TotalFit Animal Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine

11/02/2026

Winnie is proof that a diagnosis doesn’t have to define a dog’s future.

Winnie was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart condition that makes her unable to safely undergo surgery. When she tore her cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), surgical repair wasn’t an option.

Instead, we developed a conservative management plan focused on pain control, strengthening, and restoring function.

And she’s doing GREAT!

Winnie’s story is a reminder that even when surgery isn’t an option, there are still ways to improve mobility, manage pain, and give dogs the opportunity to live happy, active lives. She was referred to us by NC State Veterinary Medicine who also manages her heart condition. ❤️

10/22/2026

Annie came to TotalFit several months after a suspected intervertebral disc extrusion left her paralyzed in both hind limbs and unable to walk independently. Annie did not undergo surgery and came to us for rehabilitation with the goal of regaining function.

After six weeks of rehabilitation, including therapeutic exercise, laser therapy, and PEMF, Annie regained the ability to independently walk using her hind limbs functionally! With dedicated care and owner support, she has made incredible progress. We are so proud of Annie’s recovery!

10/14/2026

Nala had an encounter with a coyote and it left her with a wrist injury, she spent several months in a splint and developed a reluctance to use the affected limb.

At TotalFit, our focus is on improving Nala’s comfort, encouraging weight-bearing, and gradually rebuilding functional use of her wrist.

Her rehabilitation plan includes therapeutic laser, PEMF therapy, gentle range-of-motion exercises, and carefully guided weight-bearing activities. We’re also exploring custom bracing options to provide additional support and stability as she progresses.

Our goal is to help Nala move more comfortably, improve limb function, and give her the best opportunity to return to using her wrist in everyday life.

10/07/2026

Denali tore her second CCL…. She can’t have surgery right now so we are making a cast for a custom brace. Braces are not one size fits all. Custom braces help to reduce complications and are made to fit. Bracing is not for every patient and certainly not for every CCL tear. But sometimes it can help bridge the gap! Stay tuned when the brace comes in we will go over fit and how she’s getting along in it!!

10/02/2026

Slow and Steady wins the race. Baxter tore his CCL and had surgery 3 weeks ago. We are working on gentle exercises to get him range of motion and strength back 💪🏼

09/23/2026

09/16/2026

Lumbosacral (LS) disease can be easy to miss.

LS disease affects the lower spine where the lumbar spine meets the sacrum, potentially causing pain and irritation of the nerves that supply the hind limbs and tail.

In Odin’s case, his signs are subtle — which is exactly why these cases can be challenging to recognize. Small changes such as reluctance to jump, difficulty with certain movements, stiffness, or subtle hind-limb weakness can be early clues.
Our rehab plan is focused on improving core strength, hind-limb strength, spinal mobility, and overall body control while incorporating appropriate stretching and targeted exercises.

The important takeaway: subtle does not mean insignificant.

LS disease can require a thorough orthopedic and neurologic evaluation to recognize, and advanced imaging may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

If you notice changes in how your dog moves, jumps, rises, or uses their back legs, don’t wait for the signs to become severe.

09/11/2026

Winnie tore her CCL and, unfortunately, was not a candidate for surgery. So we took a different approach: conservative management — and she and her owner have been putting in work.

Over the past couple of months, Winnie has been building strength, improving stability, and learning how to move better with her injury.

Conservative management isn’t simply “waiting and hoping it gets better.” It takes the right plan, consistency, patience, and a whole lot of work from both the patient and their person.

Keep strutting!

09/08/2026

T. Rex & Dega are on the road to recovery!

Both T. Rex and Dega recently had TPLO surgery at Bedrock in Cornelius, and their surgeries went great! Bedrock Veterinary Specialists They both came to see us at TotalFit for their 1-week post-op check, and we’re so happy with how they’re doing.

Now the real work begins! 💪 We’re already working on their recovery with massage, gentle range-of-motion (ROM) exercises of the knee, and other early rehabilitation techniques to support healing, maintain mobility, and help them safely rebuild strength.

Sending all the healing vibes to T. Rex and Dega! ❤️ We can’t wait to watch these two get stronger every step of the way!