Pawsitive Canine Health

08/08/2024

05/08/2024

Sadly Pawsitive suffered another loss yesterday with the passing of our little old man Mac. At 15years old he was one of the reasons Hannah originally looked into rehabilitation for dogs. At 5years old he had an accident which lead to his carpus (wrist joint) being fused and plated. Unfortunately there was no options around our local area to support once this surgery was completed, and thus the idea for Pawsitive Canine Health began to take shape. Mac was a loyal, sweet and stoic dog known best for swinging his little robot arm at you to beg for pats. He was very loved and will be very missed by the Pawsitive family. RIP Mackie Moo say Hi to Mumma for us 🌈🐾

31/07/2024

What a handsome doggo Banjo is!

And in true working breed style, he understood his job on the treadmill in a mere 5 seconds - a new record!

Banjo partially ruptured his cranial cruciate ligament (the ligament that holds the knee stable) and came in to see us after a little bit of rest. Partial ruptures are able to repair themselves, and with careful management and rehabilitation that is certainly our hope with Banjo!

30/07/2024

We'll add ours in comments!

25/07/2024

Time to meet Buddy ❤️
Generally, when we do introductory posts about our clients, we tend to do them within a few weeks of them starting with us, but Buddy's story starts back in February.
It has been a long, slow road, but he is a testament to dedication, love and what that can do.

When Buddy first came to see us with his owner, he had had spinal surgery and he had unfortunately not recovered his ability to walk at that point. On his first visit, Buddy was non-ambulant; meaning he couldn't walk on his own at all, and even his toileting was out of his control. He did have some control of the front limbs, but not the hind.

For Buddy to receive hydrotherapy and try to maintain his muscles while re-training his brain to walk, it required both of us in the tank with him; one to support his body weight up the front and one to "walk" the back legs for him.

Over the next few months, there were good days and harder days, days where he seemed to be feeling more pain so his sessions were cut short, and then days when we could feel him moving those hind legs by himself, even if only for thirty seconds at a time.

Throughout this, his owner has continued to support Buddy in every way, helping him with physiotherapy at home, cleaning up after him and always loving him.

And today, Buddy walked all by himself for an entire session. We remain with him in the tank as back up, but we are no longer carrying his weight nor walking his back legs for him. He proudly walks in our door to greet us, even enjoying having a sniff around as he's never been able to before.

If you had told us back in February where we would be now, I don't know if we could have believed it. It's enough to make you want to cry tears of joy, because Buddy is the absolute sweetest of boys and we are so happy to see this outcome for him.
A testament to the power of love, dedication and never giving up! Five and a half months is a long time, but for mans best friend, and especially Buddy, we'd do it again and again.

17/07/2024

Hello sweet Emma!

Emma has recently had TPLO surgery on her cruciate ligament, a very commonly injured body part! What is also quite common is the second cruciate needing repair, and this is Emma's case - albeit a little sooner than what we usually hear of!

It's fantastic though to be able to get her in so soon after her first surgery, and the gentle exercise and warm water can help the second cruciate while it awaits repair.

13/07/2024

Come on down today to Macksville Vets to check out our great range of enrichment toys and more! Not to mention the other awesome small businesses who'll also be there 10-2 :)

26/06/2024

Meet Waanji!

A super amazing and intelligent girl, who, unfortunately has hip dysplasia and is now post-Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO). This is a fairly major surgery, as it involves the removal of the femoral head and neck (think the ball of the hip joint).
Thankfully Waanji took to the treadmill like a duck to water, and didn't bat an eye!

21/06/2024

In the early hours of yesterday morning the Pawsitive Team suffered the loss of our matriarch Mumma. Thank you to all the understanding clients who we were able to cancel at short notice. And we appreciate everyone's patience as we grieve, we will return messages and calls as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding. 💔🌈

04/06/2024

Behold, the gorgeous Mr. Baxter! He definitely wins the award for the most glorious beard ever 🧙‍♂️ he even gives Gandalf a run for his money.

Baxter has been struggling lately with some rear end weakness, but after a few weeks of hydrotherapy and Antinol, he's been feeling more spritely and playing more again

27/05/2024

Wanting to share some of your dinner with your pooch? Check out this updated list to see what's actually ok and what's definitely not. Be sure to check the asterisks at the bottom for some extra tips.

Here’s a corrected infographic to help fix the popular but incorrect meme that has been circulating on social media this last month.
Please DON’T post “But I’ve heard X food is toxic” in the comments, rather, post the research studies (not links to outdated dog websites or blogs that haven’t bothered to clarify their poorly written material) about foods that have been declared “toxic” if consumed by pets with no science to back up the claim.
When you spend time searching the literature for toxicology studies on the feeding of fresh fruits and veggies to pets you come up shockingly empty-handed. AAFCO/FEDIAF state we should not feed these foods to pets: onions, grapes/raisins, macadamia nuts and chocolate. Those studies exist, but that’s it. 4 foods.
Compare that to never ending TOXIC/DON’T FEED lists found all over social media and it’s so confusing; even worse, people share these posts without doing any research.
There’s a big difference between feeding a giant pit in a fruit (or a wad of bark or leaves) and feeding normal amounts the actual edible fruit or veggie; same goes for your two-legged kids. Toddlers and pets need to have the rinds, cores, seeds, leaves, stems and pits of fruits removed prior to eating, and all fruits and veggies need to be chopped into tiny, bite-sized pieces. Common sense, right?
I believe pet parents also have some common sense and won’t offer rinds, pits or cores to their pets as treats; AKC and ASPCA, please update or clarify your out-of-date website info 🙏🏼.
Suggestion for pet websites discussing feeding real foods: put a * by foods that have a rind, pit, core or stem. Remind folks training treats should less than 10% of an animal’s daily calories, and if your pet has never had the new food before, always feed them slowly, giving the GI tract time to adjust. Chop them into tiny pieces and offer in moderation.
It’s time to declare common sense for the win; pet parents aren’t idiots, so it’s time we stop perpetuating fear-based myths and denying animals the fresh food treats they deserve. 🫐🍎🍒🍑🥭🥑🥝🥦🥬🥕🍌🥚🥒🍆🥥🍉🐾

22/05/2024

❄️It may only still be May, but winter is HERE! But that doesn't mean the beach walks have to stop because the doggos will be cold and wet on the way home.

Ruff & Tumble drying coats will have your pooch all toasty and warm 🔥 and help contain any sand or dirt they want to fling around. The double layered cotton means the moisture is wicked away from the dogs coat, and the extra neck length keeps even more of the dogs body warm! And they aren't just for keeping dogs dry, they are soft and can double as a regular cold-weather coat too 🧥

We have a huge range of colours and sizes in stock, you can check out our website or shoot us a message for more information!
Photo features the "Sandringham Blue" colour

20/05/2024

Introducing little Panda!

Currently in care after being rescued as a youngster, Panda unfortunately had a front limb amputation following complications that resulted from a worm infestation as a very young pup.

Amputations for dogs, being tetrapods (four legged) rather than bipedal like humans, can have quite different effects on the body, depending on which limb is lost. Having lost a front limb, Panda is now carrying about 60% of her bodyweight on the one front leg remaining, so we want to help support that leg as much as possible to keep functioning as normally as possible and try to prevent arthritis as she ages.

Having a front limb amputee in the treadmill was a whole new experience for us, but Panda blew us away with her resilience and ability!
Shout out to DM Rescue, a local rescue group we love supporting and helping out with these free sessions

02/05/2024

We've all been there!

23/04/2024

Introducing Vonnie!
She is such a sweet lady, and she always gives her best!
It's our goal to build a safe and comfortable place for your dogs to come, and sometimes we have to switch up the usual to do this. Vonnie prefers us to walk with her on the treadmill, as opposed to the usual support stance, and if that makes her comfortable - we'll do it!

18/04/2024

💅 Nails, arguably one of the harder parts of being a dog owner is regular nail maintenance, and we get it! With busy work and family lives, add in a dog who doesn't co-operate and it becomes a mammoth task.
That said, appropriate nail length is super important for a dogs proper gait (walk) and long nails can have adverse effects. If you have a dog who is a little difficult to do yourself, it might be worth ringing groomers or vet clinics to discuss options.
For those who might just lack the confidence to use nail cutters, but your dog co-operates (like Arlais in the photo) a nail grinder might be the way to go. We use the Ozito cordless rotary tool.

16/04/2024

What words do you have to s-p-e-l-l around your doggos?
We've had a Labrador that got so good, we had to abbreviate walk to just "W" and huskies that learnt how to spell beach 😂

09/04/2024

Those afternoon beach walks are getting a little bit chillier these days, and we have the perfect solution. Ruff and Tumble coats are so snuggly and warm and perfect for the after walk wind down.
Pawsitive hydrotherapy clients enjoy a $10 discount on our Ruff and Tumble coat range, and we can fit dogs from tiny chihuahua to massive Newfoundlands! And the range of colours will suit everybody 🌈
Check out the range on our website, locals can pick up from our location in Wingara Drive.

13/03/2024

Introducing the Grand Old Dame, Darcy!

Managing the aches and pains of ageing canines is something we love doing, there is just something special about seniors! But we think you'd be blown away when you find out Darcy's age 🤯

We'd love to hear your guesses!

05/03/2024

Tongues out Tuesday for Teddy!

For this gentle older doggo, old age has brought with it spondylosis, a degenerative condition that affects the vertebrae along the spine. It's not uncommon, and something that we humans can experience as well.
Unlike humans though, dogs are good at hiding their discomfort and small behavioural changes like not wanting to chase a ball, or not wanting to jump up on the bed like they used to, can indicate you might need a veterinary check up.

Teddy's owners are on the ball, and so far he's responding very well to his hydrotherapy, with an increased pep in his step!

28/02/2024

No microfibre here 🙅

The best thing about Ruff & Tumble drying coats? The cotton! We know there are a few other drying coats on the market, but most are made of microfibre - meaning yes they are cheaper, but they are less absorbent - not to mention can be a sensory nightmare for some people!

Ruff & Tumble coats will have your dog mostly dry by the time you drive home from the beach, and features either soft cotton or in the case of the Beach and Harbour colours - a velour top.

With Autumn and cooler days on the way, check out our website for the range of Ruff and Tumble coats we stock. Hydrotherapy clients also receive a $10 discount on any coat

22/02/2024

Guess the breed!
Xiomara was so excited to be at hydro, that she didn't sit still long enough for a photo!

She's currently visiting us for some conditioning before she goes to compete in the Sydney Royal Easter show in March. Xiomara often visits along with either her Mum, Zelda or her Aunt, Yeta.

13/02/2024

Happy Valentines to all the wonderful doggos out there! ❤️❤️

07/02/2024

Physical exercise is good, but it's not the only way to exercise a dog....this is a great post!

🧠 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀 🐕

👉🏽 A super common misconception for active dogs is that your have to physically exhaust them regularly to keep them satisfied and out of trouble.

😯 But did you know that you are far more likely to mentally exhaust a dog before you can physically exhaust them, especially if they are a working breed.

🧠 Problem solving skills are seriously underrated for dogs. Not only can problem solving skills develop a dog’s impulse control and patience, but it can seriously develop confidence.

🧩 Have you ever solved a rubrics cube, finished a bazillion piece puzzle or worked out a complex riddle?

😁 Let’s just say the satisfaction is REAL! This is no different to our dogs. Having success after working hard on a problem is so uplifting and motivating.

➡️ There are SO many ways to mentally challenge a dog. Think enrichment puzzles, treat dispensers or food enrichment puzzles like KONG rubber.

💪🏽 You can even go full DIY and create easy problem solving puzzles from items at home. For example, hiding treats in empty boxes.

🙌🏽 Another awesome way to mentally stimulate your dog is training! The best sessions are short and fun, 3 minutes a day as a start.

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗴?

🏃🏼 Physical exercise is incredibly important for our dogs to keep their bodies fit and healthy, but incorporating mental stimulation into their schedule will help keep their mind healthy too.

✅ Some important factors to consider:

☝🏽Not all dogs know how to learn. You have to teach them to learn. You can do this by starting super easy and helping them through it and progress difficultly as they get the hang of it.

☝🏽Patience is important! You will probably want to jump in and take over just like dad did on your 6th grade science assignment. However, for your dog to have problem solving skills, they need to solve problems. Encourage and assist them, but let them do the work.

☝🏽Always keep it fun. If your dog doesn’t understand something, just breath and help them through it. You want to make sure the experience is fun.

🧩 The sky is the limit with enrichment. Get creative and keep it interesting.

➡️ What cool mental enrichment ideas do you have?

06/02/2024

Welcoming Mr. Cosmo to the crew!

This guy is spunky and has a good amount of drive to work, taking to the treadmill like a duck to water, we have every hope that hydrotherapy will help out his luxating patellae.

Also got to love the little teefie smile he gave us for this photo!