East Midlands Clinical Canine Massage & Rehabilitation Therapies

14/02/2025

♥️Happy Valentines Day♥️
Wishing you all lots of love this Valentines Day, especially my wonderful clients and their dogs.
Whatever your plans, I hope you have a super day making your dog feel special too

11/02/2025

Can you guess what breed we had today at East Midlands Clinical Canine Massage & Rehabilitation Therapies?

Love this little one. She’s here to help manage her compensatory issues due to her Grade 2 luxating patella

👩🏻‍🎓What is it?
Luxating Patella literally means ‘out of place knee cap’. The knee cap, or patella, is held in place by ligaments that lie in a groove at the base of the thigh bone

👩🏻‍🎓What you may see in your dogs gait?
Your dog is unlikely to put weight on the affected leg and will display a hopping movement. Some dogs will learn to kick the leg backward to relocate the patella. This repetitive and unnatural movement will eventually lead to arthritis in the joint.

As your dog attempts to prevent its patella from popping out of place they will often adopt a stiff legged walk putting extra strain on the back and muscles on the hind legs.

👩🏻‍🎓How can my treatments and rehabilation help manage luxsting patella.

The goal of therapy is to strengthen the quadriceps muscles and to maintain normal function of the stifle to slow the progression of degenerative joint disease.

Treatment also :-
~Improves comfort and reduces pain
~Improves mobility
~Addresses areas of protective muscle splinting- compensatory issues
~Improves gait and activity levels

If you wish to discuss further, how my therapies can help your dog with luxating patella, please get in touch

📧 [email protected]
📞 07418 082 240

09/02/2025

🌟Dog Strollers & Prams 🌟

Are you about to go on holiday for the half-term break and worried about your dog’s mobility? Is your dog senior in age and/or has a medical issue such as osteoarthritis that impedes their mobility?

Have you thought about hiring/buying a buggy/stroller to make their life easier so you can still have day trips & holidays and enjoy your time together.

Dog prams/strollers are great for disabled, injured or unwell doggies, your dogs can get the benefits of some fresh air and stimulation even if they can’t walk very far. It’s great for your dog to socialise and also helps to keep them mentally stimulated.

I hear lots of reasons why many Dog Owners feel reluctant to try a dog pram/push-chair for their dog. I often hear that owners are too embarrassed, worried that their dog may not like being in one, or more commonly that they are too expensive.

I want to share this written by one of my clients and share this lovely story how it changed their holiday experience…..

“Having inherited a buggy from a friend we decided why not after all we know our dogs will keep up with us to please us.
Wow what a difference it made, and how I wish we had tried it a few months earlier. We did so many things that just wouldn’t have been possible. And the last holiday was the best - yes it’s tiring pushing but the joy on my girls face when she got to the rock pools got out and swam was a memory that will never leave me. I never had one negative comment so many people wanted to talk to her and know her story.
Please don’t be shy get your dog a buggy enjoy all their years with you, continue to explore and have fun. Please do it for them don’t let them struggle xx”

✨Remember at East Midlands Clinical Canine Massage & Rehabilitation Therapies I offer FREE loans of pushchair/buggy’s to my regular customers. (A small fee to one of our sponsored dog charities is suggested). So if you’re going away or just want to get your dog use to the “buggy-experience” please get in touch.

🙏Thank you to the wonderful owners for sharing your holiday experiences and allowing these photos.
Skye & Gibbs, two special dogs always in my heart. ❤️

08/02/2025

So proud to be a member of the

We’re a network of highly skilled Professional canine Massage Therapists specialising in the rehabilitation of dogs.

All Canine Massage Guild therapists have been trained in the Lenton Method®, a 3-tiered approach to the evaluation, treatment and re-evaluation of the canine patient who presents with soft tissue or musculoskeletal injuries and / or degenerative diseases like canine osteoarthritis.

These methods have been effectively proven to reduce myofascial and musculoskeletal pain severity in dogs published in Vet Record, distributed by British Veterinary Association (Riley et al. Vet Rec. 2021).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34120345/

To find a therapist near you
https://www.k9-massageguild.co.uk/therapistregister/

08/02/2025

✨Impact of stairs on your dogs muscles & joints✨

🤔So how many times a day does your dog run up and down the stairs ?
What speed do they go at?

😢 Allowing your dog to repetitively go up & down the stairs at speed could be doing harm to your dogs muscles, joints & ligaments.

⬆️What goes up
Ascending the stairs puts extra stress on your dogs hind limbs
-hip
-stifle
-tarsal joints

⬇️Must come down
Descending the stairs puts extra stress on your dogs forelimbs
-Shoulder
-Elbow & Carpal joints

Now stairs aren’t all bad, the movement of going up and down stairs can provide some dogs with exercise to strengthen the muscles of their body (hind limbs and forelimbs), but should be done under control, without speed and moderately.

So please consider
~restricting access to the stairs with a stair gate (especially for dogs with orthopaedic conditions, & young puppies).
~limiting the speed and frequency of stair use

It’s the little things we can do to help our dogs have a pain free happy life!

No dogs were harmed in the photo 🤣

For more info
https://caninearthritis.co.uk

06/02/2025

🌟Posture Changes in your Dog🌟

The way your dog, sits, and lies can tell you so much about how your dog is feeling today

The photo is of my dog. Can you see how she lies? offloading weight/pressure off her back muscles & lower spine. This is an abnormal way for her to lie, so when she does, alarms bells ring. Is she struggling? Is she in pain? This is one of our PAIN INDICATORS and gives me reason to believe she’s having a pain “flare up”. So on days like these it’s a REST DAY for her.

So have you thought of using common pain indicators to assess if your dog is having a good day?

Some pain indicators :-

*Struggles when jumping on/off furniture, reshuffles to make the jump/ has near misses/ or is even unable to perform this jump)

* Gait Change (e.g. slower, stiffer, shorter strides, sways hips when walking, lameness, skip in a stride, bunny hopping, unsteadiness)

* Posture and Physical Appearance Change

* Capability Change (e.g. slowing down on walks, not able to perform daily tasks like they use to)

*Behaviour changes, more reactive to other dogs/ people

*noise sensitivity.

Objectively monitoring your dog’s condition on a regular basis will help you identify any changes in their pain or discomfot levels early and act accordingly. Having objective markers will also help you understand if your dog is heading in to a flare as well and when they have recovered from one.

Take a good look at your dog, what are your objective pain markers ?

If you want advice or wish to book your dog for an assessment at my Veterinary CAM musculoskeletal pain clinic, please get in touch.

💻 [email protected]
📞 07418 082 240

For great advice visit Canine Arthritis Management
https://caninearthritis.co.uk

06/02/2025

It’s been cold few days with some lovely frosty mornings but have you considered how your dog may struggle when the weather takes a dip in temperature, and for dogs like mine that are senior in age and have arthritis, even short walks can be challenging. Here’s some tips for making their walks more enjoyable:-

❄️Cold temperatures & wet weather can cause the muscles surrounding the joints to stiffen. As much as possible, keep your dog warm and dry, since cold and damp conditions can aggravate arthritis. Consider investing in rain jacket & warm coat to prevent their body getting wet and cold. This will allow them to dry off quickly after a walk and reduce the likelihood of muscle stiffness and joint pain

❄️ when choosing a coat please make sure the coat covers the relevant joints and associated muscles, the coat doesn’t impede movement, Is comfortable for the dog to wear and is easy for the dog to get on and off

❄️ Ice & salt can be abrasive on your dog’s paws. Getting some doggy winter boots for them to wear can be a good way to help protect their paws.

❄️ Trim the fur around your dog’s paws to help prevent ice balls from building up – these form between the pads and toes of the paw and are really painful

❄️ Stay away from frozen ponds or lakes and keep your dog on a lead near frozen water, so they don't fall through the ice.

❄️And after the walk keep those muscles and joints warm! Provide them with thick blankets to keep them warm or let them snuggle up near a warm fire.

❄️ If the weather is too cold or dangerous to go out, you can make sure your dog feels exercised inside the home by playing games inside such as enrichment & scent work

🌟Canine Massage can be Very Beneficial for the Arthritic Dog in winter 🌟

❄️ Clinical Canine massage helps by warming the muscles and the surrounding soft tissues making them more supple and relieving the muscle tension.

❄️ Clinical Canine Massage will encourage your dogs circulatory and lymphatic systems to perform. Reducing inflammation and improving joint mobility.

These are just a few of the ways that my treatments can make your dog feel better in cooler weather! Reach out today to book your dogs treatment.

My details are below ⬇️

🌐 https://www.emccm.co.uk

📧 [email protected]
📞 07418 082 240

04/02/2025

As a canine musculoskeletal therapist, I’m always thinking how I can make changes to your dog’s life to ease the burden of getting older. One way is to consider our dogs food bowl level when feeding & drinking. Raising your dog’s food and water bowl off the ground can help with muscular and joint pain and ease the symptoms of arthritis.

Benefits of raising the bowls
⭐️ Offloads weight from the front legs and shoulders and reduces neck flexion. Can help dogs with neck and shoulder musculoskeletal issues
⭐️ Allows a neutral spine, good for your dogs posture reducing roaching of spine
⭐️ Improves your dogs balance, shifting weight back on the pelvic limbs and hips.
⭐️ Easier for senior dogs to eat and drink, it can reduce the pressure on joints and bones and ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Look at this great new product available from Team Edward Labrador Rescue. This is a raised platform with 3 different heights designed for . My dog Bella was more than happy to give it a test, and gets 👅👅👅👅 👅approval

To purchase :-
https://www.team-edward-labrador-rescue.co.uk

04/02/2025

Bessie says hurry up, I want my treatment!

Bessie is one of the Tripawd dogs that comes to East Midlands Clinical Canine Massage & Rehabilitation Therapies to help treat areas of compensation due to amputation of her right hindlimb.

These compensation postural changes occur as a result of the adaptations Bessie takes on to maintain function & mobility. This places many areas of her body in compromised positions that results in dysfunctions in other areas.

Common Injuries & Issues in the tripawd
-Overcompensation to the muscle groups associated with movement as a result of increased use

-Strain on the joints of other limbs due to the impact overcompensation movement has on them, especially the Carpals of the remaining limb or contralateral limb

-The Lumbosacral junction has increase flexion & extension, resulting in kyphosis

- A weaker thoracic sling will result in the dog appearing dropped in the shoulder placing stifle and hocks under higher risk of injury

Regular treatments aims to :-
• Improve balance and co ordination
• Improve range of motion (ROM) in joints
• Relieve areas of referred pain
• Address areas of overcompensation
• Aid in proprioception and body awareness
• Reduce anxiety associated with pain
• Helps to maintain muscle mass
• Helps to increase mobility
• Flushes out toxic inflammatory waste substances built up in the area

👏🏻Well done Bessie. Another great treatment session

03/02/2025

Labrador Day
We were graced with treating mainly Labradors today at East Midlands Clinical Canine Massage & Rehabilitation Therapies

Great fantastic breeds all here to receive treatments for different pathologies
We had:-

-Working gundog with fissure fracture to medial coronoid process of R elbow

- Senior lab with geriatric onset laryngeal paralysis polyneuropathy (GOLPP)

- Energetic lab with mild hip dysplasia with ilopsoas strain

- Pet lab with bilateral elbow dysplasia (FCP) with OA

All treatments were tailored for their clinical needs with a combination of clinical massage/osteopathy, direct & indirect myofascia release, Craniosacral therapy & laser

03/02/2025

Obesity in dogs is can be a great health problem. Excess weight not only puts pressure on your dog’s heart & lungs, but also increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis and joint degeneration, leading to poor mobility and pain.

A host of other risk factors have been implicated in obese dogs such as cancer, pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus and urinary issues including formation of bladder stones.
🙏Canine Arthritis Management
🙏

Every Monday, we’re tackling common myths about canine arthritis and pain, replacing misconceptions with facts that can help your furry friends live their best lives 🐾

This Week’s Myth:
"A little extra weight doesn’t make a difference to a dog’s arthritis."

FACT: Even a small amount of extra weight can put significant strain on a dog’s joints, worsening pain and inflammation. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most effective ways to reduce arthritis pain and improve your dog’s mobility. It’s not just about appearance – it’s about their comfort and quality of life!

Let’s bust these myths together and make life better for our pups! 🐕✨

Sign up to our FREE course on how to recognise if your dog is in pain:
https://www.cameducation.co.uk/course/is-my-dog-in-pain

02/02/2025

🌟Sporting Dogs at East Midlands Clinical Canine Massage & Rehabilitation Therapies 🌟

we’re dedicated to helping the canine athlete by a combination of clinical treatments including Clinical Canine Massage & Canine Conditioning

It’s been a week of sporting/working dogs
2 cocker spaniels :- agility, tracking, gundog & scentwork
1 Vizsla:- Canicross & scentwork.
1 Weimaraner :- Canicross
1 English Setter :- show dog
3 Labradors:- working gundogs
2 Border Collies:- flyball & agility
1 German shepherd :- working trials
1 Golden retriever:- obedience, rally, heel work to music

All here for their clinical maintenance treatments including and/or canine conditioning.

✨Massage:-
Clinical Canine Massage directly addresses tight, hypertonic and sore muscles which are common with the repetitive and high intensity exercise asked of our canine athletes.

It also helps to break down restrictive scar tissue which can build up after a muscle strain, rehabilitating the injury and restoring the flexibility within the affected muscles. And through utilising a range of different myofascial release techniques, it also releases restricted fascia, improving range of movement and reducing acute and chronic pain. All of which combined, should improve the performance, speed and accuracy of your dog.

And what’s more, Clinical Canine Massage is also key in preventing injury in the first place, by finding and addressing musculoskeletal issues before they actually become a problem. So routine maintenance massages really are a must have for any canine athlete

✨Canine conditioning:-
Sport specific training alone does not make an athlete! Core conditioning prepares the dog's body for the demands of the sport. A Canine fitness programme will:-

-Identify and implement exercises that improve your dog's strength, power, stamina, speed, cardio endurance, flexibility and body awareness.
- Develop a “critical eye” for evaluating your dog’s strengths and work on their muscular weaknesses to help improve their performance.
- Help to minimize the risk of injury in your dog while helping your dog have a long, happy, and productive sporting life.

As a CCA Coach, from the Canine Conditioning Academy I can teach you to train your dog correct exercises for maximum benefit.

Wish to find out more about how maintence treatments and a tailored canine conditioning programmes from the Canine Conditioning Academy can help your canine athlete, my details are below. ⬇️

Contact Me;
📧 [email protected]
📞 07418 082 240

🌍 Clinic is based in South Nottingham covering clients from the East Midlands; Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, & Northampton.

02/02/2025

⚡️Veterinary Musculoskeletal Pain Clinics⚡️
Taking bookings now for April & May Clinics

I run a Canine Arthritis Management Veterinary Musculoskeletal Pain Assessment Clinic the first Saturday of every Month to assess if your dog is in musculoskeletal pain:-
- posture & gait analysis,
- full MSK check on your dog.
-a comprehensive overview of pain, osteoarthritis, owner questionnaires and clinical measurement instruments (CMIs) to assess your dog’s pain, and home environment advice.

Please remember PAIN is a perception and the only one who is feeling that sensation, at whatever sensitivity is the dog. Until dogs can speak, we have no idea how they are perceiving it.
We just have to watch for the subtle signs.
Possible Signs of Pain:-
- Constant licking
- Panting
- Pacing
- Nibbling at certain areas of the body,
- Persistent itching in a concentrated area,
- Anxious or depressed behaviour
- Aggressive/grumpy behaviour
- Inappropriate toileting behaviour
- Lethargy
- Can’t settle , esp at night
- Unusual vocalisation/yelping
- Limping,
- Abnormal gait/walking behaviour
- Stiffness,
- Skin dysfunction,
- Gut dysfunction.

and many more ……….

If you would like to learn more about pain or worried your dog may be experiencing musculoskeletal pain, I’m here to help and advise, my details are below. ⬇️

📧 [email protected]
📞 07418 082 240

01/02/2025

🌟PEMF THERAPY🌟

Did you know we offer this therapy at East Midlands Clinical Canine Massage & Rehabilitation Therapies?

We also loan out a PEMF Therapy mat for our clients dogs to help promote healing in between treatments.

So how does PEMF therapy help with your dogs pain?

Pulse Electromagnetic Field Therapy is a non-invasive, non medicinal treatment that uses low frequency, electro magnetic waves to promote healing and reduce pain in animals.

Here’s how it works:-
✔️Reduces inflammation:- PEMF therapy helps reduce inflammation, one of the main causes of pain in both acute and chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis

✔️Improves circulation:- The increased blood flow aids delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues, speeding up recovery and helping to relieve discomfort

✔️Promotes cellular repair:- by stimulating cells to heal faster, PEMF can help reduce pain and improve mobility

✔️Supports natural healing;- it helps promote natural healing after surgeries or chronic conditions - allowing them to live happier healthy lives.

PEMF therapy can be used for a number of medical conditions:/
▪️Acute & chronic pain
▪️Osteoarthritis
▪️Joint pain
▪️Neurological conditions
▪️Wound injuries
▪️Oedema/swelling