This is important because the dog now relies on the surrounding musculature to support the hip; if the dog is not weight bearing, resulting muscle atrophy and shortening will greatly increase the time
of recovery and
decrease the
chances of a desirable return to function.
• Follow treatment and rehabilitation plans to minimize pain, speed up
recovery, optimize patient outcomes, and
decrease chances of infections and complications; communicate with patient's health care team about changes in status, symptoms, and pain levels.