Donna Nicol Veterinary Physio

08/07/2025

We said we had some exciting news.....well here it is! We all know how worrying it is when our pets develop a lump. Traditionally, in order to know whether these lumps are cancerous or not then we have had to take samples with a needle and send them to a pathologist for a diagnosis. This gives excellent results but incurs a time delay which is always a worrying time for pet owners. At Toll Barn Vets we have invested in state of the art technology which allows us to use an extremely high powered scanning microscope to digitise these samples and send them to a pathologist rather than relying on traditional postal and reporting services. Why is this important? It vastly reduces the time delay in results meaning patients receive quicker diagnosis and treatment and owners have less time to worry. Depending on the type of lump sampled these results can be back in as little as 2 - 48 hours. The additional bonus - our commitment to offering the best care for our patients means we are able to offer this fantastic technology at a reduced cost compared to sending these samples to external laboratories :D To find out more give us a call on 01692 407126

07/06/2025

Great few days of learning 🐾

05/06/2025

Join us on 9th August supporting Guide dogs for the blind

27/05/2025

This is the very smiley Marley the Labrador who is 12 years young. Marley has a few things going on including Lumbosacral Stenosis, Osteoarthritis of the hips & elbows along with left hip Subluxation however he is the most happiest boy you will ever meet who is very vocal and will do absolutely anything for a treat so getting Marley to do his exercises involve a lot of food related bribes 🐾💙

20/05/2025

Part 2 - After having 6 physio sessions with me and following a customised exercise plan, 9yr old Nena has done amazing and as you can see she has gained her proprioception back in that right hind limb alongside strengthening her core and is enjoying her walks again with no knuckling ❤️

20/05/2025

Part 1 - This is Nena she was referred to me at the end of January due to Acute right hind limb paralysis due to suffering with a fibrocartilagenous embolus as you can see she had severe knuckling of that right hind limb

23/04/2025

HU***NG HOUNDS
It’s not always about what it looks like.

Some dogs do and some dogs don’t, but if you have a dog that humps at the most inopportune times it can be particularly embarrassing or annoying.

Other dogs, other people, visitors, toys, cushions, furniture, anything that can be mounted and clung to may be fair game.

As people, it’s natural to assume that this behaviour is of a sexual nature, that our dogs must be oversexed, sexually frustrated or the all-too-common incorrect belief that our dogs are just trying to be “dominant” or “the alpha”.

Hu***ng, like many other dog behaviours does not always have a simple reason. It can be a complex behaviour which is usually emotionally or socially based.

When hu***ng is annoying another dog or person or causing frustration, discomfort or harm in any way, then obviously this behaviour needs to be addressed, but sometimes we need to consider if it’s really something we need to stop because as people, we see it as socially unacceptable?

Is it just a harmless way of relieving stress or anxiety or a way to release excess energy. Is a little hump now and then okay if it’s not causing any harm?

One of my boys (I’m referring to my dog - just to prevent any misunderstanding!) humps one of my other dogs every Saturday morning without fail.

This happens when we get back from a long walk in nature. I allow him to do this because I understand it’s his way of releasing excitement and calming himself down.

As long as the other dogs don’t mind, I don’t believe it’s causing any harm as it’s a healthy way of self-regulating.

If we prevent this, correct it, or at worst punish this behaviour are we removing a harmless natural outlet and risking another unwanted behaviour taking its place?

Hu***ng is one of the most misunderstood behaviours.

Very often, behaviour is not about the way it looks, but the way we perceive it from our human perspective.

20/04/2025

05/04/2025

The sun is out and as temperatures rise above 10c the UKs only venomous snake starts to come out of hibernation.

The Adder is a shy and secretive snake that can be occasionally spotted basking in the sunshine on a dirt or sandy path.

Snake bites in dogs are uncommon. Bites usually happen when dogs charge around in the undergrowth and accidently stand on one, or find them and investigate with the noses. Bites are very painful and cause lots of inflammation in the bitten area. Serious complications are rare, but you should ALWAYS SEEK VETERINARY ATTENTION AND DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY FIRST AID YOURSELF.

04/04/2025

26/03/2025

23/03/2025

This is Malish he is a 7yr old Beagle cross who was referred to me back in January as he was playing on the beach and fell causing a traumatic disc extrusion of the lumbar spine. He was non surgical so we started physio with him 8 weeks ago along side him having laser treatments at the vets. He has responded so well to physio that he is now enjoying his hour long walks with his brother and has much better control over his back legs that owner feels he is now 90% back to normal. 💙🐾