Form & Function - Veterinary Physiotherapist

19/06/2024

My own dog Wiggy was very patient whilst waiting to have an ultrasound this morning, the vets had an emergency so Wiggy had the best time getting cuddles with customers & staff while we waited 😍

Not all dogs are comfortable in that environment though, so if your dog struggles then don’t forget I offer nervous dog intro appointments plus puppy visits if you want your puppy to be comfortable with treatments! These are shorter 30 minute appointments with no treatment involved but lots of treats!

These can be booked online 😁

https://formandfunction.fit/appointment-booking/ola/services/canine-nervous-dog-puppy-intro

18/06/2024

Morning 🙂

I have temporarily taken down the BiS post because whilst trying to add full references to the full articles (in future will do before posting 🫣) I realised 2 of my DOI codes weren’t working, sloppy referencing from me but as it was getting a little hard to manage with the number of shares I took it down until I have the time to fix.

I will pop the post back up later today 😁

06/06/2024

“Come on lady show me my exercises” 😂😍

Another busy clinic week with a wide variety of dogs and treatments 😁

05/06/2024

Can anyone help Win Clinic, Wellington on 22nd June?

We are still looking for participants for our research project on hypermobility that fit the following criteria:

🔹 Aged between 1 and 8 years
🔹 Comfortable with a physiotherapy assessment
🔹 A healthy weight with no current painful conditions
🔹 Suspected of being hypermobile/a little bit bendy

Often hypermobile dogs will sleep in unusual positions, lie in a "frog" position with both legs out behind them, or have stretchy skin.

If you think you can help, please get in touch
📞 01823 426490
📨 [email protected]

04/06/2024

I have a couple of appointments left for this week…

Thursday 10/10.30am
Friday 11am/12pm

Book online - https://formandfunction.fit/appointment-booking

27/05/2024

Pretty sure this is the norm 😂

Wonderful little pup who is now signed off and ready to start their foundation agility 😍👏🏼
fit

22/05/2024

Understanding our services: Arthritis Clinics

As a Canine Arthrtitis Management (CAM) Advocate, I offer in clinic arthritis clinics for dogs that have been diagnosed with or are suspected of having osteoarthritis. This service is also suitable for older dogs and can be adapted for post operative cases.

Arthritis clinics are one of my favourites services to offer, it’s allows myself and the owner to look at every aspect of care that may affect their dog’s long-term health and well-being. It is a chance to ask every question about their dog and the condition that may be on their mind, there is no wrong question and often the owner will leave feeling much more positive about the future health of their pet and their ability to provide for them. The aim is to provide sensible and realistic ways in which adaptations or minor changes can be made to help relieve pain, discomfort and reduce chances of accelerating this degenerative condition.

At your initial appointment you will be provided with a copy of The CAM Arthritis Bible and The Osteoarthritis Booklet. The bible is a brilliant step by step resource for managing your dog’s arthritis, the OA booklet is a tool that will be used as an ongoing record of your dogs health and can be taken to every vet or therapist visit. The first part of the appointment will be about understanding your dog’s current health, I use the CAM chronic pain tool for this and we will complete it together which also helps me to explain what signs may highlight any pain and changes to their condition, following that we will work through the OA booklet.

The arthritis clinics can be booked as regularly as you need them, or some clients have just had one and then continued with their regular physiotherapy. It is totally up to you and your dog’s needs, just giving them the chance to chat through any worries and concerns post diagnosis is enough for many owners.

❗️Current Offer - Initial Arthritis Clinic - £40
(available for all bookings made by 14 th June)

Arthritis Clinics has 3 options -

Initial Arthritis Clinic - https://formandfunction.fit/appointment-booking/ola/services/senior-dog-offer-follow-up-maintenance

Follow up Arthritis Clinic - https://formandfunction.fit/appointment-booking/ola/services/arthritis-senior-dog-clinics-follow-up

Arthritis Clinic with physiotherapy - https://formandfunction.fit/appointment-booking/ola/services/arthritis-senior-dog-clinics-with-physio-treatment

20/05/2024

I shall take it as a compliment when my patients are so relaxed during their massage they can’t help but dribble while they snooze 😍🖤

Treating this girl who doesn’t accept everyone is a joy, she is just so easy and happy to relax during every treatment 🖤

20/05/2024

I had a few requests for some leaflets and they have now arrived…sometimes old school really is best!!! If you know somewhere that would like some please let me know and I will get them delivered 😁

Also a little sign for my front door, this should help those visiting for the first time to find me 🙌🏻

15/05/2024

💆🏼‍♀️Massage therapy with a veterinary physiotherapist

❓A question I get asked again and again is whether or not I offer massage therapy. There seems to be a common misconception that veterinary physiotherapy is all about prodding and poking and that massage therapy is not a big part of our treatments.

☺️The benefits of massage therapy include decreased muscle tension and pain reduction. It also increases local blood flow, provides better tissue oxygenation and promotes removal of metabolic residues, aiding return of muscle function. Better circulation also leads to an increase in local temperature and elasticity of the muscles, accelerating tissue recovery (Formenton, 2016).

👩🏼‍🎓My veterinary physiotherapy degree course covered massage therapy from the very start of the course, as a result of that training I qualified as an animal massage therapist in 2021 and practised as a massage therapist until I completed my degree. Now as a qualified veterinary physiotherapist I have added other manual therapy techniques to massage therapy which allow me to cover a lot more within each treatment as and when required for the animal. Manual therapies are the biggest part of all treatments and I treat many animals which only require manual therapy within their appointments. Whilst I may also support these treatments with electrotherapies, in my opinion for the most successful outcomes nothing replaces the benefits of manual therapy…and you doing your home exercises!

💪🏼In the case of a patient with osteoarthritis (OA), massage therapy is such an important part of their treatment although it’s most likely to be done alongside other techniques to achieve the best outcome. Joint mobilisations are often included to create movement within the affected joint and as a result this reduces stiffness and makes movement easier. Electrotherapies may be used pre or post treatment, as an example PEMFt has been proven to provide pain relief and improve functional movement (Sutbeyaz et al, 2006), this is very important for patients with OA.

🙌🏻 So in summary massage therapy is included in all treatments at a level required for that patient, and you also get the benefit of the other techniques and modalities available to your veterinary physiotherapist in order to give your animal the most successful outcome.

14/05/2024

Very happy to have been involved with this tunnel research

This blog is an executive summary of a research study I conducted along with a team of researchers in Canada, UK and Australia. We are preparing a manuscript for submission for peer review publicat…

13/05/2024

Movement adaptations are another sign of potential pain, discomfort or injury. Dogs are incredible at adapting their movement to be able to move in the most efficient way that causes them the least amount of pain, this is also how compensatory issues can quickly become a problem!

Review your videos, don’t ignore “odd” movements, know how your dog moves when fit & healthy…listen to your dog! 🐶

fit

07/05/2024

Can anyone help with this research? My dogs are booked in 😀

Please help us!

We are still looking for dog volunteers to help us with some research on Sunday 12th May at the Win Clinic.

Each appointment is free of charge and will last approximately 20 minutes. The assessment is non-invasive and involves your dog having their skin elasticity measured with a tape measure in different positions.

We need your dog to be healthy, without a diagnosis of hypermobility, joint luxation or dysplasia, neurological conditions or undiagnosed lameness in order to participate in the study.

If you would like to take part or have any questions then please get in touch for further details.

📞 01823 426490
📧 [email protected]

04/05/2024

I am now on holiday until the 13th May, have a lovely bank holday weekend everyone 😀

Bookings can be made online for appointments after the 13th May. Existing clients please email if there any emergencies.

www.formandfunction.fit

04/05/2024

This handsome young man is only 15 weeks post op to correct a luxating patella and he is looking so good! Incredibly rewarding to see him moving so well and he even straightened up his own sit, which earnt him extra treats! 😍👏🏼

I can always tell if you are doing your home exercises, your dog always tells me! 🐶

5🌟 patient with a 5🌟 owner

30/04/2024

The clinic has been cleaned and sterilised ready for the next client…Harry believes that might be him 😂🫣🖤

29/04/2024

Has your dog’s behaviour changed around training or competing? Watching a dog get the “zoomies” can be amusing but it may also be a form of displacement and a sign that something isn’t quite right!

Don’t overlook any changes in behaviour 😁

27/04/2024

Can you spot the signs that your sports dog may have an injury or some dysfunction?

fit

26/04/2024

Managing Pain - Acute & Chronic Pain

With the knowledge that 80% of dogs over the age of eight suffer with arthritis, recognising and managing pain in our senior dogs must be at the forefront of our minds when we assess their health and well-being.

Chronic pain is being increasingly recognised and addressed. The recognition that a pets inability to communicate does not negate the ability to experience pain requires veterinary professionals & owners to actively recognise, assess and manage the animal’s pain. In order to successfully treat pain while limiting side effects, a combination of different therapeutic weapons (e.g., analgesic drugs, acupuncture, physiotherapy and dietary interventions) is currently preferred (Rocca and Gamba, 2011). Chronic pain is a maladaptive pain which can be classified as pain which lasts for more than 3 months, dogs with arthritis will experience chronic pain.

5 Principles of Chronic Pain
#1 There is no functional purpose to chronic pain; there is no evolutionary advantage to it.
#2 Chronic pain almost always involves a degree of sensitisation, both centrally in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and peripherally at the pain-generating site. This sensitisation also termed wind-up, amplifies perceived pain beyond what the underlying pathology would otherwise produce.
#3 It can be difficult for owners to perceive their pets’ chronic pain; what they can see are mobility issues.
#4 Chronic pain in humans is considered comorbid with diminished cognition (learning, memory, mental acuity) and clinical depression, it would be hard to reason that this isn’t the same with pets.
#5 Under-recognised and under-managed chronic pain can result in death via humane euthanasia, perhaps years earlier than would otherwise be necessary.
(Adapted from an article by Epstein DVM, ABVP, in Todays Veterinary Practice, 2013)

Acute pain is an adaptive pain which is usually associated to tissue damage and lasting for the length of the injury. Early intervention and a multimodal approach often provides a successful recovery from acute pain.

The 4 basic principles of effective acute pain management are as follows:
#1 Early, preemptive or preventive use of analgesic therapies to optimise preventive therapy.
#2 Use of a multimodal approach. The pain transmission system is complex and has a lot of redundancy, so interrupting the pain pathways using multiple differing approaches is more effective clinically than relying on a single mechanism.
#3 Providing continuous, overlapping analgesia. An analgesic plan should provide overlapping pain relief and include at least the early “at-home” time period.
#4 Matching the provision of analgesia to the degree (dose) of surgery or trauma. (Adapted from AAHA.org, Acute vs. Chronic Pain)

It is possible for dogs to experience acute and chronic pain simultaneously. In these cases it is imperative that each type of pain is dealt with and effective management of both is put in place. Discussing medication with your veterinarian is important due to differences between the two types of pain, there are a multitude of pain medications which can target different conditions due to the way they interact with the brain and body, so any pet which is being medicated for a chronic condition should be assessed by their veterinarian if there is sudden onset of acute pain.

Canine Arthritis Management is an excellent source of information regarding all things relating to arthritis, this guide to pain is very helpful for owners https://caninearthritis.co.uk/managing-arthritis/owner-identification-of-pain/

26/04/2024

Hypermobility is a fascinating and under researched subject in canines, if you can help with this important study please get in touch with Win Clinic

26/04/2024

A cool anatomy video 😍

24/04/2024

Some dogs relax a little but then others are pretty comatose, she was even falling asleep stood up at one point and we had some lovely yawn’s post treatment.

I think she understands that we are going to make her feel better 😍

23/04/2024

Fully stocked ready for a busy few clinic days…new and existing clients 😁

I have started to send reminders to clients who I haven’t seen for 5 months, veterinary consent will expire when I haven’t seen your dog for over 6 months so if it’s been a while get booked in to save getting renewed consent 😀

Whilst healthy dogs can have maintenance treatments without consent, I request veterinary consent for all clients to ensure I have all the information about your pet that I may need. This also allows me to treat any minor issues I may find during the appointment 😀

15/04/2024

Yes I have heard “they just try it on…” “they are such a wimp” “they just do it for attention”

Nope, dogs will adapt their movement to move in the most efficient and painless way that they can, if something hurts they may limp to relieve the pain and still be able to move!

Limping is a significant gait change that means something is wrong. The cause of the limp might be up for debate, but it will be linked to pain or discomfort.

It's safer and more beneficial for your dog to assume the presence of pain rather than the absence of pain.

12/04/2024

🤓The iliopsoas muscle is a muscle which often gets mentioned, especially when I am treating agility dogs. Being one of the longest muscles and the main hip flexor it has a very important role in movement. In human anatomy it is thought of as the “fight or flight” muscle, when you are startled it contracts and when you are stressed it tightens. This is thought to be similar with dogs, and then add to that a dog in an environment that may be stressful or very exciting which is then repeatedly extending and contracting the muscle by jumping/weaving/running etc and it is no wonder this muscle is often the cause of discomfort or injury.

🖤One recent case I have treated was a young agility dog, a very excitable cocker spaniel who had started jumping in an unusual way. During the assessment there was a pain response on palpation of the iliopsias, along with kyphosis (roached) back and reduced hip extension. I provided the owner a few exercises and we booked in another treatment. However this owner went so much further with this dog and honestly I am astounded at the difference in this dog in under 2 months. This dog is so much calmer, she stood on the blocks in the treatment room and was instantly still, she walks better on lead with a neutral spine, she’s calmer in the house and out and about on walks and I was very happy to find any issue with the iliopsoas has gone.

This case has highlighted the importance of looking at every aspect of the dog’s life and owners doing the home exercises to ensure a successful recovery and reducing risk of future injury 😁

The iliopsoas is a fusion of the psoas major and iliacus.

Action: To flex the hip joint (also a spinal stabiliser)
Origin: Lumbar vertebrae & ilium (pelvis)
Insertion: Lesser trochanter (femur, medial groin) (Evans & De Lahunte, 2017).

Common signs of ilipsoas dysfunction can include, but not limited to: loss of speed, drop in performance, knocking poles, hopping/skipping, shortened stride, kyphosis, spinal pain.

It is often suggested that iliopsoas issues are secondary to another condition, so if you suspect your dog may have an issue please ensure they get a thorough check up.

10/04/2024

😴Rest equals recovery🤩

🏃🏼‍♀️I recently started running, I am using a generic app that incorporates interval training to build my fitness and help me reach my goal. A month in and I felt great, I had been running every other day consistently and gone from 1 minute to 20 minutes of consecutive running, but just a few days later I had two disappointing runs back to back which made me believe I wasn’t going to reach my goal. So what had changed in those few days? I identified two factors, lack of rest and inadequate fuel (bad food!), so the only thing I could do was to rest (no running) plus tackle my diet to ensure my body was able to recover and I had the fuel to run again. Guess what though? It worked and on my first run back after 2 days of no running I ran my best run to date and it felt good!

🐎How does this relate to our canine athletes? Well when discussing equine sports, Marlin and Nankervis (2003) state that the skill of training involves being able to produce a horse fit enough to do the job whilst subjecting them to minimum wear and tear along the way. This thinking should also be applied to our canine athletes. Building and maintaining their fitness so they can be the athlete we need them to be, while understanding the demands and stress that the sport puts on their body therefore incorporating appropriate rest periods for recovery.

🤯Overtraining is well recognised in human athletes and can be defined as, a loss of performance despite maintenance of intense training effort. The effects of overtraining on humans has been shown to be both physiological and psychological, and whilst no research has proven it occurs with animals, there is a thought horses are affected therefore it wouldn’t be a big stretch to assume it may also occur in dogs.

😮‍💨On the flip side detraining, which is the bodies response to reduction or cessation of training is reported to start at around 1-2 weeks. This is important information to know just in case there is a period of enforced rest from training (this is not rest through injury which would require a rehab programme). Starting again after a longer rest period may mean that there is some loss of fitness which should be considered when deciding at what level the training should be reintroduced.

Rest is recovery! However our body isn’t resting, instead it’s working hard to repair any micro traumas or other damaged tissues, it replenishes our glycogen stores for increased energy during exercise and it allows for physiological recovery. This part of training is just as important as the type and intensity of the training we are doing, and it should be included in every training plan.

08/04/2024

April & May Offer -

Book an in person appointment for April or May and you will get a FREE copy of either of my two ebooks 😁 Or book 2 appointments (or a 2 dog appointment) and you get both!

Just make your booking between now and 30/4/24 and put your choice of ebook in the booking form. Your choice of ebook will be sent via pdf after your appointment 😁