PetTherapy Veterinary Acupuncture & Integrated Pain Management

12/11/2024

With the cooler fresher weather just my annual reminder that older stiffer bodies need keeping warm! This is important to help keep blood vessels dilated so that blood and lymph flow is optimised to stiff and sore muscles and joint tissues, providing maximal oxygen and nutrients and rapid removal of waste products which can accelerate inflammation, pain and therefore reluctance to move, causing a downward spiral. Did you know heat will slow down the speed of pain signals along nerve fibres too?

Top tips for keeping warm this winter:
- Ensure your pet is able to rest out of draughts
- Get them up and moving hourly during the day to prevent stiffening up, with short frequent walks better than one longer walk which turns into a reluctant plod!
- Regular massage of limbs and back muscles especially when first waking up can encourage blood flow
- Use heat pads or microwave heat bags (ensure they are not placed against bare skin or lain on by animals unable to adjust their position)
- Dry off thoroughly after baths and wet walks to prevent chilling, using a hairdryer if tolerated
- Invest in warm supportive beds, waterproof coats and stylish loungewear like that being modelled by Alfie here 😍

If you would like to order a bespoke dog fleece or coat from Alfie's talented owner check out https://www.facebook.com/bobbydogsbespokedogproducts

11/11/2024

Well it's been a busy couple of weeks here at PetTherapy and I just calculated that Tommy here is the 100th patient I have taken on as an independent vet acupuncture business!! Tommy was involved in an unknown accident and has sustained some neurological damage. He was a very gracious patient (it is always an honour when a cat allows you to treat them 😺)

After discovering how effective acupuncture was for my own ills, I jumped at the opportunity to train in it & love seeing the benefits to my patients when conventional treatment just isn't enough for them.

From a one-day-per-week side passion to going full time last summer and seeing it continue to grow, I have to pinch myself when I see how far I have come!

The fact that I can use my professional calling to strengthen the crucial human-animal bond, utilising my veterinary skills gained over two decades with the insight offered to me by my generous patients & their owners when they allow me into their own homes, being able to spend time with them week by week & discover how to support them maintain the best quality of life possible - it truly is a dream come true!

I truly do bounce out of bed in the mornings to get to work & I hope you can see the value in what I bring to pets & their owners every day!

09/11/2024

I've been wearing my this week to remember who have given their lives in conflicts around the world over the centuries

06/11/2024

Managing a pet with a chronic condition can be a minefield, which is why my Recover Programme covers all aspects of your pet’s health. Today’s spotlight on

A body runs on its fuel and optimum nutrition can make a big difference to how an animal feels and also the progression of their disease. Most chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis, spondylosis, chronic kidney disease, diabetes are inflammatory diseases and in most older animals digestive efficiency is impaired.

We need to select a diet that is:
- nutritionally balanced to give all the correct nutrients in the correct ratios and quantities
- the correct level of calories for maintaining lean muscle and minimising excess bodyfat (did you know fat tissue is pro-inflammatory?!)
- accounts for individual and specific health needs such as moderated protein, minerals or increased antioxidants
- convenient for you to provide
- presented in a way that engages and stimulates your pet
- palatable enough that your pet is happy to eat it!

The Recover programme not only covers pain management via acupuncture, medications and physical therapies but takes a holistic view to encompass nutrition, home and lifestyle adaptations and caregiver burden to support you in giving your pet their best life possible! Get in touch if you’d like to know more.

03/11/2024

Great advice from Cat The Vet about how to help your dog survive the fireworks season.
Cats and small furries also need protection - consider keeping your cat indoors if they usually go out at night, and bringing outdoor hutches into a garage or the house at night.

29/10/2024

Today I want to use to highlight just how likely it is that your cat has arthritis and you don’t know about it!!

Various studies looking at xrays of older cats found between 60% and 90% of them showed joint changes consistent with osteoarthritis.
(Osteoarthritis is a progressive condition when joint cartilage is worn away or breaks down, reducing the ability of the joint to cushion impact between bones during movement and leading to inflammation, pain and ongoing damage in and around the joint tissues).

This means that it is incredibly common in cats and yet so few are diagnosed or treated for the condition, with many showing few signs or just the ‘slowing down’ attributed to older age.

If your cat is showing any of the signs listed below, especially if they are over 8 years old, please take them for a check up with your vet and discuss your concerns.

* Reduced mobility
- Reluctance, hesitance or refusal to jump up or down or using lower surfaces
- Difficulty using stairs
- Stiff legs, especially after sleeping or resting
- Difficulty using the litter tray or using the cat flap

* Reduced activity
- Increased time spent resting or sleeping, reduced hunting or exploring
- Sleeping in different, easier to access sites
- Playing less with people or other animals

* Altered grooming habits - leaving matts, overgrooming certain areas
- Overgrown claws due to lack of activity and reduced sharpening of claws

* Temperament changes
- More irritable or grumpy when handled or stroked, or when in contact with other animals
- Withdrawing or avoiding interaction with people and/or animals

And yes, acupuncture is a very effective treatment option for cats with arthritis. Most of them tolerate it very well and its safety makes it often a better choice than painkillers if we are worried about kidney disease.

Get in touch to see if acupuncture could help your cat!

23/10/2024

Away from home but not off duty 😃

This is my parents' elderly collie who has a few health issues so we of course popped a few needles in while I was visiting.

22/10/2024

19/10/2024

Many of our dog breeds are gundog or retrievers so have been bred to ‘fetch’. However, there is increasing concern amongst those who manage and treat arthritis and other joint conditions in dogs about the effects of repetitive ball throwing on dogs’ joint and skeletal health. So what is the big deal?

- Gundogs were bred to retrieve dead or dying fowls from the undergrowth using their noses; the dog will run initially then snuffle around in the undergrowth to find their prey.

- Ball throwing activity is very different - many dogs will become quite obsessive about the pastime, on high alert while awaiting the throw and then taking off from a standing start, galloping wildly to retrieve a ball which often bounces unpredictably, causing them to skid, jump and twist in the air and land in a very uncontrolled manner.

- These activities are likely to cause microtrauma to muscles, ligaments and tendons and when repeated over time likely to promote a sooner onset of arthritis and shorten your dog’s life!

Thanks to for their great poster.

15/10/2024

Inspired by Dr Lauren Davies of VetRelieve, my new blogpost explores why ensuring your pet is getting enough kip is crucial to helping you to manage their pain:
https://www.pettherapyacupuncture.co.uk/the-importance-of-sleep-in-pain-and-osteoarthritis/

Let me know if it inspires you to make any changes 😀

12/10/2024

We know that arthritis is one of the most common diseases our dogs, cats or rabbits can suffer from, but it can be difficult to see the signs before they are well advanced. These visuals from Canine Arthritis Management are a great checklist - have a look and see if you can recognise any of these going on in your dog.

( I will be highlighting what to look out for in cats and rabbits, later in the month)

If your dog is suffering from arthritis, no matter how early or late in the disease process and would like a natural, side-effect free way to manage ALL of the above, get in touch at PetTherapy Veterinary Acupuncture to see if we can help your pet regain their joy

08/10/2024

I’ve said this before but there is such a strong link between obesity and ill health including chronic pain, so I couldn’t pass up without mentioning it.

Some obesity facts:
1. Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in dogs

2. Being around 10% over ideal bodyweight (not necessarily obese) increases the risks of various health conditions including:
* A reduced lifespan
* Arthritis
* Urine incontinence (leaking urine)
* Back problems
* Cruciate ligament problems
* Breathing problems such as windpipe collapse and laryngeal collapse
* Breathing problems in flat faced breeds
* Diabetes
* Cancer
* Heatstroke
* Injury (1)

3. Obesity is NOT inevitable in neutered pets, certain breeds or those with reduced mobility and with the right support and a consistent approach from all the family you CAN help your pet maintain a healthy weight.

4. Reducing your pet’s weight is one of the few management strategies that will SAVE you money!!! on: food, vets’ bills, supplements, medications, etc.

5. If you are struggling with your pet’s weight and want some extra support ask your vet practice if they run a weight management clinic or get in touch with Dr Caroline Taylor AKA

(1) Pegram et al. (2021) “Frequency, breed predisposition and demographic risk factors for overweight status in dogs in the UK” Journal of Small Animal Practice. DOI: 10.1111/jsap.13325.

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/conditions/obesity-in-dogs
Photo credit: Vince Sherer on Adobe Stock

03/10/2024

I spent an enforced day at home training myself up on a new piece of kit - a laser acupuncture pen.

I tried it on my own poor shoulder muscles and definitely felt some instant relief, but it only lasted about 30 minutes - regular treatments are recommended.

My own cat, Fezy who has some spinal arthritis but resents all my attempts at acupuncture treatment tolerated several points too so that's a win!

Used at the correct settings this tool will provide many of the benefits of acupuncture: anti-inflammatory, pain relief, improved circulation - to those pets or those areas which are a bit too sensitive for needles.

I'm hoping this will mean better targeted treatment for arthritic paws and more patients overall benefitting from acupuncture therapy 😁

28/09/2024

On I’d like to highlight how much these pets can benefit from acupuncture.

One study of rabbits without a diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) found that about 50% of the population aged around 6 years old exhibited signs of OA on xrays in at least one joint.* This highlights how this prey animal will naturally try to hide pain.

Signs that your rabbit might be in pain include:
- reduced grooming/caecotrophy, no longer using a litter tray when they used to
- reduced appetite
- reduced activity (do they sit on wet bedding for prolonged periods causing skin sores?)
- aggression towards bonded mates or handlers

If your rabbit shows any of these signs please take them for a vet check asap, and if osteoarthritis is diagnosed get in touch to see how acupuncture can help!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4326101/

26/09/2024

It's really sad to see some people are still being taken in by dog 'trainers' (it's an unregulated industry) who claim their methods will help to correct dog behaviour but whose aversive methods actually increase a dog's frustration and fear leading to worse outcomes for both dog and owner 😢

Please don't pay anybody who thinks it is acceptable to frighten your dog into submission, it will not be a happy ending....

It is not easy to sift the good from the bad in the wild west of dog training. Ask anyone you are considering working with about their methods; if it is not about positive reinforcement, reward and trust-building then walk away.

HUMAN DIRECTED AGGRESSION AND THE USE OF AVERSIVES

I’ve had several dogs come to me in the last year who have aggression issues around people that either started or became much worse after they’d had aversive training. By aversives we mean the use of slip lead corrections, body jabs, rattle cans, prong and Ecollars etc. Some dogs went for general loose lead/recall/obedience training but became so scared after the use of aversives that they are now lunging at or even biting people who approach them or try to handle them. Some were already worried about people (growling or barking etc) and are now lunging or attempting to bite people. Some have bitten their owners since this training.

These dogs didn’t have these issues beforehand and they’ve become so scared of what people may do to them now that they are showing aggression. Some of them are now misinterpreting normal human interactions with them and see people as a threat to their safety and are using aggression to try and keep people away. By normal human interactions I mean people taking collars and leads off, reaching out to touch them, walking past then when they are resting etc. These dogs are traumatised by what’s happened to them, there is no other way of describing it.

I used to see dogs like this (who’ve shown aggression after aversive training) once or twice a year and now it’s something I see several times a month and it’s really concerning. There are some really unskilled trainers out there using aversives which is extremely worrying; if an unskilled trainer gets it wrong using reward the worse that happens is the dog gets fat, if you are an unskilled trainer using a shock collar there’s a huge risk of fallout.

Aversives are sold as a ‘quick fix’ they make dogs stop behaviours that people don’t like (running off/barking/stealing things) but there is always a huge risk of a fall out. It’s no surprise really that doing or using something that causes fear or pain may make an anxious dog worse.

None of this is the owners fault either, all have incredibly kind and loving families who weren’t aware these methods would be used or who didn’t realise the implications. They’ve done nothing wrong and are now left to try and repair the damage that’s been done. I feel so sad for the lovely families and their dogs as they’ve been really let down.

There’s no quick fixes to changing emotions, it takes time and patience and who often we are trying to rebuild confidence that’s been lost and help dogs recover from previous trauma (of all sorts). There’s a huge risk with quick fixes and it’s like playing roulette- you may have an incredibly robust dog and get ‘lucky’ and have no negative consequences from using aversives but it may break another dog and leave you with a terrible fall out. Just not worth the risk when we have alternatives

Laura McAuliffe, 2024, Dog Communication

23/09/2024

"So thoughtful of the human to provide a paw shelf while she's typing 😸"