Healing Paws in Providence offers rehab for pets

By: News Staff

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WEST WARWICK, R.I (WLNE) – Healing Paws in Providence offers all different types of rehab options for pets including an underwater treadmill, acupuncture and laser therapy.

"It’s prolonged her life, it’s helped her recuperation. We couldn’t be happier," said Dodd Schock.

Schock of West Warwick takes his beagle Sydney to the facility following her second back surgery.

The owner of the center, Dr. Jeff Corey tells ABC 6 that he believes they’re the only center of its kind here in Rhode Island.

"There’s a lot of conditions that we can help them out with,’ said Corey.

It’s very similar to a rehab facility you’d see for people. There are lots of medicine balls and mats. Corey says they mainly treat dogs, but have also helped cats and rabbits.

One major issue they help with is animals dealing with paralysis.

Maisey the cockapoo can’t use her back legs, but she showed off her skills scooting around in a wheel chair for ABC 6 during our visit.

Vet techs administered laser therapy on the almost four year old saying it’s a major help.

"It definitely helps with pain it helps speed healing and it also helps with endorphins," said Corey.

The facility helps a lot of older dogs dealing with arthritis.

We saw French mastiff, Ozzy, getting an acupuncture treatment. Dr. Corey explains it can to decrease pain.

"A lot of times these needles kind of talk to the nerves and it actually interrupts the signal that gets transmitted to the brain," said Corey.

He says for older pets… taking part in rehab can make a huge difference.

"You’re going to hopefully add an extra year hopefully two years to their life and it’s going to be a good quality of life as opposed to just moping around," said Corey.

Healing Paws typically treats about 40 to 50 animals at a time seeing anywhere for 8 to 10 a day.

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