What is unique about Equilibrium's services?
Every visit is with Dr. Budiselic and she is present for the duration of the appointment and is happy to chat about your dog's condition and answer your questions during that time. Visits range from 30 min to 1 hr and billing is done based on time, so there are no surprise charges unless you purchase a product or supplement. Pain and function is assessed every visit. Rather than prescribing a package of selected modalities, Dr. Budiselic selects and performs the therapies your pet needs that day. Reports from each visit are sent back to your selected team including the referring DVM, and Dr. Budiselic communicates any pertinent information back to your pet's team.
Is rehabilitation expensive?
Everyone comes in with a specific budget in mind, and there are options for everyone. We can discuss your concerns during our initial visit. Depending on each case, your pet may benefit from short term care (ie. a few months following knee surgery for example) vs. longer term care for chronic conditions (ie. intervertebral disc disease or osteoarthritis for example). Estimates are provided for longer term care. Motivated clients, willing to do "homework" and comply with recommendations are more likely to benefit more from their pet's rehabilitation plan, and this can affect the cost of care, meaning fewer visits in select cases. Rehabilitation visits spread far apart (2 or so months) are often not ideal from a therapy standpoint unless the patient is stable and we are just monitoring a condition. Insurance options are also available for rehabilitation, and can be helpful. Contact your insurance provider for details.
Do you have an underwater treadmill?
No, but we do cooperate with other facilities if you are an existing client who would like to pursue this modality for your fur friend. New clients specifically requesting treadmill therapy are encouraged to book in at an appropriate facility.
I have heard from others that rehab doesn't always work in some cases. Is this true?
When rehab "doesn't work" it is more likely for a variety of reasons including: 1. The patient would more likely have benefited from surgery vs. conservative (non-surgical) management and too much expectation was placed on the rehabilitation plan in general. 2. The rehabilitation plan was modality based (meaning, just one or two modalities like laser or treadmill were applied) rather than based on the patient's underlying pain and dysfunction (what we call the rehabilitation pyramid). As much as a modality can/may help, there are no quick fixes in rehab! 3. Concurrent issues may not have been managed (like weight issues, other joint problems). Failure to manage concurrent issues can complicate the success of rehab. 4. Home, client and patient factors were not ideal. Home modification is important, as well as reining yourself in (the client) and the patient. Failure to do so results in delayed healing or cycles of breakthrough pain for the patient and continued dysfunction. 5. Pain may not have been managed appropriately. If pain is not managed, it is difficult to execute even the most perfectly designed rehabilitation plan.
Do you practice regular medicine?
No, with the exception of very minor procedures (wound care relating to post op procedures, nail trims, suture or staple removal and prescribing/recommending pain medications or other supplements), Dr. Budiselic's scope of practice is limited to rehabilitation only. The field of rehabilitation and pain management keeps her on her toes, and there are constantly new developments to stay on top of, so this keeps her busy enough! Your fur friend remains in the care of your family care provider, as well as with any emergency or immediate issues relating to health concerns.
How did Dr. Budiselic get involved in rehab? What was her path?
This is best answered by the Doc herself! "Interestingly enough I applied to the Physical Therapy (PT) Program at the University of Manitoba after completing my Biology Degree (Hons BSc from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay). I applied on a whim, realizing I likely wouldn't get in because I didn't have the requirements. No, I was not accepted! I had the desire to learn more about how the brain and body function together after my mom suffered a series of very serious head injuries when I was a teenager. My mom is my hero. I got into the DVM program at the University of Saskatchewan years later, with a definite plan to study acupuncture of all things. When I graduated, I was working in equine practice, and rehabilitation was hitting it's stride in my area. I wanted to learn more about rehabilitation so I did my equine certification first. I later worked with a few talented PT's in canine rehabilitation and this changed my veterinary brain's way of thinking. I started to see the body from a "functional" perspective. After I broke my leg in 2013, I truly appreciated the value of physical rehabilitation (a variety of PT's, athletic therapists and chiropractors helped patch me back together, and now I am training to run my first set of ultramarathons in 2019). Getting certified as a human personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist gave me more of an appreciation for functional medicine. I am a continuing education junkie and see no harm in constantly striving to improve my skill set and the services I deliver to my amazing clients."
Do you recommend or use CBD oil?
Canadian veterinarians have their hands tied with current legislation. As of this website update (December 2018), we cannot legally recommend, prescribe, or sell CBD oil to our patients. The CVMA has given us some lee-way to help clients mitigate risk however, so when clients do put their dogs on it, we may ask you the following questions so you can be informed of our concerns: 1. Is the product VETERINARY, Canadian made, reputable, and has the company been around for a while? Products from a reputable company will likely be available in months to come vs. you having to source a new product from a start up company that failed to comply with legislation. Being veterinary means the company should control the THC content to negligible amounts. Being Canadian means you will not get in trouble importing a banned substance across the border. 2. Does the company TEST it's product and willingly provide that data including content of CBD vs. THC, and other chemicals including pesticides? It's even better if this is posted on their web-page without you having to ask for it. You want to know what is in the product in case of an adverse reaction, and the presence of other contaminants may be harmful to your pet. 3. Is dosing provided on the label and can your DVM determine, from that label, if the dose is appropriate for your pet? As a caring pet guardian, make it your mission to contact any company you are interested in and ask for the information outlined above, and if they can't provide it, consider purchasing product from another company.
Did you know, that because CBD is natural and available online and in many health food or pet stores, that it should not be considered "SAFE"? You should be aware that even the best formulation of CBD has the potential to increase production of liver enzymes as it forces the liver to work a little harder. This is not good for patients with liver disease, so if your pet has liver issues, you should contact your DVM to discuss this issue before starting CBD. Any "normal" animal on CBD should be tested within a few weeks of starting CBD to check liver enzymes. Also, some veterinarians using products free of THC have reported symptoms similar to marijuana toxicity, suggesting the products were not actually free of THC (in other words, buyer beware). Always let your veterinarian know if your dog is on CBD just so it is on their radar for reasons mentioned above. If you have any other specific questions pertaining to the above information, please contact your DVM. Please do not email me specifically with your questions unless you are an existing client.
I am a human health professional or veterinarian and I am interested in becoming more involved with animal rehabilitation. Where do I start?
Fantastic! You are encouraged to pursue your passion, but you should check-in with your governing association to see what special interest group or learning opportunities are available to you and contact others in your profession with similar training to get their opinions and advice on moving forward. You may also want to see if there are limitations or restrictions on how you can practice in your area before spending time and money on courses. If you are a veterinarian with similar background to Dr. Budiselic, you can check out the "About" page and research the institutions Dr. Budiselic obtained her credentialing from. Dr. Budiselic apologizes that she can no longer answer personal queries pertaining to this question, thus you have been directed to this FAQ page if you have emailed her.
Could I spend some time working with you, to see what you do?
Dr. Budiselic is currently only taking on rehabilitation specific externs/interns (Canine Rehabilitation Institute) trained as veterinarians or physical therapists for the purposes of accumulating training hours. Mentorship of Veterinary or PT students of the IVAPM's CVPP program will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Residents, or interns from specialized university programs are also welcome to spend time with her. Dr. Budiselic is currently not training local (Calgary and area) veterinarians or animal health technicians for the purposes of rehabilitation certification.