PawFit Veterinary Physiotherapy

25/07/2024

Laser Therapy -
Photobiomodulation

Laser therapy's fundamental mechanism of action doesn't alter the body's natural processes; it simply helps them work more efficiently.
Laser therapy has been shown to accelerate healing in a number of tissues, provides analgesia, and decreases inflammation through the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Laser therapy has been used in human and veterinary medicine to improve:
Wound healing
Decrease pain and inflammation resulting from musculoskeletal conditions (Arthritis)
Improve neurologic function after trauma or injury
Treat oral inflammatory conditions
Treat intraoperative and postoperative inflammation
Enhance healing of sport-related injuries

Laser therapy can be applied using direct or non direct contact depending on the machine.
Watch this video to learn more (link also in description).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Jek7bLOM4

21/07/2024

18/07/2024

Laser Therapy -
Photobiomodulation

Diseased cells can result from illness, trauma, and other factors that cause oxidative stress and a buildup of free radicals within the cells. These free radicals block the mitochondria's production of ATP, meaning cells no longer have the energy to carry out their vital functions. This leads to inflammation, decreased circulation, pain, discomfort, and loss of use.
Photobiomodulation, however, can aid in the removal of free radicals, allowing cells to renew their production of ATP. Consequently, light therapy improves inflammation, healing, pain, circulation, neurotransmission of serotonin and endorphins, and even the release of stem cells in the body.

13/07/2024

Laser Therapy -
Photobiomodulation

How can it help?
Photobiomodulation or laser therapy, is defined as a “therapeutic use of light, absorbed by the chromophores found in the body, to stimulate nonharmful and nonthermal reactions within the cell that result in a beneficial therapeutic outcome.”
The most basic form of light therapy is something most people learned about in grade school science: photosynthesis. In photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight to produce a form of energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the energy that drives all living organisms.
Both animal and human cells can also absorb light to produce ATP. When a cells' mitochondria absorb certain wavelengths of light, they use the energy to produce the ATP that keeps the body's processes moving efficiently.

12/07/2024

Becks visits Pawfit on a weekly basis and alternates between laser therapy and swimming in the hydrotherapy pool 💦
Here he is enjoying his laser (look at his lovely yawns!) 🥱

05/07/2024

Heading into the weekend hoping everyone has as much fun as father & son duo Becks (right) and Buddy (left) did at their session this week! 🤣💙

Both perfect gentlemen & happy to share their squeezy cheese on one lickimat (saves on washing up after all!) 🧀

02/07/2024

Laser Therapy -
Photobiomodulation
What is it?
Photobiomodulation, or laser therapy, is a rapidly growing treatment used for a variety of medical conditions in animals. Laser therapy is painless, noninvasive, and easily administered.
Photobiomodulation has had many other names: cold laser therapy, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), light therapy, and red light therapy, to name a few. Breaking down the current term, we can see it consists of:
Photo — light
Bio — life, living cells
Modulation — the alteration of processes

27/06/2024

Hot weather doesn’t mean that your dog needs to miss out on their exercise. We offer fun hydrotherapy sessions, that ensure your dog will get the full physical benefits of swimming.

We are always in the pool with your dog, ensuring they are safe and that they are using their body properly. Being in the water with them helps improve their swimming style, meaning they get a full body work out, and are using the right muscles.

In the treadmill we constantly monitor how your dog is moving, their posture and making sure they are getting the most out of their session whilst enjoying themselves.

We have lots of very happy dogs who love their hydrotherapy sessions and literally cannot wait to get through the door!

Please get in touch if you think your dog would love to come and see us and have some hydro fun!

We offer weekday and Saturday appointments!

16/06/2024

With the weather being so changeable you may be looking for extra ways to play with your dog and provide mental stimulation inside the house. we have a few suggestions for you:

1. Use a snuffle mat: These are mats with lots of bits of fleece on them, allowing you to hide treats that your dog has to sniff out and find. Dogs love them, and they are also a great way to slow down eating if you use dried food. If you don’t have a snuffle mat, you could use a towel. Place some treats along the towel, then roll it up and loosely tie it in a knot. To get the treats, your dog will have to move it around, and the knot will gradually undo. Please make sure you supervise your dog with these items.

2. Licki Mats: These are another treat-based enrichment item that is great for keeping your dog entertained and focused on a challenge. They also don’t need a lot of food to be used on them. A small amount of yogurt, doggie peanut butter or even watered-down wet food can be spread over them, providing an exciting addition to your dog’s day.

3. Hide and Seek: There are so many ways to play hide and seek with treats, toys, or even yourself. Hiding treats at different heights around a room will really encourage your dog to use their nose to find them.

We stock a range of Licki mats and snuffle mats at the centre.

10/06/2024

🐾 Hydrotherapy for Dogs: Perfect for All Sizes! 🐾

Did you know that hydrotherapy is fantastic for both big and small dogs? 🌊🐕 From gentle giants to tiny pups, this therapeutic exercise offers a range of benefits tailored to their unique needs.

Hydrotherapy can help with joint issues and provide low-impact exercise that supports their overall health. It offers a safe way to build muscle and improve cardiovascular fitness without putting strain on their little bodies.

Whether as a fun form of enrichment or a treatment for specific conditions, hydrotherapy can enhance your dog’s well-being. 🐶❤️ Give your furry friend the joy of exercising in water and having fun while boosting their health!

07/06/2024

🐾This is Tilly chilling out for her laser treatment.🐾
Tilly is having on going treatment after having a right sided hemilaminectomy L1-L2 in February. She is normally very nervous at the vets, but has warmed to physiotherapy treatment really well. She especially loves her exercises!

05/06/2024

We all love making sure that our dogs have fun and enjoy their walk and exercise time.

Did you know though, that high impact repetitive exercise can lead to joint and muscle problems, especially when using things like ball launchers.

This explosive and repetitive exercise puts a lot of stress and strain on the dog’s joints and their muscles. Overuse of joints through increased stress and loading can lead to inflammation developing within the joint and ultimately osteoarthritis.

Have a look at this video by dogs4motion showing how much impact the forelimbs and spine experiences when slowing down to catch the ball

https://www.dogs4motion.com/en/blog/535-repetitive-ball-throwing

Try rolling the ball or putting your dog into a sit/down, walking away and placing the ball and then letting your dog go and find it. This will help reduce the impact of the sudden stop and twisting, helping to reduce the risks of injury. Keep a lookout for some future videos.

Here are a couple of alternative games and activities you can do with your dog to satisfy them both physically and mentally.

Our first two ideas are:
1. Take your dog somewhere new. Let them enjoy sniffing as they go around their walk. Changing where you walk is not only exciting and full of new smells, the different surfaces and obstacles they come across will challenge their proprioceptive system. This is also great if you have multiple dogs to walk.

2. Play hide and seek when out on a walk. This can be hiding a toy and treats. Use things like tree stumps or bushes to hide things in and around then take you dog over the area and encourage them to find the hidden object/s. Hide and seeks games can played in lots of different places whether at home or out and about. As your dog gets better at this game you can start to make it more challenging and hide multiple treats or lay a trail.

03/06/2024

🐾🐾Meet Ben (Benedict)🐾🐾

Ben came to us in March with a spinal injury to his mid-lumbar spine. Unfortunately, the injury meant Ben lost the use of his hind legs and could no longer walk. His owners chose to manage his injury conservatively and brought him to us for physiotherapy.

Using a combination of laser therapy, standing aids, and prescription exercises, we have Ben back up and causing mischief! He's a little bit wobbly but improving every day. We're so proud of his progress and determination!

The first video was taken in march of this year-

17/05/2024

🐾🐾INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DISEASE (IVDD)🐾🐾
What is it? How can we try to prevent and manage it, to help our doggies? See below!

Image of canine spine and type 1& 2 IVDD sourced from https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/ivdd-in-dogs-causes-prevention-symptoms-treatment-options

10/05/2024

🐾Opie's journey with us🐾

Opie came to us for rehabilitation after a TPLO (tibial plateau levelling osteotomy) surgery on his right hind last August. During TPLO surgery, the vet reshapes the bones around the knee joint. They change the angle of the top of the shin bone (tibia) to make it more stable without relying heavily on the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). This meant after a month or so Opie was up walking and ready to start physiotherapy! Our aim's for physiotherapy treatment were to-
🐾 Strengthen his muscles to support the stifle (knee) joint, to help with stability and give Opie the confidence to weight bear fully on it again. We set a range of exercises for his parents to do at home to keep him moving and strong whilst he wasn't at his sessions.
🐾Improve range of motion through the joint as this may stiffen slightly due to inactivity.
🐾Promote healing and increase blood flow to the area, using our laser treatments
🐾Help enhance his balance and co-ordination as learning to walk again can be tricky!

We discussed home adaptations such as not using stairs, laying matting on slippy flooring and changing small things such as the height of his food bowl.
Opie's mum and dad have been so amazing and have worked so hard with him at home. Opie is now looking amazing and enjoying his treadmill sessions and even swimming!
Of course all of this and Opie believes the only reason he comes to visit us is for his cheese!

07/05/2024

Common injuries!

This month we will guide you through some common injuries our doggies face and how to ensure your dog is getting the best treatment possible to both manage injuries and prevent them occurring.

To start off we will be discussing Cruciate ligament damage!

🐾 Understanding Cruciate Ligament Damage in Dogs 🐾

Have you noticed your dog limping or hopping with their hind legs? It might be a sign of a common orthopedic issue in dogs known as Cruciate Ligament Damage.

🔍 What is the Cruciate Ligament?

The cruciate ligaments are a crucial part of your dog's knee joint, providing stability and support during movement. When it becomes damaged, it can lead to pain, discomfort, and limited mobility.
The cruciate ligaments are two ligaments that cross each other inside the knee joint. They are named based on their shape, with the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in front and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) behind. These ligaments provide stability to the knee joint by preventing excessive forward and backward movement of the tibia (shin bone) relative to the femur (thigh bone).

🚨 Signs and Symptoms:
Limping or favoring one leg
Signs of pain when the knee joint is touched/moved (panting, licking lips, being vocal)
Difficulty getting up or sitting down
Swelling/heat around the knee joint
Reluctance to engage in physical activity
Audible popping or clicking sounds

🔧 Treatment Options: This is where Physiotherapy comes in!
Treatment for cruciate ligament damage varies depending on the severity of the injury and your dog's size, age, and overall health. Options may include:
Conservative management (anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, laser therapy for inflammation)
Surgery (such as TPLO, TTA, or extracapsular repair) paired with physiotherapy for rehabilitation.

💡 Preventive Measures:
While some cases of cruciate ligament damage are unavoidable, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk:
Maintain a healthy weight for your dog
Avoid high-impact activities, especially for breeds prone to joint issues
Provide regular exercise to keep muscles and joints strong
Consider joint supplements
Early detection and proper management are key to helping your dog bounce back from cruciate ligament damage. If you have any concerns about your pet's health, don't hesitate to reach out to your Vet.
Image source- https://warrenhousevets.com/cruciate-ligament-surgery/

Keep an eye out in the following posts for Opie dogs story!

28/04/2024

A quick reminder that the boss has taken a well deserved holiday, so Heather will be back to work on the 13th of May ☀️

Until then, the rest of the team will be available to contact as normal.

Team PawFit 🐾

27/04/2024

The PawFit team spent today updating their emergency first aid knowledge with Safe Haven Training Ltd ✅

A big thank you to Nick for putting up with the extra helpers (Fenna and Silas made sure we were all up to scratch🐾) and for making the day really interesting!

19/04/2024

What should you avoid with your puppy? 🐶

16/04/2024

💥🦴Panosteitis - Growing Pains🦴💥

11/04/2024

Timelines of growth 🦴🐾

Different breeds grow at different rates; small breeds such as Chihuahuas can be fully grown by 12 months old, medium breeds like Border Collies at 18 months and giant breeds like Great Danes at up to 24 months. By knowing this information, we as owners can ensure we are managing our growing puppies appropriately for their age.

The diagram below depicts the average timings of maturity for different areas of the skeletal system 🦴

10/04/2024

Please get in touch if you would like to take part in this first aid course there are a few spaces available

08/04/2024

Today we had the pleasure of meeting this handsome young man - he came in to see Suzi for a harness fitting in preparation for his big adventure in June 💚
Sheldon & his Mum Mary will be doing the National 3 Peaks Challenge in order to raise money to sponsor another dog like Sheldon who helps Mary in her day to day life.
Mary will be the first woman in a wheelchair with her assistance dog to be doing this challenge!
If you are able to, please share this post & donate if you can.. you can follow their adventures on instagram at .sheld0n

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mary-lamb-1696417547285

03/04/2024

Puppy month!

Physiotherapy doesn’t only need to be a consideration for elderly or injured dogs. Prevention is better than cure and so if we can condition our dogs from a young age this may limit the risk of issues as they get older.

This month we will guide you and your bundle of fluff through the facts and myths surrounding managing your puppies and how to ensure you are exercising them appropriately, safely and (most importantly!) with lots of fun.
To start off, let’s talk about growth plates.

Growth plates are areas of cartilage located at the ends of the long bones in puppy’s limbs which determines the length and shape of the bone. After the development phase concludes at around 12-24 months of age, the growth plates are replaced with solid bone.
However, before growth plates have “closed” they can be extremely vulnerable to injury, often due to too much exercise and/or high impact activities. This can result in deformities, which may cause abnormal movement and poor development of their muscles.

01/04/2024

💦BRAND NEW FOR SUMMER 2024💦

Underwater agility training!
We are very excited to offer this service to our patients that compete in agility (or even those that just want to have a go for fun!)
By adding the resistance of being underwater we can ensure that dogs are really engaging their muscles when manoeuvring obstacles such as tunnels and weave poles.
Goggles for dogs are an optional extra 😉

27/03/2024

And the award for most improved swimmer goes to.. Murphy 💙🤣

In the first part of the video on his first session Murphy successfully drowned Laura & spent most of his time splashing rather than actually swimming.
However today, on only his 3rd session Murphy has demonstrated how important it is to have a suitably qualified hydrotherapist in the water with your dog. We have helped him to perfect his technique meaning he doesn’t have to panic & can actually use his body in a better way to ensure we are engaging the right muscles. Of course his trust was also won over by squeezy cheese and liver jerky.

Well done Murphy! Perhaps we need to start doing swimming badges 🤣

10/03/2024

Yesterday, team PawFit spent a very busy day at Crufts! 🐾

A massive congratulations to everyone competing and taking part over the weekend, it is a huge achievement. This year PawFit saw our lovely clients compete in flyball, obedience, and agility.

As always we are so lucky to be able to support so many fantastic dogs, and help keep them on best form. Roll on next year! 💪

07/03/2024

Jumping
Did you know there are two elements to competivite agility? Dog's take part in a separate jumping phase, which is all the obstacles without the contact equipment.
There are many factors which will influence a dogs jumping biomechanics, from the surface, speed and angle of approach. One of the key influences is handler technique and dog experience, as explained in this Online Pet Health article (https://onlinepethealth.com/the-variables-of-jump-biomechanics-in-canine-agility-dogs-2/).
Regular physiotherapy has been shown to reduce the risk of injury, improve your dog's performance and increase the longevity of there career.
Here’s Pickle from last summer, showing us that age is just a number, as he was still competing at 12!

06/03/2024

Agility first appeared at Crufts in 1978 and it has become faster and more furious since.
An agility round is made up of obstacles, such as jumps and weaves, and contact equipment; the dog walk, seasaw and A frame.
It takes a serious amout of time and training to get your companion fit enough to compete in the big league’s.
At PawFit, we tend to see dogs coming to us at 18 months old, when the training starts to intensify and niggles can start turning up - as always, prevention is better than cure.
Having regular maintenance treatment helps to build a foundation of fitness and increases the longevity of a successful sporting career.
Here we have Ziggy strutting his stuff, who starting having treatment with us as a pup following surgery - which you'd never know he'd had thanks to his owners dedication to his rehabilitation!

05/03/2024

It's crufts week! But it's not just about the showing superstars, we thought we would share some of the interesting things we've learnt while working with sporting dogs.
We will be covering the fan faves of agility, flyball and obedience but also the lesser know sports of scent work, tracking, IPG and working trials.
Here’s Ice having her pre Crufts swim today, ready to hitting the green carpet on Friday!