Four Paws Fitness

31/10/2024

🎃DONT FORGET YOUR PETS THIS HALLOWEEN🎃

With today being Halloween, that brings with it fireworks season. This is one of the most stressful times for our dogs.

Fireworks can be really fun for us but incredibly frightening for our dogs, especially since they are susceptible to loud and sudden noises which can cause pain in their ears.

More than half our pets will show signs of fear during fireworks, but we often don’t give it consideration until it’s too late.

Your dog need not suffer, here are some useful tips to help you plan ahead and ensure your beloved companion feels safe throughout the fireworks season.

31/10/2024

🎃 Happy Halloween 🎃

16/10/2024

When you are definitely absolutely not allowed to reschedule a regular weekly appointment to later in the day…🐾

I just told him his physio isn’t until this afternoon, it’s always in the morning 😬😬

Four Paws Fitness

02/10/2024

Please keep your pups on lead - tiny babies may be out and about! 🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛🐾

Just a reminder to keep your dogs on a lead until they are in the Dog Park/Field/Training/Physio - we have some babies!

We believe they are feral, mum is with them but until we can make sure they are safe, please keep your dogs on leads.

03/09/2024

Albert showing GREAT enthusiasm for his at home physio exercises 😂

12/08/2024

Attended a very interesting CPD event last week, learning about .vet orthotics 🐾

Thank you .uk and 🐾

30/07/2024

Finally some research to support conservative management of IVDD in dogs! 🎉🐾

Over the past couple of years, some of you may have heard of the Cambridge Vet School non-surgical IVDD study. The results have just been published. It’s a great write-up and quite groundbreaking!

Dogs unable to walk due to disc extrusion (IVDD) were cared for WITHOUT surgery. They had an MRI scan at the start of the study and another MRI scan after 12 weeks. These scans helped to make the diagnosis, and they also showed how compressed (squashed) the spinal cord was in each case.

The big questions were:
❓How many of these dogs would start walking again without having had surgery?
❓How compressed was each dog’s spinal cord at the start of the study?
❓Were they still just as compressed at the end of the study, 12 weeks later?

Results were interesting and included the following:
✅Out of the dogs that had deep pain sensation, NEARLY ALL of them (49 of 51 dogs, 96%) started walking again within 12 weeks. Most of them walked much sooner than this.
✅Out of those with NO deep pain sensation, nearly half of them (10 of 21 dogs, 48%) started walking again within 12 weeks. That’s WITHOUT surgery.
✅Spinal cord compression reduced in some dogs over the 12 week study period. That’s despite not having had surgery to remove the disc material that caused this compression.
✅Many dogs started walking again despite the fact that their spinal cord was still compressed, ie ‘Recovery was not dependent on the resolution of compression’

💛The authors concluded that if spinal surgery isn’t possible as it’s not available in the area or is too expensive, non-surgical management is a valid alternative.

There’s plenty of detail in the write-up, and it’s free for all to read or download via this link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jvim.17149

Many thanks to Jep for this photo

15/07/2024

Just a snapshot of the pups in for their physio appointments last week 🐾

🩵 Errol
🩵 Frank
🩵 Lily
🩵 Roo & Darcy
🩵 Albert
🩵 Rufus
🩵 Sherman
🩵 Freya
🩵 Poppy
🩵 Marshall

Please don’t forget to tag us in photos of your pets 🐾

04/07/2024

When a St Bernard is no longer the biggest animal you’re getting your hands on..🐾

As most of you know, at the beginning of the year I started the MSc Animal Manipulation (Chiropractic) course with the McTimoney College, with the aim of adding another treatment option that fits in line with Fear Free physiotherapy appointments 🩵

I just want to say a huge thank to everyone for bearing with me with the reduced availability in appointments, and maybe having to wait an extra day or two to hear back from me 🐾

04/07/2024

Illias post massage and laser therapy 😋🐾

28/06/2024

Let’s normalise this.

As people age, we turn to mobility aids.. wheelchairs, frames and scooters etc. Let’s make sure our dogs get the same treatment! Strollers are a great way of letting you and your dog enjoy your favourite walks and have the occasional sniff and stretch of the legs without making them struggle 🙌🏻

27/06/2024

Please keep your pups safe in the heat ☀️

Please remember to test the pavement by placing the back of your hand on the floor, if you cannot hold it there for 5 seconds then it is too hot for your dog to walk on.

Mental stimulation is far more tiring then physical exercise so use the snuffle mats and licki mats in this hot weather and ensure your dog has access to plenty of water.

26/06/2024

11/10/2023

Bear the newfiepoo enjoying his laser therapy, keeping him comfortable and mobile with his diagnosis of elbow dysplasia 😴

Some of the conditions we treat with the help of Companion Animal Health laser therapy:

⭐️ Ostearthritis
⭐️ Cruciate disease
⭐️ IVDD/Spinal conditions
⭐️ Post-surgical recovery
⭐️ Sporting/working injuries

Contact us to find out more about how laser therapy can help your pets 🐾

19/08/2023

Stanley’s rehab progress 💪

These photos were taken at Stanley’s first appointment (top photo) and after just 2 physiotherapy and laser sessions (bottom photo) for his diagnosis of lumbosacral stenosis 🐾

You can see how much better he is holding his standing posture, and how much stronger he is looking 🐾

We still have a way to go to get Stanley in tip top condition but he is making great progress already 🐾

28/07/2023

Saluki sandwich 🐾

Legolas, Jamil and Eshaal lining up for their treatments today 🐾