Julie Watson - McTimoney Animal and Equine Touch practitioner

14/11/2024

22/10/2024

Preparing for Fireworks 🎆 DOGS

Tips from our behaviour team 🌟

🎇 Take your dog for a walk before dusk so they will not need to go to the toilet once the fireworks start

🎆 Feed your dog in the mid to late afternoon as this can help them relax

🎇 At dusk ensure your dog is safe indoors, do not leave your dog alone if fireworks are expected

🎆 Provide a safe space your dog can retreat to if they wish but do not shut them in, as long as it is safe allow your dog to find the place they feel most comfortable - this may be with you or it may be under the bed! You can help by providing a safe "den" such as crate/box covered in blankets for them to dig into, well in advance of the evening. Encourage your dog to use this and make positive associations with the den by putting treats in it. Once your dog has chosen a space try not to move them

🎇 Drawing the curtains can stop your dog being startled by flashing lights

🎆 Playing music or turning up the volume on TV cxn help to minimise the impact of the sound of the fireworks

🎇 If your dog has never reacted to noises before try not react to the sound yourself, simply say in a cheerful voice "that was loud" and then try playing a game or doing some training with them to help form a positive association with the fireworks

🎆 Do not punish your dog for showing fearful behaviour. If they are frightened, then it is ok to comfort them

🎇 Ensure your ID chip details are up to date in case your pet escapes

https://www.kernowvetgroup.com/

https://behaviourvet.info

You can contact our behaviour team for help on [email protected]

21/10/2024

15/10/2024

*** THE MANY REASONS NOT TO BREED FROM YOUR MARE ***

The idea of breeding a foal from your own mare is a lovely idea, but can have less than ideal outcomes. Instead of writing an article on breeding, I thought it was more sensible to write a piece on what to consider before breeding from your mare, and why it is often completely the wrong idea. The following is aimed at the one or two horse owner, and not at big breeding operations, obviously.

1. Do NOT breed from your mare because she is useless/dangerous/you don’t know what else to do with her. A dangerous or nasty mare, is very likely to produce a dangerous or nasty foal. Do NOT be tempted to breed from your mare just because the only other options you have left are giving her away (irresponsible;sorry) or putting her to sleep. Breeding from a mare in the hope it will mellow her, is not a reason to breed.
2. Do NOT breed from your mare because her conformation was so awful that she had to retire from a ridden career at the age of six. Unfortunate accidents and injuries not due to poor conformation, can obviously be forgiven.
3. Do NOT breed from your mare unless you are prepared to accept that nothing is guaranteed; your foal may pop out as a mix of the worst bits of both sire and dam, and you can’t return it!
4. Do NOT breed from your mare if you struggle to afford vet bills and feed etc for your current horses. You will need plenty of money available if you intend to breed a foal. Your stud fee is the tiniest portion of what it costs to get a healthy foal on the ground, unless you get very lucky. You may need to send your mare away to foal down; your mare may need veterinary help to foal; your mare may need a caesarian; your foal may need a plasma transfusion; your mare may retain her placenta. You get the idea.
5. Do NOT breed in the hope to make lots of money. Or any money.
6. Do NOT breed from your mare unless you are experienced in handling youngstock, or are prepared to seek help from an expert when needed. A badly handled foal will likely turn into a tricky yearling, and so on.
7. Do NOT breed from your mare because she is old. The risks of complications in older mares, is high.
8. Do NOT breed from your mare unless you have suitable facilities for a mare and foal. By this, I mean safe fencing, and ideally, outer mares and foals. It’s not ideal to have just one foal in the field; this means the foal has no play mates, and makes weaning difficult.
9. Do NOT breed from your mare unless you are realistic about complications. You may lose your mare, your foal, or both. It happens.
10. Do NOT breed from your mare thinking the country needs more horses. Just look at the amount of horses at rescue centres/RSPCA/WHW/Blue Cross, to see that the country has more than enough horses and ponies.
11. Do NOT breed from your mare unless you have the time to check your horses at least twice a day, or the funds to pay someone to. In fact, don’t even have a horse if you can’t do that.
12. Do NOT breed from your mare and plan to foal down at home, unless you have the time and energy to stay up and check all night close to foaling.

Sorry for the slightly negative post, but there are many, many points to consider.
We have too many unwanted and neglected horses and ponies in the U.K.

If you do still want to breed from your mare after this post, then you have thought through all of the major points. I will end by reiterating again that you must never underestimate the funds you need to get a foal on the ground, and to weaning, let alone to the point of a ridden career.

Photo of one of my beautiful homebreds ❤️😂

Feel free to share, but not to copy my words.

08/10/2024

Thank you for visiting the SEIB website. Our staff are working remotely but are still able to deal with your enquiries in a timely manner.

07/09/2024

Is there anyone local who would like to meet up each week and learn about pet first aid?
This is a fully accredited Pet First aid course with a certificate at the end. It can be tailored to your own needs. If you are a dog walker or pet professional, emergency services or just a conscientious pet parent. This will cater for everyone.

13/08/2024

For all those with yellow Labradors and anyone with friends who have them.
Very interesting new study on the link between colour and predisposition for CCL rupture.

The more we know about our dogs the more power we have to put into place preventative measures! 🥰

Prevention is always better than cure!

All credit to Laurie Edge-Hughes for sharing this information.

It’s based on the following study:



Lee BT, Baker LA, Momen M, Terhaar H, Binversie EE, Sample SJ, Muir P. Identification of genetic variants associated with anterior cruciate ligament rupture and AKC standard coat color in the Labrador Retriever. BMC Genom Data. 2023 Oct 26;24(1):60.



And here’s the short synopsis:



Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injuries are a common cause of lameness in dogs, particularly in breeds like Labrador Retrievers. Interestingly, recent research has uncovered a potential link between coat color and the risk of CCL rupture. Labrador Retrievers, which come in black, chocolate, and yellow, show different risks for this injury, with yellow Labs being more susceptible.



The study suggests that genetic factors linked to coat color might also influence the likelihood of CCL injuries. Specifically, the MC1R gene, which determines yellow coat color, is involved in inflammatory pathways that could predispose dogs to ligament issues. The researchers used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genes associated with both CCL injuries and coat color, focusing on a region of chromosome 5 near the MC1R gene. This region showed significant associations with CCL rupture, suggesting a complex interplay between genetic traits that influence both coat color and joint health.

Interestingly, the study also identified several other genes related to bone and cartilage health, inflammation, and gene regulation that may contribute to CCL rupture. These findings highlight the complex genetic landscape behind this common canine injury and open the door for further research into how coat color and other seemingly unrelated traits might influence health outcomes in dogs.



This groundbreaking study not only advances our understanding of CCL injuries in dogs but also provides valuable insights into the genetic factors that could help predict and prevent these injuries. As research continues, we may find more connections between seemingly unrelated traits and disease risk, ultimately improving the health and well-being of our canine companions.

Photo credit Marie Marketing

30/07/2024

⚠️Hard Ground!!⚠️
With the high temperatures this week the ground is starting to harden up! Please be aware as tempting as it can be, cantering/galloping your horses on the hard ground can lead to lameness. The concussion horses experience from the hard ground puts a great strain on their tendons and ligaments. Injuries such as splints, bruised soles, fractured pedal bones, strains and ligament damage are often seen as a result of the hard ground.
We hope you enjoy the nicer weather and the freshly cut stubble/open fields but please do take into consideration the surfaces and conditions before allowing your horse to have a good blast! 🏇🏇🏇

13/07/2024

Help our furry friends in need by donating to our local pet food bank collection! We’re gathering essential pet food and supplies to support families struggling to feed their beloved animals. Your generous donations can make a big difference in ensuring no pet goes hungry. Drop off your contributions at:

🐶 71 Rectory Road little Oakley CO125LD
🐶 389a Main Road CO12 4ER
🐶 27 Fryatt Ave CO124NR
🐶 Top Dog TrainingAccademy field (please see website for directions)

Together, we can keep our community’s pets healthy and happy! Please like, share and follow so as many people as possible can see this.

26/06/2024

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if possible immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

25/06/2024

They are never just RIDING SCHOOL PONIES❤️🐴

One day you may move onto bigger, fancier horses, but never forget the school horse who made you, as without them, you wouldn’t be able to ride anything at all.

The patient soul that tolerated your bouncing while you figured out how to sit the trot.

The kind mare that didn’t walk off when you stumbled up the mounting block, trying to get your foot in the stirrup.

The sweet gelding that picked up the trot even though your body was telling him to do the exact opposite.

The saintly angel that never spooked, which was a dam good thing because your balance was precarious at best.

Too often we forget where we came from. We move on to the next chapter in our lives and say, “Oh my gosh, I’m learning so much! I’m going so far! I could never do this kind of thing on that old school horse!”

But infact you could, you were just not ready to do all these things back then.

But that school horse gave you the confidence to move forward. That school horse took care of you in all respects and allowed you to take the time you needed to find your way. You couldn’t have become the rider you are today without that riding school horse, always remember to love them unconditionally for our riding school horses are what help start your dream, make dreams come true and get you ready for those bigger dreams 🐴

24/06/2024

Some good advice in the link on caring for our dogs in this hot weather.

🐕ADVICE ON COOLING THAT COULD KILL YOUR DOG!!!🐕

Every year its the same. Some misinfromed person with no qualifications or expertise or knowledge shares this stupid and inaccurate post (or a version of it) about how to treat a dog with heatstroke, which will ironically INCREASE ITS RISK OF DYING FROM HEATSTROKE.

🐕PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE....
🐕DO NOT RE-SHARE THESE POSTS
🐕PLEASE REPORT TO FACEBOOK

🐕HEATSTROKE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY WHICH IF NOT TREATED IMMEDIATELY WILL LIKELY BE FATAL!🐕

🐕Here is accurate and uptodate advice that will reduce the risk of an over-heated dog dying from heatsroke. https://drdavidmarlin.com/managing-dogs-in-hot-weather/
🐕PLEASE SHARE THIS INSTEAD! SHARING THIS COULD SAVE A DOG FROM DYING FROM BAD ADVICE!

thank you

19/05/2024

For any of my canine clients, if you aren’t doing so already, please look at and follow this page.

Thank you so much everybody for supporting us on our journey from being a Human Physio to working in canine health. In just a couple of weeks we now have 100 Followers. 👏

This all just makes sense to me. We know how important exercise is for us, we know that we need to do specific exercises to gain strength, flexibility, cardiovascular health etc and there are numerous government guidelines as to how often this should be completed. 🏃‍♂️

We wouldn’t expect to go for a walk and to gain everything we need physically. 🚶‍♂️

We know that exercises like Pilates and HIIT are great for us 🧘‍♂️

So why do we expect our dogs to be fit and healthy with just a walk or a run around a field? 🌳

Dogs have imbalances and muscle tension and stiffness just as we do. We wouldn’t expect our athletes to be race day fit without a team of physios, fitness professionals, massage therapists etc

So why do we expect our dogs to be great at , , etc etc without a conditioning regime?

It’s just so simple. I would highly recommend that all dogs have a conditioning assessment and to be set their own plan to ensure that they stay healthy and injury free.

Please share my page so that more people can learn how to support their dogs better.