Final update… look at Flo go!
Well done everyone, particularly Flo and her owner, for such a fantastic outcome! :-)
Update on Flo.
Week 8-9: Flo started the week with a great report from home – she had attempted walking with the wheels, and weight bearing through the forelimbs. In clinic, we continued challenging her thoracic sling activation with some lay down to standing assisted exercises. Flo was now able to take 5-10 steps with a sling under her chest and initiate movement in all four limbs herself. Flo toileted unassisted on the grass outside the clinic for the first time! The wobble board was introduced for assisted standing exercises to further challenge her postural strength and muscle activation.
Week 10-11: Flo’s owner reported that she was getting frustrated with the wheels and wanted to be more active. She was able to walk consistently with the sling assistance, only needing gentle support to push off through the forelimbs, from laying down to standing. Unassisted standing was added to Flo’s exercises.
At the start of week 11, Flo walked unassisted into the clinic! Over the course of the week, Flo started initiating standing by herself and taking short walks unassisted. She did a short unassisted treadmill session with several short unassisted walks during the day. Flo’s exercises were advanced to unassisted standing, proprioceptive track walking and short controlled walks. Forthcoming sessions will be focused on coordination, muscle building and treating possible compensatory issues.
The accompanying video shows the first day Flo started walking in clinic-she continues to go from strength to strength with her walking since-watch this space for a final update on how she is doing next week!
From everyone at The SMART Clinic we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year 🎄🌟
It’s our Festive Fundraising week here in clinic and we have many ways in which you can help us fundraise!
All proceeds raised in the week will be donated to The my name’5 Doddie Foundation via our own fundraising campaign, Motor On.Cymru.
💙 The my name’5 Doddie Foundation is a charity committed to funding research to find effective treatments to Motor Neurone Disease and helping improve the lives of those affected by Motor Neuron Disease. This is a charity very close to all our hearts here at SMART 💙
So, what’s on and how can you help us fundraise?
🧁 Cake sale
🎁 Raffle
🌺 Flower sale
🐾 Dog & Cat treats
🎄 Tree decorations & stocking fillers
🐶 Doggy selection boxes
We will be posting more details on all of these over the day today!
Who we are fundraising for:
💚💛🏴 https://motoron.cymru/
💙🏴 https://www.myname5doddie.co.uk/
Please help us help them!
Sharing September Pet of the Month from our Swansea clinic is Dash Fisher!
Dash is a 6-year-old Dachshund who started his journey with Smart Clinic in May of this year, presenting with Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD). Short-legged breeds like Dachshunds are predisposed to this condition, which causes spinal compression. IVDD spinal compression is caused by pressure from the protruding intervertebral discs or by material that has leaked out from inside the discs. The degree of severity can range from mild pain to paralysis and requires immediate veterinary attention. In Dash’s case, he started to show a reluctance to walk which progressed to inability to walk over the course of 16 days.
Dash underwent a hemilaminectomy which involves removing part of the vertebra/vertebrae in the affected area which is what then relieves the pressure. Post surgery, Dash had paraplegia and loss of pain perception and sensation in tail and toes.
Dash’s weight loss has significantly contributed to his ongoing improvements in regaining his mobility, he has lost 1.4kg and counting! This amazing progress is down to Dash’s wonderfully dedicated owners and the expertise, help and support of Laura Rees, one of our Animal Care Assistants who also specialises in nutrition. This weight loss is strongly contributing to the success of his rehabilitation as he is better able to hold up his own weight and is getting stronger and stronger by the week!
Dash has several exercises that his owners carry out at home which play a major part in helping him regain proprioceptive awareness in his hind legs, slowly increase his ability to bear weight evenly on all four legs, increase his stamina, and recover normal movement and function. These exercises include walking over a proprioceptive track, square standing, assisted walking using a slip to support him and keep him safe while he is stepping on his own, and pole stepping with bamboo canes as he has teeny tiny little legs!
This has been cruci
Day 2 at KCI and a short break from the van to go and support our very own Alison Harwood and Suzie in the intermediate team finals! Look at her go! Well done both and the whole team from Caerphilly-2nd place overall!🎉👏
Update-we are now fully booked for the rest of the weekend!
Good luck to all those completing again today!😊
Since the Spring 2021, we have been working with VetzPetz looking at the use of their supplement 'Antinol' in the patients we have been treating in clinic.
VetzPetz UK https://antinol.co.uk/
We are currently processing the data from a study that has been completed in clinic with a pool of those patients taking the supplement, alongside their rehabilitation treatment with us. We are hoping this will be ready to publish later this year.
In the New Year, the Antinol team came to the clinic to film a promotional video and kindly gifted us this video of our Vet, Lowri Davies discussing how the SMART Veterinary Clinic came to be, and why the progression of appropriate rehabilitation and physiotherapy is so important for our patients, and the profession as a whole. We hope you find this interesting.
Over the coming months we plan to introduce you to the rest of the SMART team who all work together in delivering our service at both Clinics. To start our introductions here's a little bit more information from a Q&A with Lowri;
1. What is your role at SMART?
Depends on who you ask. I started off as vet and general dogsbody back in 2004. Now my primary role is lead vet and clinical director.
2. How long have you worked at SMART?
Far too long - I started the Swansea Clinic way back in 2004.
3. What is the most interesting part/favourite part about working at SMART?
The satisfaction of being able to adopt a holistic approach to managing pain and mobility and seeing many of our patients transform from being scared and immobile to being active, happy individuals. I also love it when our sporting dogs do well.
4. Give us a fun fact about yourself!
I was expelled from school for swearing at the headmaster :-)
5. Do you have any pets?
I have a border collie called Fflam who is far more intelligent than I am. Three horses and a few pet sheep.
From all the team at SMART Specialist Veterinary Referrals we would like to wish all our clients and friends a very…
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! 🥰
We are now closed until Wednesday 29th December and hope you all have a lovely festive few days 🎄
It’s Bob’s 53rd birthday today....
PENBLWYDD HAPUS BOB 🎂🎈!
What better way to spend your birthday than a cycle to the nearest mountain to climb 🚴♂️ ⛰
💚 Why are we motoring on for MotorOn.Cymru?
MND and Us - After noticing problems gripping things with his left hand, Bob was diagnosed with MND in October 2020. For a fit and active 52 year old this was devastating news. After a few weeks, as we as a family started to adjust to a new reality and a different future, the realisation came that we could not and would not let Bob’s diagnosis take over our lives and that we would make the most of every day. We were determined that our days would not be defined by MND and that we would carry on as normal for as long as possible, after all a positive mental attitude can carry you far.
Please help us spread the word and raise as much funds as possible, after all it is Bob’s birthday 💚
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/motoron
#motoroncymru
#motoron
#motorneuronedisease
#MND
#MNDwales
#welshthreepeaks #motoroncymruchallenge
