Blogs

Dogs on hardwood floor Pups and Hardwood Floors. Chicagoans, we love our hardwood floors— the shinier, the better! A beautiful oak or maple floor can captivate anyone. However, while they look stunning, these slick, shiny surfaces can be a real challenge for our four-legged friends, especially as they age. You’ve probably seen your dog zooming … Read more

Dog’s feel pain just like people, and they may  be hurting in silence because they can’t tell us. They try hard to conceal it because being injured is dangerous in the wild. Limping and picking up a paw are obvious signs of pain, but many others are more subtle and can go on for years … Read more

My Pet has Arthritis. When we hear that word, we think about pain, we think about stiffness and we think about a mysterious, growing, threatening disease that will render us or our loved ones unable to move, unable to enjoy life. We all have these thoughts. But do we really know what arthritis is? If … Read more

There’s help when your dog is hurting. Dogs feel pain just like people, and they may be hurting in silence because they can’t tell us. But pain shouldn’t be ignored. Here’s how to tell if something is wrong. Dogs try hard to conceal pain because being injured is dangerous in the wild. But pain shouldn’t … Read more

In Canine Rehabilitation, Massage versus Manual Therapy is an important consideration. When we hear the term, “Manual Therapy”, many of us assume it’s just another word for massage.  It’s not.  Manual therapy and massage are two very different techniques with distinct benefits for your pet.  You have probably heard of Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage  … Read more

Duke is our Arfit spotlight! He’s a 6-year-old terrier mix who loves to fetch. A few weeks ago, he played a little too hard and came up lame. His owner worried he tore his CCL. The vet recommended surgery, but Duke’s owner wanted to try conservative treatment first. After evaluating Duke, I confirmed that he … Read more

Arfit Spotlight! Meet Dominic, an 11-year-old Chow/Collie mix. Dominic was dealing with hind limb weakness and low back muscle spasms. Dominic has a long history of hip dysplasia, which has caused him some discomfort over the years. Recently, his owners brought him in because he started limping after walks. Additionally, he was having more trouble … Read more

My Dog Has an FCE/Spinal Stroke. I took Max to ARFIT after I had taken him to the vet.  He wasn’t able to move his back legs. The vet had suggested surgery but, with Max’s heart murmur, I needed to find an alternative. That when I called ARFIT.  When I brought Max in, Tod told … Read more

Arfit Spotlight: Meet Ada, an 11-year-old female Pit Bull Terrier. Ada has been struggling with a cervical spine injury, which has caused her significant discomfort. Recently, she started yelping in pain at night, and a neck injury was suspected. She also yelps when she tries to shake her head or side bend to the left. … Read more

Chloe has been coming to Canine Physical Therapy at Arfit for about five weeks now, and her progress has been absolutely incredible. She’s undergoing treatment for FCE (Fibrocartilaginous Embolism) and bilateral TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) surgeries. These conditions have had a significant impact on her mobility, but with the right therapy, she is making … Read more