How We Work
In-Home Canine Rehabilitation Across Melbourne and Geelong
We come to you
All rehabilitation sessions are delivered in your dog’s home environment to ensure clinical relevance and reduce stress-related interference. Treating dogs in their own space allows us to assess mobility on real-world surfaces such as floorboards, carpet, or outdoor terrain, and observe how your dog performs functional tasks like rising, turning, navigating stairs, or walking.
This approach eliminates the need for transport, which can be physically challenging for dogs with spinal injuries, recent orthopaedic surgery, dogs with pain, and seniors. It also reduces handling stress, supports calmer behaviour during treatment, and enables more consistent participation in therapeutic exercises.
By providing in-home care, we are able to customise treatment based on your dog’s environment, identify barriers to recovery (e.g. slippery floors, difficult transitions), and prescribe practical, condition-specific strategies to improve safety, mobility, and function where it matters most.
What to Expect During Treatment
At Paws4Paws, every treatment session is clinically guided and tailored to your dog’s individual presentation, goals, and environment. We provide structured, in-home rehabilitation designed to improve function, reduce pain, and promote long-term musculoskeletal and neurological health.
Initial Appointment
The first consultation includes a comprehensive functional assessment to evaluate:
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Gait pattern and postural alignment
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Joint range of motion and flexibility
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Muscle tone, mass, and symmetry
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Neurological function (e.g. proprioception, spinal reflexes, coordination)
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Soft tissue palpation to identify pain, restriction, or compensatory tension
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Functional movements such as sit-to-stand transitions, stair use, and mobility on different surfaces
Findings from this assessment guide the immediate selection of therapeutic techniques. If signs suggest a condition outside the scope of conservative management (e.g. unconfirmed spinal pathology or unexplored lameness), we’ll refer you back to your veterinarian to ensure safe, integrated care.
Ongoing Treatment
All rehabilitation is delivered in your home to maximise relevance and reduce stress. Treatment is highly individualised and evolves based on clinical progress, healing stage, and your dog’s response. Interventions may include:
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Manual therapy – including soft tissue mobilisation, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and joint techniques to restore range, reduce pain, and normalise biomechanics
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Therapeutic exercise – targeting strength, neuromuscular control, proprioception, balance, and movement coordination
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Laser therapy (PBMT) – to reduce inflammation, manage pain, and support tissue repair
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Stretching and range of motion work – active and passive, to maintain or restore mobility
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Home exercise program – clinically prescribed and demonstrated, reinforcing clinical goals between sessions
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Client education – on safe handling, environmental modifications, and activity pacing to promote consistent progress and prevent reinjury
Every treatment is outcome-driven and tailored to your dog’s specific condition — whether it’s post-operative recovery, a chronic joint disorder, a neurological condition, or age-related decline. We continually reassess and adjust your dog’s plan to ensure that therapy remains effective, measurable, and meaningful.
Your Canine Rehabilitation Journey Explained
We make canine rehabilitation simple, stress-free, and tailored to your dog. Here’s what to expect when you work with Paws4Paws.
1. Submit Your Dog’s Info
To begin, please complete our New Client Form and send your dog’s full veterinary history to sandra@paws4paws.com.au. This ensures we have all the background we need to provide safe, effective care.
2. Review of Case History
We carefully review your dog’s medical records and clinical background to ensure any therapy provided is tailored, informed, and aligned with your vet’s recommendations.
3. Initial Assessment + Treatment
Once your dog’s history is reviewed, we’ll schedule an in-home consultation. During this session, a comprehensive physical and neurological assessment is performed — including evaluation of posture, gait, joint range of motion, muscle tone, reflexes, proprioception, and soft tissue integrity. This thorough assessment allows us to identify functional deficits, establish clinical goals, and determine the most appropriate therapeutic approach. Initial treatment is provided during this session, guided by our findings and your dog’s individual needs.
4. Personalised Rehabilitation Plan
Following the assessment, a tailored rehabilitation plan is developed based on your dog’s clinical findings, medical history, age, and overall functional goals. The plan may include a combination of manual therapies (such as soft tissue mobilisation, massage techniques, joint mobilisation, and stretching), therapeutic laser therapy (PBMT) for pain management and tissue repair, and targeted therapeutic exercise to improve strength, stability, and range of motion.
5. Home Exercise Program
A targeted home exercise program is provided to support your dog’s rehabilitation between sessions. Exercises are selected based on your dog’s condition, functional goals, and capabilities, and may include mobility exercises, strengthening activities, balance work, proprioceptive training, gait re-education. Clear instructions and demonstrations are provided to ensure safe and effective execution. This program reinforces clinical progress and encourages long-term functional improvement.
6. Ongoing Therapy Sessions and Progress Review
We provide consistent, one-on-one therapy sessions in your home, adjusting treatment as your dog progresses. Sessions are outcome-focused and monitored, ensuring your dog receives the right care at each stage of recovery.