Wrekin Veterinary Physiotherapy

03/12/2024

Review 🐾

Always grateful to hear lovely comments. Thank you very much

29/11/2024

INIDBA for acute SDFT injury 🐎

An 8yo Lusitano presented with sudden severe lameness and swelling of the right hind fetlock. The horse was diagnosed with annular plantar ligament (APL) desmitis and superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) tendonitis.

The horse was treated with INDIBA for 6 sessions, along with undergoing an exercise rehabilitation plan and remedial shoeing.

INDIBA was shown to promote the formation of collagen fibres and improve their alignment (which improves the integrity of repair). There was also a decrease in swelling by the third session.

If you would like to know more about INDIBA radiofrequency then please get in touch or view the full summary on our website

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

25/11/2024

Common Symptoms 🐾

Signs your dog may benefit from physio:

🔹Wonky sit
🔹Skipping with back legs
🔹Stiff to get up
🔹Flinching back

🔹 A “wonky” sit or a “puppy” sit, where the dog slouches to the side may be a sign of issues within the hind limbs, particularly the hips

🔹 Skipping or hopping a leg when walking or trotting shows there is an underlying condition in the hind limbs too, often in the knee

🔹 If your dog is stiff to get up, they may be starting to show their age and could benefit from joint support

🔹 A back that flinches or spasms when touched could indicate sore muscles

If you see any of these signs in your dog and are concerned, it is best to get them checked over by the vet to identify any underlying issues.
These are all symptoms that physiotherapy can help with to make your dog more comfortable.

If you’d like to know more or have a chat about your dog, please drop us a message:

💻
www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

24/10/2024

Dog Wheelchair Charities 🛞

Is your dog struggling with mobility issues and you're looking to try something to give them more independence?

Dog wheelchairs can be a great option, whether temporary, whilst they recover, or permanently to allow more freedom in their everyday lives.

Dog wheels can be used for multiple conditions but are mainly utilised for spinal diseases such as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) or degenerative myelopathy (DM). Its best to talk to your vet or physio to discuss if they’d be suitable for your dog.

Wheelchairs can be expensive, especially for the sturdy, good quality wheels needed for some larger dogs. Thankfully, there are several brilliant charities that hire out wheelchairs for dogs in need. We've listed some UK based dog wheelchair charities that may be able to help:

🔹Pumpkin and Friends

🔹Winstons wheels

🔹Broken Biscuits

🔹Peppa's Place

🔹Pick ‘n’ Mix Cause for Paws

More information and the links to these charities are available on my blog post:

https://www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk/post/uk-dog-wheelchair-charities

15/10/2024

🐎Quiz 🐎

Astonishingly, a horse jumping a 1.30m fence will experience 2.6 times its body weight through the first leg that lands!
That’s 1560kg for an average warmblood 🐎

This force is absorbed through the forelimb structures causing the fetlock to hyperextend towards the ground. The energy is stored in the tendons and released as the horse moves off, to help propel them forwards.

Many showjumping horses experience issues with their suspensorys or flexor tendons due to the repeated strain put on them from landing.

🔹Warming up and cooling down throughly is a great way to minimise chances of injury🔹

Let us know if you’d like help with getting your horse in tip top shape

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

12/10/2024

Paw Prints 🐾 🏝️

Have you ever considered what your animals paw prints might be telling you?

Dogs naturally place more weight through their front feet.
However, looking at Maia’s paw prints in the sand shows the stark difference between the weight distribution between her front and back legs as a result of her hip dysplasia.

🔹In the images, the front foot is far deeper in the sand showing the extra force through that limb. It also shows widening of the front paw into a splayed position.
Whereas the hind foot has a much smaller surface area with less weight through it.
Frankie’s footprints are a lot more even in comparison🔹

This is so interesting to visualise the extra strain and compensations the body goes through when there is dysfunction.
As she is compromised in her hips, she pushes more weight forward to relieve pressure. This may eventually lead to discomfort in those limbs, so it’s vital to consider the whole of the dog.

Have you ever noticed anything like this with your pet? It’s something to look out for next time you head to the beach 🏖️

If you have any concerns or questions about your animal, please get in touch and we can help figure it out 🐾

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

09/10/2024

Client Testimonial 🐾

Such a lovely review, thank you so much 😊 so great to see him learning and getting stronger every visit

05/10/2024

Research Summary 🔬🐴

Event horses were studied to explore the relationship between increasing workload and injuries. They studied horses from 2-5* level over three years to see the trends associated with their workload schedule.

They found that when workload was increased quickly, there was a higher chance of the horses obtaining a work-related injury.

The figures showed that an increase of work by 1.5 times, doubled the injury risk the following week. An increase over 1.5, meant the chances of injury went up to 3-6 times more likely.

The takeaways from the article to reduce injury risk are:
🔹 Consistent and regular training
🔹 Preventing fast changes in workload
🔹 Gradual reintroduction to work after breaks

These messages can also be translated into the dog world. For example, increasing the lengths of walks and adding in small gradients before taking them to climb a mountain. OR introducing more fast paced walks before taking them on a run.

If you’d like any help with your animal’s fitness, then please get in touch to discuss:

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

29/09/2024

INDIBA and Kissing Spine 🐎

Does your horse suffer from kissing spine?

Indiba can have amazing effects on kissing spine horses to reduced pain and inflammation through their backs.

When combined with manual techniques and therapeutic exercise too, it can have brilliant results, as it allows them to use their body correctly with reduced pain.

🔹Here’s a case study to demonstrate the effectiveness:

A 16 year old polo pony was diagnosed with kissing spine and originally treated with anti inflammatory drugs to resume work. After 6 months, the horse became painful and lane again.

He was then treated with INDIBA weekly for 8 weeks. His pain had reduced by 80% and he returned back to full work. Monthly sessions were given to keep him topped up and able to carry out his job.
(Source: Campos, Aguera and Requena)🔹

Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to find out how INDIBA can help your horse 🐴

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

26/09/2024

26/09/2024

Collarbones 🦴

The collarbone in humans attaches the arm to the body to hold the shoulder in place.

However, dogs and horses don’t have a collarbone, which means their front legs are only held onto the body through soft tissue.

This important system is called the THORACIC SLING and is made up of muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia.

A strong thoracic sling will support the body and allow for improved posture and shock absorption.

Signs of a weak thoracic sling include:
🔹Going on the forehand
🔹Difficulty bending, turning and balancing
🔹Hollow outline or a high head/neck carriage
🔹Falling out through the shoulder

If your horse or dog shows any signs of weakness in this area, get in touch and we can help!

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

26/09/2024

Help them share in £1,000,000 worth of grants this year

23/09/2024

Rugs 🏡

Environmental adaptations can play a big role in your pets comfort.

Here are a few examples of how rugs can be implemented into the home. They are a brilliant way of reducing wear and tear in your dogs and cats joints.

🔹Sofa
We know keeping pets off the furniture can be a struggle, so let’s make it safer for them. If you have wooden or tiled floors, try adding a rug below a sofa, chair or bed. When they jump up and down, they have more grip and are less likely to slip and cause microdamage.

🔹 Stairs
Stairs can be unavoidable in homes but may be a place of high speeds and quick turning. Try adding a rug to the bottom of the stairs to add extra grip.

🔹 Doorways
High traffic and high speed doorways are a great place to add a rug. And it helps prevent muddy floors so a two in one!

Rugs are great for dogs with mobility issues AND for completely healthy dogs! If we add them now, we may prevent/reduce problems further down the line.

This tip can apply to cats too! If they have a favourite jumping spot, consider adding a rug or nonslip surface below it 🐈

Get in touch or follow for more tips and tricks:

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

18/09/2024

Review 🐶

Thank you for the lovely review! It’s been wonderful to be a part of his rehab journey 😊

10/09/2024

Does my horse need physio? 🐎

5 ridden signs your horse might need a physiotherapy appointment:

🔹Lack of straightness
🔹Frequent incorrect canter leads or disunited canter
🔹Cold backed
🔹Struggles on one rein
🔹Bucking into canter

If you’ve noticed any of these signs and are concerned, drop me a message to discuss

💻 www.wrekinveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07776 689 754

31/08/2024

Meet Bertie 🐾

Bertie recently had IVDD surgery and we have been treating him with physiotherapy to help gain his strength and coordination back.

We utilised a range of techniques including manual physio, laser, home exercises and environmental adaptations. He especially loved the chicken for his exercises!

He has now made a full recovery and is back to being his playful and adorable self!

If you’d like any help with your pet’s recovery then please get in touch and we can get them back on the right track

08/08/2024