about rehab4dogs

rehab4dogs is a mobile canine (dog) rehabilitation service that assists dogs recovering from injury to regain as much function as possible. The services we offer assist your dog to become as independent as possible despite its disabilities. rehab4dogs also aims to teach you, the Owner, strategies for self managing your dog’s ongoing disabilities and maximising their potential.

rehab4dogs is a mobile service available for individual dog Owners, groups of dog Owners, Veterinary Clinics, Boarding Facilities and Breeders. 

To arrange for sessions (in Melbourne or Interstate) or if you require further information please call Monika on 0407 799 751 or email info@rehab4dogs.com.au.

hello from our therapist 

Monika Alston - qualified Canine Myofunctional Therapist (CMT) and Small Animal Bowen Therapist.

Monika Alston is the founder of rehab4dogs. Through personal sports injuries as well as injuries presented by her own dogs Monika has been an avid supporter of maximising full function and mobility. Monika has been involved with dogs for over 15 years and is a trained Canine Myofunctional Therapist and Small Animal Bowen Therapist with her focus being on quality of life for all dogs through pain management and restoring ‘normal’ function.

Monika has a special interest in post-operative/injury rehabilitation and pain management. Using CMT and tailored rehabilitation exercises , she re-trains dogs to re-establish ‘normal’ function and movement encompassing both the physical and psychological aspects of rehabilitation.

When asked what her drive is when working with dogs Monika says, ‘it is the satisfaction of seeing a dog, previously limited by in its range of motion, being able to move with a sense of ease, confidence and joy. To have an injured or arthritic dog with an increase in range of motion and decrease in pain is the best possible outcome.’

what is canine (dog) rehabilitation? 

Rehabilitation is a program that aids recovery from illness, injury or surgery. The aim is for the dog to become as independent as possible despite its disabilities. Rehabilitation also teaches ways in which to deal with ongoing disabilities. 

How can this be achieved? Most people would say ‘through massage and exercise’ however this is only part of the picture. rehab4dogs believes the ability to be restored to former function or movement after injury is a combination of not just physical but also psychological strategy.

A dog injured or in pain while moving a particular way learns to adapt. The dog will compensate creating a cascade of adjustments which could eventually compromise the whole body. It could then suffer from not only the original injury but injuries that arise as a result of these compensations. In some instances this leads to surgical intervention. 

For a dog with a surgical history (cruciate ligament repair, hip replacement etc), muscle therapy is part of the strategy employed. Where the dog develops a mental block about using the injured limb, refusing to weight bear for example, we need to create an environment for the dog to overcome this barrier. 

rehab4dogs through a combination of specifically tailored rehabilitation exercises, utilising various equipment, creates an environment whereby the dog is encouraged to rely on its instinctive ability to deal with that environment.

Engaging the dog in physical and mental aspects of rehabilitation, rehab4dogs’ strategies assist in the prevention of undue stress on other areas of the body and minimise possible further complications at a later stage.