The PAW Center, 2279 Troy Road, is a brand new energy efficient facility that opened in November 2021. The center and Mad River Veterinary Hospital are operated separately but work together to provide comprehensive care for patients.
It has an indoor gym, indoor pool and underwater treadmill to provide rehab services for dogs and cats in the area, as well as weight management, surgical rehabilitation, geriatric mobility assistance, non-pharmaceutical pain management and mobility help for animals with congenital problems.
Veterinarian Nikki Maynard said surgery and medications can help treat pets with mobility problems, whether it’s due to injury, congenital problems like hip dysplasia, degenerative joint diseases like arthritis or back problems, and even obesity, but they can only go so far.
“We know what a difference physical therapy and rehabilitation can do in human medicine, so we wanted to provide that for our own patients,” she said. “This is a relatively new part of veterinary medicine, and there are not many places people can go for this service, so we designed and built our own center. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind.”
The center, which has helped 96 dogs and two cats as of last month, is currently providing rehab for cancer patients, search and rescue dogs, amputees, obese animals, recovering surgical patients, and elderly animals with mobility issues.
“We provide a resource for pets that was previously not available,” Maynard said. “We are dedicated to helping patients improve their mobility, comfort, and quality of life.”
Maynard said the two therapists at the center originally worked for the human field and completed additional training and certification in veterinary rehabilitation therapy.
The center charges $125 for an initial evaluation, then $50 for 30-minute follow up therapy sessions. During the initial evaluation, a therapist assesses the pet and their range of motion, talks with the owner about movement at home and measures muscle mass. It includes water therapy and time in the gym sharing exercises the owner can do at home.
The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information, visit pawcenterrehab.com.
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