Physical therapist applies human techniques to help ‘man’s best friend’

Kikin, a 12 year-old Labrador retriever is taking cold laser therapy. March. 3, 2018.

By Xinyi (Ethel) Jiang
Medill Reports

Kikin – a Labrador retriever – is 12 years old, but in dog years, he is an old man in his eighties.

Every week, Kikin comes to ARFit dog therapy center for a special treatment. Therapist Tod Miner is helping Kikin walk better again. To do it, he’s applying his experience doing physical therapy on people.

Kikin’s owner Beatriz Triqueros says she likes physical therapy because it has fewer side effects and Kikin is responding well to it.

“We want him to be happy, to jump, to run, and not to be afraid of anything,” said Triqueros. “So he is a happy dog and we love him to death.”

Photo at top: Kikin, a 12-year-old Labrador retriever is taking a cold laser therapy. March. 3, 2018. (Xinyi Jiang/MEDILL)