BARC News

BARC now offers:

Home Visits - We bring our expertise to you, including evaluations,

acupuncture, cart fitting and therapy.

Patient Transportation - We pick up your pet for day boarding and/or rehabilitation

services at our clinic and deliver them safely back home.

Patient Spotlight: Enzo Gill

Enzo is an Italian Greyhound and at 3 years 8 months, he was full of life and energy bounding from one place to the other with ease. Unfortunately, in mid-December he decided that he could jump over a fence at his daycare and got his foot stuck. He was rescued quickly but had suffered some spinal trauma as a result and was paralyzed in his back legs. After a visit with the neurologist and an MRI it was determined that there wasn’t anything to be repaired surgically and that the best outcome would require significant rehabilitation. Enzo’s family was referred to BARC for treatment and his results have been nothing short of amazing.

When Enzo was first evaluated at BARC on December 27th 2017 he was non-ambulatory, unable to urinate on his own and occasionally would yelp if touched in certain places on his spine. He did not have proprioception in his hind limbs (proprioception is the ability to know where his feet are, the test for this was to place him standing on the tops of his back feet and see if he knew to turn them back over…..he did not), he did however have good withdrawal in both hind limbs (when we pinched his toes he would pull his leg back). His owners learned how to help him urinate manually and used a sling to help him get around. After our initial evaluation we were positive that we could get Enzo walking again. His owners were hopeful and wanted him to have treatment every day to give him his best chance at recovery.

Enzo came to BARC every day and we worked on improving his proprioception in his hind limbs, used electro-acupuncture to help improve nerve conductivity and reduce pain, treated him with cold LASER to decrease inflammation and improve healing, and worked on getting him to actively use his hind legs. Once he stared getting some mobility back we started him in the underwater treadmill, at first getting in with him to help him pattern his legs, but after a while he was able to advance them on his own. He still has a little delay in his left back leg and will occasionally drag it, but we are continuing to work with him and have no doubt that in time he will be back running with his buddies in the Italian Greyhound club. Way to go Enzo we are so proud to have been a part of your recovery and are happy to see you back on your feet!!!

Service Spotlight: The Assisi Loop® - Targeted Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field Therapy (tPEMF)

The Assisi Loop® is an FDA-cleared Non-Pharmaceutical, Anti-Inflammatory Device (NPAID®) that is used as a non-invasive treatment to reduce pain and swelling. The device has no known side effects or adverse reactions so it is considered a very safe alternative to using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The Assisi Loop® works by delivering targeted low-level pulses of electromagnetic energy (tPEMF) that accelerates the natural anti-inflammatory activity of the body and helps promote blood flow, thus enhancing healing and stimulating cellular repair. The Assisi Loop® can provide treatment without direct skin contact and works through wraps, dressings, casts and non-metallic splints. For rehabilitation, it can be used safely in conjunction with laser therapy, acupuncture, and any current pain and anti-inflammatory medications.

At BARC, we use the Assisi Loop® as a modality in therapy for treating a diverse range of conditions including:

Osteoarthritis
Orthopedic injuries
Degenerative disorders
Neurological issues
Soft tissue trauma
Post-operative pain & swelling
Inflammatory conditions
Wound care

The Assisi Loop® is also available by prescription through a veterinarian for use at home. You can keep the Assisi Loop on your pet with the help of the Assisi LOOP-AID® Torso Wrap! An accessory that was designed to provide convenience for the pet owner and enhance mobility for the pet during treatment. The LOOP-Aid is available in a variety of sizes.

Ask us if an Assisi Loop® would benefit your pet!

Get To Know Dr. Erin Bukofsky, PT, DPT

Where are you from? I was raised in Encino, CA but now I live in Laguna Beach.

What do you like to do when not at work? I love reading, relaxing by the beach and hiking along the southern California coastline

Favorite color? Purple

Favorite food? That’s a tough one. I would say Mexican food, sushi, pizza, and a cheeseburger with fries.

What got you interested in working in rehab? I have always had a love for animals and had a goal of working in the animal field since I was young. I gained a passion for canine rehabilitation immediately after beginning work as an animal rehabilitation assistant at Dr. Kramer’s first animal rehab clinic. I left the facility after two years to pursue my physical therapy degree and could not wait to get back to healing my furry friends once I completed the PT program. I find animals to be very therapeutic to my soul. They give me therapy, so I want to give them therapy. Pets give us so much joy yet they don’t even realize it or ask for anything in return. I love being able to give back by providing them with comfort and peace when they are in need.

What is a fun fact about yourself? I’ve been skydiving...and I have a hilarious yet embarrassing video to prove it!

Have you been on any fun or unusual vacation spots? I went on a cruise to Alaska with my family when I was young and went trekking on a glacier, including along ravines that dropped hundreds of miles into the earth! I also traveled around Europe with my family when I was young as we traced my grandfather’s footsteps as a soldier in WWII.

Dr. Elizabeth Craig, DVM, CVA

Tips On How To Bed-rest A Dog

It’s happened, not only has your dog received an injury that results in pain, inflammation and stressful vet visits but the doctor also ordered exercise restriction. But you can’t explain it to your excitable pet that they need to be quiet and calm or else the ouchie gets worse. So how do you keep them “active” when they can’t be?

Exercise restriction does not mean no exercise or no interaction, it just means we must get creative and modify interactions to give Gracie, Simon, Sophie or Karma different stimulation while allowing the body to heal. These are a series of ideas that you can do with your pet to help lessen the tension of restriction but also increase the number of positive interactions and closer bonding with your friend. Try rotating through different components on a regular random basis to keeps things refreshing. The goal is to help provide positive mental stimulation as they recover.... continue reading