A holistic pain management service for your pet in your home from an experienced veterinary surgeon
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New patient gorgeous Teddy here is getting stuck into a treat while the needles work their magic in his hindlimbs. He has been diagnosed with polyneuropathy meaning the nerve signals from his brain and spinal cord to the muscles and ligaments in his hindlimbs are weaker, so he has lost some coordination and was frequently stumbling.
I'm pleased to say after just four sessions he has made an obvious improvement 😁🐾
It’s been over 2 months now since microchipping cats over 20 weeks became compulsory. So if you have a cat in your possession (particularly an older moggie who may have been acquired and neutered when microchipping was not routine) please ensure they are chipped and registered.
If it already has a chip, ensure it is checked regularly at vet visits to ensure it is still active and properly registered, with your contact details up to date if you change mobile number or move house.
It is hoped the move will encourage people to be more responsible in their ownership of cats, which can sometimes be left to fend for themselves when owners get too busy or bored of them. Cats are notoriously independent wanderers; they can end up far from home. Both of these factors mean that rescue centres are bursting at the seams and if a few more cats can be reunited with their owners every week via their microchip this can only be a good thing.
Below is a lovely story of why microchips are so essential for your furry friend.
https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2024-07-12/shes-got-her-mojo-back-owner-and-cat-reunited-after-four-years
Sustainable chicken keeping 🐔🐔
A big shout out to all our faithful moggies who give us their love and company (sometimes in their own aloof way!) on
My 13 year old Domestic Short Hair Fezekile (pronounced Fezeegeelay after our dear South African friend) has been giving me cause for concern recently with some stubborn hairballs but she has been such a great family cat, putting up with all the somewhat misguided attention of our boys when they were toddlers and now a great source of comfort when they need a nourishing cuddle - that purr is just so calming - not sure about her habit of dribbling though 🥴
Feel free to post pics of your beloved cats below and let me know their best feature or most embarrassing moment!
Today is today but I wanted to subvert that in the interests of our older dogs, particularly those suffering with joint or spinal disease of any kind.
It is now known that in dogs, osteoarthritis is not the inevitable end point of normal wear and tear on joints in the senior dog but is almost always secondary to other conditions: developmental abnormalities such as hip or elbow dysplasia (which are genetic in origin) or traumatic injuries such as cruciate ligament injury or other physical trauma.
Playing with a ball - the rapid acceleration and deceleration, jumping and twisting which an enthusiastic ball player will experience multiple times in a play session - are all very high stress, abnormal loads on a dog’s joints and supporting tendons and ligaments.
For this reason, ball play should be strictly limited no matter how obsessively they appear to be enjoying it, sadly. There is a good argument for saying dogs under 15 months (whose musculoskeletal systems are not yet mature) and dogs over middle age (7-8 years, who are more likely to be suffering with early stages of osteoarthritis) should not play with a ball at all.
Throwing a rope or tug toy which does not bounce or travel so far may be a safer way to allow your pooch to fulfil their chasing and retrieving instinct.
You can read more about the dos and don’t of this situation here: https://caninearthritis.org/article/on-throwing-balls/
Today we are celebrating the human-animal body (HAB) with Human Animal Bond Awareness Day, a collaboration of charities, organisations and individuals who recognise and support the important part that animals play in our lives.
Any animal owner will know that keeping pets enriches our lives, but it is important to ensure that our relationships with our animals are reciprocal - are we ensuring that they are also benefiting from our company? Sadly, with rescue centres currently at breaking point it would seem that this is often not the case.
Sadly many people obtain a pet but do not do the research beforehand to see if they are suitable for their lifestyle and budget.
If you are considering getting a pet, the PDSA have a great tool called PetWise that helps you match your lifestyle to the right pet, you can see it here:
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/choosing-a-pet
If you already have a pet, ensure you are providing for all its physical and emotional needs with the ’s great resources at
https://www.animalwelfarefoundation.org.uk/education/animal-welfare-advice/guidance-for-animal-owners/petcare-advice/ -pets
*Even vets have to pay for pet insurance 😅*
and yes even we are subject to the same price hikes everyone else is dealing with.
In my case, I used a few of the comparison sites and managed to find the same level of cover for the same price I was paying last year - phew!
But if Fezy was suffering from an ongoing condition I needed cover for, I would not have had that luxury.
Why is it going up by so much?
There will be market forces in operation but from a veterinary point of view:
👉 pets are living longer so more likely to be subject to an insurance claim in their lifetime
👉 pet owners want access to the same levels of healthcare for their pets that they are used to themselves, so more people have been accessing more sophisticated investigations and treatments than ever before, so bigger vet bills
👉 just like in humans, the rise in pet obesity means more chronic (ongoing) diseases which require ongoing medications
👉 all this means the risk for the insurers has gone up so they raise their premiums to cover that risk
🐾 DO shop around for insurance but also check your cover limit and whether it is lifetime cover or an annual limit (the latter won't cover for ongoing conditions)
Pet owners have a legal obligation to prevent suffering for their animals - and that means ensuring you can pay for necessary veterinary treatment.
Did you know that there is a shortage of blood for donation since a cyber hack last week? Especially type O positive
I'm doing my bit to help, can you?
For I’m going to challenge you to ask yourself: do you listen to what your pet is telling you?
Watch this moving video from Canine Arthritis Management https://youtu.be/O5_FeWt4T_I
And then read their webpage on Identifying the Signs : https://caninearthritis.co.uk/what-is-arthritis/identifying-the-signs/
Learn about your cat’s body language in this video from : https://youtu.be/bvsfB7sf4QU
Educate yourself on your bunny’s behaviour at the House Rabbit Society website: https://rabbit.org/behavior/reading-your-rabbits-behavior/
Five takeaways from the VOA Conference
I had a busy month of learning last month, attending the Veterinary Osteoarthritis Alliance Conference (VOACON) and BVA Live, a conference for veterinary professionals in all fields.
Continue to the blog to read more. https://www.pettherapyacupuncture.co.uk/post/five-takeaways-from-the-voa-conference
Chronic Diseases, also known as Non-Communicable Diseases, apply to any disease process of long duration and according to the World Health Organisation definition “result from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors”.
In our pets the most common by far is osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease of the joints, ligaments and supporting tissues. As expressed above, there is not one cause of arthritis and so controlling the debilitating effects of this cruel disease is not going to happen with a single treatment or therapy.
In the veterinary world we talk about a ‘multimodal approach’ which can and should involve lifestyle and exercise modification, diet and weight management, drug therapies and manual therapies such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy and physiotherapy.
If your dog or cat has arthritis, or you suspect they may have, head to www.caninearthritis.co.uk for dogs, or https://icatcare.org/advice/arthritis-and-degenerative-joint-disease-in-cats/ for cats to learn more about how to manage this disease effectively.
My new Recover programme aims to tie all the threads of chronic disease management together in a 4 week comprehensive support package - for more information head to my website at https://www.pettherapyacupuncture.co.uk/more-info and click the Chronic Pain Management tab.
Now I wouldn't normally call myself a data geek 🧐 but I've been using pain scoring questionnaires for years to help me and my clients gain an objective measure of how my treatments are working.
I've just spent a few days moving them online so you may be sent an email requesting you complete one of these forms if you haven't for a while - it's not spam!! It's just a way of tracking your furry friend's progress and spotting where we might need to intervene to help them maintain their best lives 🐶🐱🐾
I've just completed one for Fezy and will be repeating it every 3-6 months.
A bit of polling day canine fun 🥰🐶🐾
Today is which is a good opportunity to think about how we transport our pets, specifically car travel.
*OVERHEATING*
Many people will be taking dogs on summer holidays or day trips so the first thing to talk about is hot weather: it is not always easy to keep a car cool and the temperature inside can rise rapidly on a sunny day - is it the right thing to take your pet with you?
NEVER leave a pet in a car alone even for a short time on a warm day.
If you are planning a car journey, consider how to keep it as short as possible and how to help keep your pet cool - make full use of AC, cool mats and you can use an ice pack wrapped in a towel to place under cat or small pet carriers. Use window shades and stop for regular comfort breaks and drinking opportunities.
*COMFORT*
If you have a pet with known or unknown joint disease or back problems the journey may be stressful for several reasons, e.g. getting in/out of the car may be stressful or painful. Sitting in the car having to brace themselves while going around corners might be putting pressure on painful joints or produce tense and tight muscles.
Use a ramp or steps to help dogs get into or out of the car. If they are in the boot, loose or in a crate ensure they have a high sided, snug and supportive bed. If they are on a seat the Highway Code states motorists need to ensure dogs are “suitably restrained” while travelling in the car - this can be a good quality harness which attaches to the seat or seatbelt, or consider purchasing this amazing CarCube from the Big Dog Bed Company https://bigdogbedcompany.co.uk/products/new-car-cube-dog-seat
Cats and small pets likewise need a non-slip secure surface inside their carrier to prevent them from sliding around every time a corner is taken.
*TRAVEL SICKNESS OR ANXIETY*
Some pets will regularly vomit on a car journey which is not fun for anyone. This can be a true motion sickness or may be linked to significant anxiety related to car journeys. Speak to your vet about medications that can help and avoid a large meal in the couple of hours prior to travelling.
Today is and so I wanted to highlight how essential I feel it is to have adequate insurance cover when you take on responsibility for a pet. Far from being something you can’t afford, with everyone having less spare cash than ever it is even more important to ensure you can afford your pet’s treatment if the unexpected happens.
As veterinary treatments and procedures become ever more sophisticated the associated fees can be expensive but that is a cost that *must* be factored in when you purchase a pet. I see many owners spending several thousands on a particular breed of dog but unable to afford treatment a few months later; is this reasonable? What other item would you purchase for over 4 figures without getting insurance for it?
There is also much confusion about the many policies out there, so here’s a quick rundown:
Annual or lifetime?
An annual policy can seem a more affordable option but is never something I recommend - when it comes to an end you will need to purchase a new one and any previous conditions your pet has had (whether claimed for or not) will be marked as ‘pre-existing’ and not covered in a new policy - a disaster if your pet has been diagnosed with an ongoing condition such as arthritis, diabetes or allergies.
Excess amount
As with other types of insurance there is always an excess to pay when you claim, and as well as a fixed amount there is often an additional percentage of the claimed amount for senior pets (usually over 8 years old).
Claim limit
Policies may have a ‘condition limit’ (maximum amount payable per condition) or an annual limit (maximum amount payable per year) and you need to be aware of what emergency or ongoing treatments may cost - the main rule is take the highest limit you can afford but I’d recommend at least £8000 for a dog (more for a large breed) and £6000 for a cat. Smaller animals don’t necessarily come with smaller costs - an MRI scan costs the same for a guinea pig as for a Great Dane!
So to summarise:
- Pet insurance should be one of your first purchases when you obtain a pet along with food, bedding etc
- Choose a lifetime, rather than annual policy and choose the highest cover you can afford.
- Bear in mind anything in the animal’s medical history at the time you take out cover may not be covered by your policy.
- Check what the excess level is
- If you cannot obtain insurance for your pet, consider how you will fund any emergency medical treatment - in some cases it may be that euthanasia will be your only option and you need to be prepared for this.
So I saw a someone walking their dog on a pavement at 3pm today when my car was reading 30 degrees, so I guess it is all worth sharing again...
☀️ DO NOT WALK YOUR DOG in hot weather (>20 degrees) between 9am-8pm
☀️ PLACE YOUR HAND ON THE PAVEMENT before walking your dog
☀️ Ensure your dog is drinking fluids and has access to shade AT ALL TIMES
☀️ AVOID car journeys if possible and NEVER leave your dog in the car
☀️ Be especially careful with BRACHYCEPHALIC (FLAT-FACED) BREEDS
Thanks to PDSA for the infographic
Just a quick shout out for all the dachsies and their dedicated owners out there on
Did you know that these cute doggos are predisposed to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) as their genetic makeup means their discs age prematurely so they become more brittle and prone to prolapsing (‘slipping’) at an early age?
Signs of IVDD include sudden onset back pain, reluctance to move and loss of control in the limbs (dragging feet or ‘drunken gait’). If severe it can lead to loss of sensation in the limbs and potentially complete paralysis.
Surgery is often required in severe cases to remove the damaged disc material, along with intense rehabilitation, but milder cases do really well with acupuncture and physiotherapy.
Pip and Badger were two cases which responded really well and were signed off after 2-3 months of treatment 😀
A new study came out earlier this year reviewing pet owners' and veterinary professionals’ attitudes to healthcare in senior dogs.(1) It revealed some significant differences in perceptions between the two groups and concluded ‘new educational initiatives and more effective communication are required’.
Continue to the blog to read more. Link in my bio to my website & head to the blog page
Beautiful Simba found walking a few steps difficult before he started acupuncture due to hip dysplasia and suspected forelimb arthritis.
After a couple of weeks of sessions and the help of Sarah at Stretch & Flex Physiotherapy he is now having to be held back from jumping off the furniture 🙈
As you can see he relaxes into his acupuncture sessions (yes there are some needles under all that fur 😆)
For I wanted to raise awareness of the excellent work of and put out an appeal for doggy donors!!
Pet Blood Bank exists to help save the lives of pets in need. They are a UK charity with welfare at their heart. The charity was set up to support vets by providing a blood service for pets, just like the one we have as humans.
They run donation sessions across the country where owners bring their much loved companions to give blood. The blood is taken to their processing centre in Loughborough where it is separated into different products. It is then stored and sent out to vets when they need it.
Welfare is at the very heart of what they do. The wellbeing of their pet donors is always their priority and their standards are exceptionally high.
Their donors are carefully selected, their team are highly skilled, and their operations are gold standard. They are monitored and audited by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate; an executive government agency committed to protecting animal welfare.
If you want to know more or see if your dog would be a suitable donor, click https://www.petbloodbankuk.org/get-involved/
A bit of a bleary-eyed start to the weekend 😂😵
Having spent two days learning and connecting at BVA Live, for my last day of educational exploration I am off to London to the Congress.
While this would have been considered a bit 'woo' even 10 years ago more and more people in the human healthcare field are waking up to the idea of , that we can't consider the health of one without the other.
So I'm looking forward to meeting integrated practitioners from lots of discipline and learning what my human healthcare colleagues are up to, hopefully bringing some of that back to benefit my own patients 🐇🐈🐕
Great to listen to and speak to one of my veterinary heroes, the inspiring Dr Hannah Capon from Canine Arthritis Management 😍 at BVA Live this week
Yet more learning opportunities this week 🤓. Listening to a debate about one of my favourite pet topics at BVA Live on the gut microbiome
As regular followers will know, I am always looking for ways to reduce my impact on this planet we call home. Well did you know that websites have a carbon footprint?
Globally, the average web page produces approximately 0.8 grams CO2 equivalent per page view. For a website with 10,000 monthly page views, that's 102 kg CO2e per year. The entire internet is producing carbon emissions equal to or greater than the global aviation industry. Yikes!*
Today on I’m shouting out Axon Point Marketing who conducted a FREE carbon audit of my website and Shrinker Digital for the cool infographic that accompanied my report.
With this information I am well armed to ensure my website evolves into a version that is as carbon-efficient as possible, so you may notice some changes in the coming months….
*https://www.websitecarbon.com/
This is . Sadly dog bites continue to cause headline news and child dog bites are most likely to occur in the home. As well as physical injuries, children who experience dog bites can suffer psychological injuries such as post-traumatic stress or dog phobias.
With this in mind I thought I’d highlight the work of a great organisation that is working to help dogs and children live safely and happily together: Kids Around Dogs®
Kids Around Dogs is an award winning association of Dog Professionals and Child Care Professionals who specialise in working with families and schools to help children and dogs to live in harmony together.
As well as providing talks in schools and youth groups, you can work one-on-one with a KAD-accredited professional or use their wealth of free resources on their website https://kidsarounddogs.co.uk/
Photo credit: Kids around Dogs
Reference: https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000726
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Sustainable chicken keeping 🐔🐔
Fezy is still a very active cat, likes to jump up to high places, brings home the occasional small prey animal...but I have noticed her weighing up a jump before she leaps, and watching how she uses her front paws to brace herself here (twice, so it isn't a one-off) shows that she is feeling less confident about her ability to jump down. Sometimes the signs are very subtle, and as a pet owner I need to be on the lookout for these 'simpke things'. #pettherapyacupuncture #petarthritis #petacupuncture #animalpainmanagement #chronicpain #arthritisawareness #chronicpainawareness #catarthritis #animalpain
So if you're introducing an activity feeder to your pet,some things to consider: - start easy, if they've never used one before they'll need to get used to a basic skill level feeder first and work up - use highly tasty treats to start with to motivate them to make the effort - demonstrate the action needed if necessary, but only 3-4 times otherwise you've turned yourself into a waiter 😁
I'm always looking for ways to help my senior kitty stay young, and she is already a dab paw at the tube feeder and wobble feeder but this one might take a bit of encouragement...I'll keep you posted 😸 #catenrichment #seniorcatsofinstagram #seniorcat #pettherapyacupuncture
I've had a forearm strain for a couple of weeks that I've been ignoring so the quieter time between Christmas and New Year gave me the opportunity to perform some self-treatment 😊 I can also test that my electroacupuncture machine is working. Although there is no movement at the needles or muscle twitches I can feel quite an intense buzzing at the elbow point. This is a good reminder that even when we don't *see* anything when the machine is on the patient will still be feeling things and receiving a therapeutic benefit ☺️ #naturaltherapy #dogpainmanagement #painmanagement #veterinary #naturaltherapies #pettherapyacupuncture #acupuncture #petacupuncture #animalpainmanagement #felinepainmanagement #catarthritis #electroacupuncture Test complete ✅
**Pain Management Tip of the Day** I know it's tempting just to hunker down when the temperature drops, but there are good reasons to fight that urge for ourselves and our senior pets... #seniorpetmonth
Beautiful Mya has degenerative myelopathy which can be a very distressing condition to witness as a bright and active dog slowly loses all the function of their back legs. She has had a new lease of life with her wheels but we are keeping her overloaded shoulder muscles loosened up and trying to keep the hindlimb nerve pathways active for as long as possible. As you can see she's quite content during her electroacupuncture session 🥰🐾🥰 #germanshepherd #degenerativemyelopathy #caninerehabilitation #caninedegenerativemyelopathy #electroacupuncture #
Well September is #happycatmonth so I thought it was right to introduce you to one of my latest patients, a very happy Purrdy 😍 Purrdy had the misfortune to lose her back leg in an accident when she was younger so she's been getting around on 3 legs for well over a decade now but that inevitably takes its toll on the body and so we are needling her neck and shoulder muscles along with some tight areas around her lower back and pelvis to release some of those aches and pains. As you can see she is very content to sit and allow herself to be treated 😁 #catarthritis #felinearthritis #catpainmanagement #felinepainmanagement
#integratedpainmanagement #heattherapy #dogpainmanagement #dogs #caninerehabilitation #doghealth #naturaltherapy #seniordog #caninerehab #caninepainmanagement #yourdogmoreyears #caninepain #caninearthritis #petarthritis #pettherapy #dogarthritis #animalpainmanagement #complementarytherapy
Meet Marley, aka the Polar Bear 🐻❄️ 😍. He's such a sweetie but having trouble getting around these days. He has a very dedicated vet but when everything that medical science can offer isn't quite enough then it's time to try acupuncture!! As you can see it is a very stress-free session so here's hoping it brings some good results 🤞🙏
I just love it when a client shares a video of what their pet can get up to after acupuncture treatment 😍 "This is Riff in his happy place: cleaning his face after dinner then chasing his tail - he hasn't done this for ages!" #petacupuncture #pettherapy #yourdogmoreyears #dogacupuncture #dogarthritis #caninepainmanagement #caninerehab
Why I love being a *mobile* acupuncture vet 😍 #pettherapyacupuncture #yourdogmoreyears #acupunctureworks #caninepain #caninearthritis #animalpainmanagement #complementarytherapy #pets #chronicpain #mobileveterinaryservice #mobileveterinaryservice
It's time for chicken lockdown again 😔🐔🐔 The government has declared mandatory housing for kept poultry to help prevent the spread of the worst outbreak of avian flu this country has ever experienced. Thankfully there are lots of ways to keep your birds entertained 🙂 More info here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza-housing-order-to-be-introduced-across-england
Poor Jasper - he was doing so well with his regular treatment sessions we had just decided to go to alternate weeks - and then he fell off the bed - cue a hunched back and very wobbly back legs 😔 This called for some superboosted acupuncture - so we got the electroacupuncture machine wired up. This machine passes a microcurrent through the needles enhancing the nerve receptor stimulation and the beneficial effects of pain relief and improved function. It seems to be working - he was back to chasing squirrels again this week 😃 #electroacupuncture #pettherapyacupuncture #pettherapy #dogacupuncture #caninearthritis #caninepainmanagement #caninerehab #acupunctureworks
Very excited to be starting to use paperless notes thanks to #rocketbook 🌎💚 #investorsintheenvironment #sustainability #treadlightly #mobileveterinaryservice #loveanimalsloveourplanet #rocketbooking
Sometimes it is difficult to measure progress when we have small and subtle signs, are we over interpreting them? Is that a lasting improvement or just a 'good' day in a run of up and down days? So it is lovely to hear from owners "ooh he hasn't done that for ages but he did it today". Dexter who is having electroacupuncture to help with his hind limb weakness used to be a dab hand at tricks but his elbow arthritis had put a stop to them - until now 😁 High five Dexter 🖐️🐾 #yourdogmoreyears #acupunctureworks #caninepain #caninearthritis #petarthritis #petacupuncture #pettherapy #dogarthritis #animalpainmanagement #complementarytherapy #chronicpain #pettherapyacupuncture
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