Physiotherapy

A full small animal physiotherapy service, provided by Animal Physiotherapy Consultants, is available at the Southern Animal Referral Centre. This service is available five days a week and includes a purpose-built underwater treadmill and rehabilitation gym. There are currently no other underwater treadmill rehabilitation facilities in any other veterinary facility in Australia. These on site state-of-the-art facilities allow pets to commence rehabilitation in the early post-operative period, just as they would in humans, speeding recovery and return to function.

As well as being available for internal patients, dogs and cats can be referred from external veterinary clinics for physiotherapy. A comprehensive report and ongoing communication with the referring veterinarian is assured.

Animal Physiotherapist Michelle Monk coordinates the physiotherapy service at the Southern Animal Referral Centre. Michelle graduated as a human Physiotherapist in Melbourne in 1996 and worked in many different areas of human physiotherapy, with a special interest in orthopaedics and hydrotherapy. Michelle started the first small animal rehabilitation centre in Australia, the Dogs In Motion Canine Rehabilitation and Hydrotherapy Centre, in 2002. Michelle also designed and built the first Underwater Treadmill System in Australia in September 2003, which has greatly contributed to the rehabilitation of orthopaedic and spinal injuries.

Michelle completed her Masters of Animal Studies (Animal Physiotherapy) in 2004, and received a special award for her research on physiotherapy following cruciate surgery. She has presented at many animal physiotherapy conferences, conducted courses on animal physiotherapy and lectures regularly to physiotherapists, veterinarians and nurses, both in Australia and overseas. Michelle is also the secretary of the Animal Physiotherapy Group, and the Victorian Chapter representative, a special interest group of the Australian Physiotherapy Association.