Davies Therapy and Fitness Centre at Davies Veterinary Specialists

18/04/2024

A huge thank you to all who attended our First Aid for Pet Owners session at the end of March.

The event raised a fantastic £293 for Vetlife, our charity of the year.

Pet owners were given tips on how to identify when something isn’t right with their pet and how to act in an emergency situation before getting to the vet. The morning also provided information on first aid principles, wounds and bandaging, common first aid problems and the collapsed animal. The session concluded with the opportunity to practice bandaging and CPR on animal models.

We are planning another event for later this year, so watch this space…

17/11/2023

A huge thank you to and for the invitation to speak at the London Vet Show today. Veterinary physiotherapist Diane had the honour of sharing her knowledge on one of her favourite topics, Veterinary orthotics 🐾☺️🐾

22/10/2023

ACPAT Seminar 2023 📚
Sharing our knowledge on the benefits of Orthotics in veterinary medicine whilst having the opportunity to listen to other amazing speakers including, Jill Hall, Dr Helen Cohen, Holly Soper-Doyle and Prof Rob Pettit ☺️

17/10/2023

🩹🐶🐱 Are you interested in learning more about animal first aid? Join us at our upcoming event, exclusively for pet owners.

📆 Saturday 11 November 2023
⏰ 8:45am registration for 9.00am start
📍Davies Veterinary Specialists, Manor Farm Business Park, Higham Gobion, Hertfordshire, SG5 3HR

Our First Aid sessions for pet owners will provide a unique opportunity to learn about first aid for dogs and cats, led by Registered Veterinary Nurse Danielle Banks.

During the session, you'll learn how to identify when something isn't quite right with your pet and how to act in an emergency situation before you get to the vet. Various topics will be covered, including first aid principles, wounds and bandaging, everyday first aid problems, and how to handle a collapsed animal. Furthermore, you'll be able to practice bandaging and CPR on animal models.

The cost for attending the first aid session is £35 per person. Proceeds will be donated to Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, our nominated charity for 2023.

Don't miss out; secure your spot now! Click here to book >> https://ow.ly/VyFx50PXtjv

11/06/2023

A very special patient who requires an orthotic for a leg length discrepancy 🐶

22/03/2023

Diane is very excited and honoured to be speaking at the British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association (BVOA) Spring Meeting today. Her main talk will be on a topic that is very close to her heart, The Role of Orthotics in Orthopaedic Medicine. She will be also discussing how surgeons can look after their own hands 🐶.

A huge thank you to BVOA for the invitation ☺️.

🗣Our next featured speaker for tomorrow's Spring BVOA meeting is Diane Messum
MCSP HCPC BSc(Hons) MAMSc VetPhysio ACPAT RAMP,

🦴 Diane has been a chartered physiotherapist for over 19years, qualifying from the University of Birmingham in 2002. She went on to specialise in musculoskeletal outpatients and hand therapy where she developed knowledge and skills that were key to her current practice within the small animal field, completing her masters degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy in 2007 awarded by the .

🐎 She started her own private practice for equine and small animals but after dividing her time between both human and animal species she went on to specialise in small animals, joining Davies in 2011 to head up and develop their therapy services. The Davies therapy and fitness centre was launched in 2017 where Diane now leads a growing team of individuals with diverse experience within physio and rehabilitation.

Diane has a special interest in the use of Splinting and orthotics for the post-operative and conservative management of musculoskeletal injuries and is going to talk to us about:
🦴 Brace yourself: The role of Orthotics
🖐 Taking care of your hands

Thanks Diane!
📷 credit

Please note registration has closed for this meeting, we are FULLY BOOKED.

15/03/2023

Meet our wonderful patient Freddie 🥰

23/02/2023

Our very own Louise Clark will be sharing her own experience of treating pain in small animals this Saturday 25th February 2023 ☺️🐶

06/02/2023

In just three days, our head of physiotherapy, Diane Messum, will be speaking at the Rehab congress, a one-day virtual event focused on veterinary rehabilitation.

The event will see seven hours of available to veterinary nurses and members of the veterinary profession looking to develop their knowledge and understanding of different rehabilitation techniques and disciplines.

Diane will be talking about orthoses in small animal practice, an externally applied device used to modify the structural and functional characteristics of the neuromuscular and skeletal system.

To make sure you don't miss out, book your space today >> https://bit.ly/3XkAozk

12/01/2023

👏👏👏

Congratulations to Diane Messum, our Head of Physiotherapy, for her Petplan UK Veterinary Awards 2023 nomination.

Diane has been a Chartered Physiotherapist for over 19 years, qualifying from the University of Birmingham in 2002.

She went on to specialise in musculoskeletal outpatients and hand therapy, where she developed knowledge and skills that were key to her current practice within the small animal field.

Meet Di, and discover our Therapy and Fitness Centre on our website >> https://bit.ly/3XuTSB4

03/12/2022

Proud and excited to announce that Head of Physiotherapy, Diane Messum has been elected onto the IAVRPT board. Diane is thrilled that she will be working with international colleagues to support veterinary rehabilitation practitioners across the globe 🐶🐴🐱

We are proud and excited to announce that Dianne Messum has been voted onto the IAVRPT board as our latest new board member. Di was the organiser of the IAVRPT conference in 2022 in Cambridge. She currently works at in the United Kingdom. It’s great to have you on board, Di.

13/11/2022

Our Head of Physiotherapy, Diane Messum was honoured to be invited to talk at the BVRSMA Annual CPD meeting 2022 alongside two fantastic speakers last weekend. There was so much to learn about foot pathologies! 📚🤓😊

23/05/2022

VET FESTIVAL 📚🐶🐱💻
ACPAT Chartered Physiotherapist Diane Messum was honoured to be speaking alongside veterinary specialists from all clinical disciplines at VET Festival 2022 in Surrey this weekend.

Her talks, delivered to a large audience of veterinary professionals with an interest in small animal rehabilitation, were Talking Tendons: Advances in the management of tendon injuries and Brace yourself: Orthoses in Canine Practice. It was a fantastic outdoor learning experience with music, fun and laughter.

Our team look forward to sharing more of their knowledge in 2022 ☺️

25/03/2022

Our Head of Physiotherapy, Diane Messum is excited and honoured to be presenting this talk today at BSAVA 2022 live in sunny Manchester in this new discussion and debate format 📚🤓😊

13/11/2021

A HUGE congratulations to physiotherapist, Diane Messum on being nominated for the 2021 IAVRPT Rehabilitation Therapist of the Year Award! This is an International award and we are delighted to see that three of the nominees are flying the flag for the UK 🇬🇧 and all members of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Physiotherapy (ACPAT) ☺️

24/04/2021

WORLD VETERINARY DAY 🌎

Today is World Veterinary Day and the theme this year is how the vet industry responded to COVID-19.

Looking back over the past year, it’s amazing to see what our team at Davies has achieved whilst working through a year like no other. From moving to remote consultations in March last year and then quickly getting our site COVID-19 compliant once we could return to face-to-face consultations, to moving all our CPD online and delivering more sessions than ever before in a single year. From completing our new diagnostics suite and winning iiE awards to continuing to support our nominated charities and the NHS. None of this would have been possible without the commitment and dedication of our team along with the continued support of our veterinary colleagues and the pets and owners who visit us. So join us in celebrating our team and the veterinary community everywhere. Happy World Veterinary Day!

04/04/2021

Happy Easter 🐶💐🐇🐣

15/03/2021

Join our team ☺️🐶💦

We offer a wide range of clinical services, which are supported by an established Veterinary Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Service treating inpatient and outpatient orthopaedic and neurological cases. Our small animal therapy services include physiotherapy, acupuncture, pain management and hydrot...

05/02/2021

THE POWER OF ORTHOTICS: COCO’S STORY

If your pet is not a candidate for surgery due to medical reasons or because their condition is so complex that the potential risks outweigh the chances of success, please be reassured there is usually something we can do to help your pet. Coco was referred to our physiotherapy team for assessment and treatment. Her newly fitted orthotics have made a huge difference to her pain and function, as you can see in her video.

To find out more, please visit https://vetspecialiststherapy.co.uk/ or email [email protected]

09/12/2020

One of our Physiotherapists, Diane Messum, explains how exercise improves pain and function in the osteoarthritic pet and how underwater treadmill therapy can be utilised as part of their exercise regime 🐾🐶🐾

27/11/2020

SPLINTING THE TARSUS 🐾🐶🐾
This gorgeous Shetland sheepdog sustained a lateral luxation (dislocation) of the superficial digital flexor tendon in the hind limb. This is a rare condition which has been managed surgically (by repair of the retinaculum) and the joint will now be immobilised in the early post operative period to allow healing to take place. Following referral from our orthopaedic team, this splint with a neoprene liner was fabricated by our own team 🐾

11/11/2020

OUR BEAUTIFUL PATIENT TESS WEARS HER POPPY WITH PRIDE AGAIN 🐾
In addition to remembering the millions of men and woman who have given their lives on behalf of their country, join us in remembering the thousands of Service Dogs who have also served. To this day, Service Dogs continue to serve veterans who suffer from physical and mental illness including Certified Service Dogs for Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These unsung heroes have proved themselves time and time again, playing a critical role in military conflict and ultimately saving lives with their bravery, loyalty and intelligence. We will be forever grateful! 🐾🐶🐾

16/10/2020

A fantastic outcome for another of our amazing patients 🐾🐶🐾

A multi-disciplinary approach from our Veterinary Orthopaedics, Soft Tissue surgery, Anaesthesia and Physiotherapy teams aids dog's recovery.

12/10/2020

WORLD ARTHRITIS AWARENESS DAY 🐾
It’s Human World Arthritis Awareness Day today, but did you know that osteoarthritis (OA) is common in our pets. OA is a debilitating disease which is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs. There are a variety of ways we can help you support your pets suffering from OA including medical therapy, physical therapy, hydrotherapy and environmental adaptions in the home. Speak to one of our team to see how we can help you and your pet. 🐾

24/09/2020

ACUPUNCTURE FOR SMALL ANIMALS 🐾
Our Therapy and Fitness Centre offer acupuncture as part of their pain management service. We’ve put together a quick guide to the benefits.
https://vetspecialists.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Davies-Veterinary-Specialists-Acupuncture-for-Cats-and-Dogs-infographic-Sep-2020.pdf

24/09/2020

OUR PAIN MANAGEMENT SERVICE 🐾

If your pet is referred to the pain management clinic at Davies, their initial consultation will include a comprehensive assessment by our anaesthesia and physiotherapy team. They’ll discuss your pet’s history, gather invaluable information from a quality of life questionnaire and review your pet’s medication, before performing a physical examination. Our team will then discuss our findings and recommend a course of treatment that’s best for your pet. Learn more about our pain management clinic at: https://vetspecialiststherapy.co.uk/services/pain-management-and-acupuncture/?fbclid=IwAR1elWPaSx6oQUxjyee5oQpqP3fHO1VtcutPCaoks882Fo4guILbeIlxoCU

22/09/2020

MEET OUR PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC TEAM 🐾
Based at Davies Therapy and Fitness Centre, the team provides pain management services including acupuncture. Pictured from left to right are: Anaesthetist Fran Downing, Head of Physiotherapy Diane Messum, Chartered Physiotherapist Sarah Conley and Head of Anaesthesia Louise Clark.
Learn more about our pain management clinic at:
https://vetspecialiststherapy.co.uk/services/pain-management-and-acupuncture/

21/09/2020

HYDROTHERAPY (UNDERWATER TREADMILL THERAPY) FOR SMALL ANIMALS 🐾🐶🐾

Hydrotherapy has many benefits for pets recovering from surgery. The gentle and low impact environment allows hydrotherapy to begin from as early as two weeks post-op after suture removal. With buoyancy ensuring less weight is going through a sore or weak limb, they’re more likely to place the limb to the ground, increasing their confidence. For pets that have a fear of water, having their limbs in contact with the floor as the water slowly fills up from the bottom, makes the underwater treadmill much less intimidating when compared to swimming.

Find out more at: https://vetspecialiststherapy.co.uk/hydrotherapy-underwater-treadmill/?fbclid=IwAR1NfhQXBoi9qA2-7lke9zk2iAThBDZJg7hClFyFZ2b7xLX-ZC3FyoNFEMA

20/09/2020

MEET OUR THERAPY AND FITNESS CENTRE TEAM 🐾
Meet the Physiotherapists and Hydrotherapists from our Therapy and Fitness Centre. Pictured from left to right are: Hydrotherapist Remi Timms, Head of Physiotherapy Di Messum, Therapy Centre Assistant Laura Davey, Rehabilitation Technician Dionne Reay-Parish and Chartered Physiotherapist Sarah Conley. To learn more about our team, visit:
https://vetspecialists.co.uk/meet-the-team/physiotherapy/