DSVP Veterinary Rehabilitation & Hydrotherapy Centre

09/12/2024

Monday cuteness with a pre-existing clients lovely new puppy Goose 🪿 🤩

08/12/2024

We have recently started stocking the wonderful in our centre 💕 We have a small selection of dog themed Christmas cards in stock now!

24/11/2024

21/11/2024

❄️ Snow Day ❄️

My 15.5year old 🐶 is snuggled up in her and popping out for short toilet breaks. The 8year old Spaniel is a different story altogether 🌪️🤣 Here are their perfect pawprints 🥰

Show us your dogs enjoying the snow, or keeping warm in the house - we know how much the cold can aggravate already sore joints 🌡️🥶

19/11/2024

I try to stay out of political things, but today I am on my soapbox and very firmly;

🚜🌾 Standing with Farmers Against Unfair Tax Laws 🌾🚜

👩🏼‍🌾 Farmers are the pinnacle of our communities, ensuring that we have food on our tables and the landscapes we love. Yet, the proposed changes to family farm inheritance tax laws threaten their livelihoods and the future of family-run farms.

💰 This new law doesn’t just tax property or the rich tax evaders who put their money in land as a dodge. It taxes generations of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to the land. It jeopardizes the ability of young farmers to take over family farms, forcing many to sell their inheritance and potentially ending the only lifestyle they have known. Younger generations inheriting a farm simply do not have the money to pay the proposed inheritance tax without selling up to cover it.

Farmers may appear asset rich, but I assure you that their hourly rate is pittance. We're not talking minimum wage, we're talking £2 per hour. A recent client informed me that they are up at 3am EVERY DAY (no weekends or holidays) with additional alarms throughout the night to tend to their cattle if needed. They don't finish at lunchtime, they work until night fall.

I fear that this law risks us all losing fresh, naturally grown food. The alternative? 3d printed 'meat', shelf grown 'vegetables', food with unbelievable air miles and climate impact.

This law WILL and has already increased mental health issues in farming families.

We stand in solidarity with farmers who are protesting this unjust legislation. Family farms are more than businesses—they are legacies. They are a source of food security and environmental stewardship.

We urge policymakers to listen to the voices of those on the front lines of agriculture. Let’s ensure that these farms remain in the hands of the families who built them, not sold off due to crushing tax burdens.

We stand with those who provide for us all year round 💪🏼

12/11/2024

This is Finn! Finn is a 9 month old cocker spaniel who has recently been diagnosed with elbow dysplasia! He has stared hydrotherapy this week to strengthen his forelimb muscles, improve his elbow range of motion, correct his compensatory posture, and improve his overall joint health! 👏 We are looking forward to seeing his progress 😀

11/11/2024

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning...
We will remember them 💜

05/11/2024

This lovely German Sheppard is Ruby! She currently has a mixture of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy💧 to conservatively manage her cruciate ligament injury. Ruby's owners recently noticed a change in her movement associated with a chnage in weather so she had a physiotherapy session✅️ and her exercises were adjusted accordingly to help her cope 💪🏻
Ruby also loves her cheese 🧀 when in the water treadmill!

25/10/2024

We know some of our lovely Dachsie owners will appreciate these nails!!! 🐶

Hattie's Haven is just up the road from us in Henstridge!

16/10/2024

Awooooo!!!🐩 It's Spooooky season. Don't let spooky habits haunt your dog's health!

🎃👻 Slippery floors, jumping from heights, and using ball chuckers can lead to traumatic injuries, like slipped discs, or repetitive strain on the body. These stresses cause dogs to develop compensations and altered movement patterns, which place incorrect loads and forces on their bodies and can eventually lead to injury.

This week we've seen a cruciate ligament rupture from jumping out of the car, disc extrusions from ball chasing and psoas injury from prolonged compensatory patterns.

Keep your pup safe from these hidden dangers with regular physio maintenance checks and appropriate home management. We are often able to pick up on small changes in their musculoskeletal system that can allow us to implement changes to prevent this becoming an injury 🦴🐾👀

Your dog doesn't have to be limping to benefit from physio! 💪🏼

 

07/10/2024

The most scrumptious Herbie joined us today for continuation of his rehab journey following spinal surgery at

Here he is keeping warm after his first session in the underwater treadmill in his perfect autumnal coloured dressing gown 🍂

27/09/2024

Oscar is a very handsome 9 year old Whippet 😍
He has been coming to hydrotherapy since March to help in his recovery from a Fibrocartilaginous embolism 💧
Hydrotherapy has been really useful to help re-educate his gait and improve his movement on land 👏
His owner Joe says " Oscar has recovered really well and coming to hydrotherapy has really helped, he enjoys his swimming lessons as we call them🤣"

20/09/2024

This morning we turned a cocker Spaniel into a sleepy seal 🥰

🩷 Gorgeous Wren
🐶 Working Cocker Spaniel
📝 Monthly maintenance sessions

🪡Wren's Mummy is also super duper clever and brought us something exciting to share with you guys! Keep your peelers 👀 peeled for more information!

15/09/2024

Why does chronic pain have an affect on behaviour?

The emotion of pain is a form of fear-anxiety and it can directly affect behaviour by increasing vigilance and leading to behavioural responses that are designed to keep the individual safe. For this reason an animal in chronic pain may show avoidance behaviour and try to keep distance from anything that it perceives to be a risk in terms of exacerbating its pain. This may lead to the pet being less engaged in social interactions and showing less interest in play or making very obvious attempts to get away. Painful animals may also show less obvious behaviours of inhibition or appeasement.
Inhibition involves the animal taking in information by watching and listening but not giving anything away. The result can be a pet who is very quiet and can easily be misinterpreted as being relaxed. It is important to watch for signs that the pet is monitoring the environment, for example by watching for ear movement and staring, and not to simply accept that they are "being very good". Appeasement involves exchanging information with others and because dogs are socially obligate animals they will often use this behavioural response when they are in pain. These dogs will seek information from those around them as well as give information back. This is often done through touch and these dogs may lean into people or nudge at them in ways that are misinterpreted as "attention seeking" and seen as unwanted or naughty behaviours.
Dogs may also sniff and lick at people in ways that are misinterpreted as affection. It is therefore important to be aware of changes in social interactions and not to dismiss increased interaction which might signify an emotional change. The other potential response to pain is repulsion and this involves behaviours which are designed to make the perceived threat stay away. Anything that the animal perceives to be a risk in terms of inducing pain can lead to a repulsion response and these responses can vary from a low grumble, to a significant growl, to an air snap and even a bite. While these repulsion behaviours are often considered to be the most serious, because of the potential consequences, it is important to remember that the pain can be equally significant for the pet regardless of which of the four behavioural responses it gives. It is very important to take repulsion seriously and to take steps to avoid the potential consequences of these behaviours but we must not disregard avoidance, inhibition and appeasement which are also important signs that an animal may be in pain.
In addition to the direct effect on behaviour chronic pain can have an indirect effect by reducing an animal's emotional capacity. The chronic pain uses up some of the animal's emotional "space" and means that they are more likely to react to other stimuli, such as noises or social interactions. When this happens the main thing that a caregiver may notice is a change in behaviour but the underlying pain also needs to be treated.

15/09/2024

As the temperatures start dropping, let's keep cosy! 🍁❄️

🐶💦 It’s really important to keep your dog warm after their hydro session – especially if they suffer from arthritis. Cold temperatures can worsen stiff, achy joints, making it harder for them to stay comfortable, and of course reversing the benefits they just worked hard to achieve🌡️

Here’s how you can help:
🐾 Pack a towel to dry them off quickly after their warm shower
🐾 Bring a drying robe, coat or jacket to keep them cozy after their session. We love the , towelling coats and
'pyjamas' as we love to call them
🐾 Allow your dog to rest in a warm spot in the car and at home, away from drafts & vents (door drafts are rarely felt by us, except on our feet, but the perfect level for a lying down dog 🥶).
🐾 If your dog wears his/her drying robe home, ensure that it is changed promptly (some will retain the water, others with double layers can help to keep a warm dry layer next to your dog's coat)
🐾 Allow rest, but prevent stiffness by encouraging some movement approximately every 4hours, and/or performing your passive range of motion exercises if they have been demonstrated to you by our veterinary physiotherapists.

Let’s work together to keep our pups comfortable and happy this season! 🐕💙