Yes! You can make an appointment for evaluation and measuring of an appropriate brace for your pet. It is one of many procedures that we human and canine physical therapist's perform in a day.

Yes! As a Physical Therapist, I normally perform soft tissue mobiliztion/massage to targeted areas of body in need for improved circulation, decreasing muscle spasms, and local pain. Your pet doesn't HAVE to be experiencing any problems, to see me. Just make an appointment for a massage, for your pet. Your dog will love you for it!

I could tell you that it is NOT required. I could tell you that I have been able to successfully rehabilitate ALL my post op CCL repair patients without it. But I feel the best response to this question comes from the dog owner. This is what one of my past clients had to say about the subject:

Max’s experience:
Surgical and Non-Surgical Recovery from CCL tears.
 
My dog Max was a 78-pound black lab mix who we adopted as a 4-year old. He was mild-mannered, goofy and affectionate. Although he wasn’t an “Alpha” type, he enjoyed being outside and active—long daily walks and ample play time at the park. 
Max was 6 ½ years old when he tore his right CCL. I opted for a TPLO because I thought it provided his best chance to remain active. Besides surgery, he had a handful of traditional physical therapy sessions, though no underwater treadmill exercise. Max recovered nicely and regained his mobility after a 6-month recovery period, but if I had been more knowledgeable, I would have insisted on regular physical therapy. It is as critical to post-surgical recovery for dogs as for human patients.
At 10 ½-years old, Max tore his left CCL. With more experience this time around, I was less eager for him to undergo surgery. I decided on a trial basis of “conservative treatment,” a non-surgical approach that advised exercise restriction, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and weight loss. Following these guidelines, Max gradually regained enough function in his left rear leg to remain active for another 3 years. 
The conservative approach served him well, without the risk of invasive surgery. 
Since its guidelines are also prescribed for aging dogs with arthritis, I continued to follow them even after the left CCL healed. I feared that a sedentary life for Max, without active use of his legs and hips, would have been a form of imprisonment. He continued to have monthly physical therapy until the end of his life, which I believe was critical to his health, both physically and mentally, in his last years. 
 
Written by Susan I.

Decrease pain and swelling

Electrical stimulation. Therapeutic infrared. Cold or heat as appropriate. Massage.

Improve mobility

Range of motion. Joint and spinal osteopathic mobilization. Heat. Water therapy.

Improve stability/balance

Specific neurological exercises in different positions such as sitting and standing. The use of therapy balls and manual resistive exercise.

Improve coordination

Coordination/skill building through use of agility equipment such as cones, weave polls, rails, hoops, and chutes.

Improving skill as it applies to canine sports

Agility equipment and plyometric (jumping) exercise to transfer skill to sports/agility trials.

Improve strength

Pulling or moving with weights attached; rubber band resistance; use of weights on limbs during water therapy.

Improve endurance

Land treadmill. Water therapy.

Improve ability

Fittings for splints, braces, carts (animal wheelchair).

Cheri Eisen BSPT/CCRP

Cheri received her Bachelors of Science in Physical Therapy from California State University Northridge/UCLA Medical Center in 1979. She is a practicing Physical Therapist with over 34 years of experience in the field of human physical therapy in a variety of settings including: outpatient, pain management/orthopedic/sports medicine/neuro rehab, acute care, home care, and long-term rehab.

Cheri was involved in canine companions for independence program; in California for many years. When a variety of orthopedic surgeries started to benefit dogs in the 80’s, Cheri wondered, where is the rehab for dogs after surgery? What is available to dogs that have problems with mobility?

As a human therapist, Cheri knew, first hand, that rehab benefitted humans and could be applied to dogs.

Finally, in the late 1990’s her prayers were answered. The first certification program in the country for canine rehabilitation was developed. She signed up and was one of the first classes to graduate. She graduated with a CCRP (Certified Canine Rehab Practicioner) degree in December of 2004 from the University of Tennessee Veterinary College.

She interned at the presticous Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver, Colorado. The veterinarians at Alameda East have not only written a book on canine rehab but have been filmed several times on the television show “Emergency Vets”.

Cheri has been practicing Canine Rehab since December 2004. She now feels complete as a practitioner and can apply all her experience with humans, to the canine.