Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT

Veterinary experts reframe exercise as a true therapeutic tool, showing how smarter, dose-aware movement can elevate postoperative care, chronic pain management, and performance in everyday practice.

From NSAIDs and rehabilitation to shockwave therapy and platelet-rich plasma, Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, outlines practical strategies for managing canine forelimb lameness.

Struggling to localize forelimb lameness? This Q&A with Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, breaks down clinical clues, diagnostic pitfalls, and strategies for evaluating complex cases.

Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, New York, outlines a systematic 5-step approach—from patient history to diagnostic imaging—to help veterinarians work up forelimb lameness and guide treatment planning.

Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, discusses the most exciting advances in treating forelimb lameness.

Improving outcomes for treating forelimb lameness depends on owner compliance, explains Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, service head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York.

Collagen-supporting ingredients and antioxidants may help address the broader “joint organ” in dogs with osteoarthritis and soft tissue injuries as part of multimodal management, according to Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT.

Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, describes when NSAIDs work—and when they don’t—in forelimb lameness.

"Sixty percent of a dog's body weight is on the forelimbs," explains Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, in this video.

Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, service head of the Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, explains how to spot shoulder, elbow, carpal, and knuckle pain in dogs using easy gait and stance clues.

Treating exotic animals comes with unique challenges, but a collaborative approach and noninvasive therapies can make a world of difference

Integrative therapies like pulsed electromagnetic field therapy and shockwave therapy are game changers for pets recovering from neurologic injuries, according to Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR

Have you had a lameness case that wouldn’t get better? It could be a good time to try a different approach