Canine physical therapist Courtney Arnoldy works with Stella, a year-old border collie, on an underwater treadmill. Stella is a stray belonging to the Wisconsin Border Collie Rescue. She suffers a malunion of her femur -- a previous broken bone rotated in the socket and healed incorrectly. The treadmill, acquired by the School of Veterinary Medicine in May, uses water to support a dog's weight as it walks and is used to help dogs regain leg use after orthopedic or neurologic problems, or surgery. In this case, the goal of physical therapy, says Arnoldy, is "to give the dog enough range of motion for the leg to be functional, and then she'll start using it on her own and build up muscle mass." Image credit: Michael Forster Rothbart Photo date: June 2006

Canine physical therapist Courtney Arnoldy works with Stella, a year-old border collie, on an underwater treadmill. Stella is a stray belonging to the Wisconsin Border Collie Rescue and cared for by Julie Horner (left). Stella suffers a malunion of her femur -- a previous broken bone rotated in the socket and healed incorrectly. The treadmill, acquired by the School of Veterinary Medicine in May, uses water to support a dog's weight as it walks and is used to help dogs regain leg use after orthopedic or neurologic problems, or surgery. In this case, the goal of physical therapy, says Arnoldy, is "to give the dog enough range of motion for the leg to be functional, and then she'll start using it on her own and build up muscle mass." Image credit: Michael Forster Rothbart Photo date: June 2006

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