addition to the Wilson Veterinary Hospital. The original size of the building was doubled and it now has a total of 12,600 square feet.

Like humans, when an animal is injured or has an operation, there is often a need for rehabiliation. As of February 2008, that service is now available in a brand new building.

Kelly Wood, Certified Canine Rehabiliation assistant, was originally trained to rehabiliate humans. Later on, she took additional training in Florida, through the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Emily Alfonsi is in training now and plans to be certified in less than a year.

What kind of canines do they work with?

"Any breed, any size," said Wood. "We have worked with a one pound mini-pinscher up to a 140 pound Great Dane."

An exercise program is designed for each dog. For hunting dogs and those involved in sports, the program may include time outisde in the field. THe demands are higher for dogs like this than for a dog that is just a pet.

Some dogs are recovering from multiple broken bones, often the result of being hit by a car. Their programs may involve special carts and slings to help them move around.

Dogs that are overweight have their own regimens. Like humans, diet and exercise are key elements to them slimming down.

THe dog may have neurological problems due to disease or injury, a soft tissue injury or arthritis. These are all areas that the rehabilitation staff has been trained to address.

Hydrotherapy will soon be employed for many of the dogs being treated here. The equipment includes an "endless pool" where the dogs will be swimming against a series of jets and a submersible treadmill.

Swimming is good exercise and it will take time to work out individual programs. Labs take to water on their own, and will have no problem using the pool. It may take other dogs longer to get used to being in the water.

The advantage of working with the underwater treadmill is that the dog will become buoyant in the water and walking will be easier on weak legs. Two handlers will be with the dog to make sure all goes well with this program. As the animal gets stronger, the treadmill height in the pool changes to increase resistance and help build up muscles.

Wood enjoyes what she does at the facility.

"There is nothing I would rather do than work with dogs all day. They are not sick, so it is fun to work with them."

Canine rehabilitation is proving to be an important element in the recovery of canines with orthopedic and/or neurologic conditions, particularly after surgery. It creats an optimal environment for healing, allowing for a quicker and more successful recovery.

Their motto is: "Making strides towards your dog's future."

For more information on the rehabilitation programs or Wilson Veterinary Hospital, call (586) 752-6217 or visit www.wilsonvethospital.com