Pet Paws Physio

31/12/2024

On this last day of 2024 I would like to wish everyone a peaceful, healthy and happy new year 💓

I love my job, not just because I get to meet and help the most gorgeous dogs but also because I get to meet the most gorgeous people 💓

Today, one of my gorgeous clients Emer is being buried after her untimely death. Emer aka Patcheen's mammy was one of those people who radiated light, love and kindness. A gorgeous, gentle generous soul who loved her handsome boy and soulmate Patcheen dearly. The bond those two had was magical 💔

Emer came to me for many months after Patcheen had complications following surgery on his stifle. During these sessions we had many chats about life, she was a gorgeous soul with a beautiful perspective of life. Always positive and shining bright 🌟

I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Emer's heartbroken family and friends, she will be very sadly missed💔

"Do not take anything for granted, - not one smile, one person, one rainbow or one breath" - Terri Guillements
Picture of Patcheen and quote taken from Emer's Instagram page.
RIP Emer 💔 🙏💓

04/12/2024

🌟 Huge Thanks to Veterinary Specialists Ireland🌟

What an incredible day of CPD—absolutely jam-packed with engaging lectures and hands-on practicals. The caliber of speakers was such a treat, and we are beyond fortunate to have such knowledgeable, educated, and experienced (and really lovely) surgeons right on our doorstep!

A massive shout out to Laura Cuddy, Shane Guerin, and Bronach McClean —it was a pleasure to learn from you all. Every minute of the day was invaluable, and I’m so grateful for the expertise and respect you show towards the Physio profession. It truly makes all the difference! 🙌

From the warm welcome from all the lovely team in cork to the delicious food and refreshments ( thanks Valerio!). It was a real treat and a great investment in my on-going professional development. It was also a great to meet up with other physios from around the country. Keep an eye out for more top-quality CPD opportunities from these amazing international speakers in the future—you won’t want to miss it!

03/12/2024

I received a lovely text following Morris' first Physio session this morning. He had bilateral TPLO surgeries to address cranial cruciate disease and has osteoarthritis. His human has been doing exercises with him which have kept him comfortable and flexible 🙏 he has started Physio to help improve engagement of his right hind muscles and keep him comfortable.
Here he is on a post Physio decompress walk in one of his favourite places 💙

29/10/2024

2 spaces left for our fantastic day retreat this Saturday!

Book via www.dogsercise.ie/schedule or dm for more info.🐾

04/10/2024

A very BIG thank you 🙏💕to the fabulous veterinary team .ie , especially the lovely Barbara and Joanne who looked after my handsome boy Ernie with such care and consideration while he was having a dental 💕 As he has aged his teeth need more attention and tartar seems to build up easier. One revelation from his recent visit is that he has osteoarthritis in his TMJ ( temporomandibular joint- jaw joint) so this might explain why. So I must get better on focusing on his dental hygiene - any thoughts let me know in the comments or DM me 🙏

12/09/2024

The lovely Howie 😍 comes for physiotherapy assessment and treatment to address lumbar and hip pain and associated soft tissue tightness and pain after his diagnosis of hip dysplasia and thoracolumbar spondylosis
His fabulous carer has done a super job following his home exercise program and has made environmental and exercise modifications to help reduce excessive forces exerted upon his body.
Howie continues to improve and his comfort has greatly improved overall. We continue to work in collaboration with his referring vet to tweak his medication to suit his needs.
This lovely boy also works with .irl to help him navigate his reactiveness towards other dogs. It is very likely that his reactiveness is related to and probably exacerbated by his underlying Orthopaedic conditions.
Chronic pain can be tricky to manage but with paraprofessionals and carer working together we can all improve life for our beloved furry friends

27/08/2024

🐾🐾🌿DOGGY DAY RETREAT🌿🐾🐾

Come and join us for this fantastic opportunity with industry leaders to learn about and participate in enrichment activities with your dog. Hosted by Wild Hideaways in the Mealagh Valley Bantry. There are 6 places available for the full day Saturday 14th and 3 places for the half day Sunday 15th. Please call or text Amy 0872121675 to reserve your place or learn more.

01/08/2024

Senior Paws wrote a lovely article about some physiotherapy methods and mobility care for senior dogs 🐾💖
Thank you Hanching and Michael for your pouring your passion for senior dog care into words. It was a pleasure to be part of this. Check out this article for hints and tips for maintaining senior dogs mobility and joint health 🦴💪🐾💞

Did you know that physiotherapy could give paralyzed animals another chance to walk again? This specialized treatment helps improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance the overall quality of life for pets. 🐕
【Pet Physiotherapy Methods and Mobility Care for Senior Dogs】

In this feature article, the Founder of Pet Paws Physio, Deirdre Duggan, will introduce various physiotherapy methods and explain their benefits. Additionally, she'll share practical caregiving tips for senior dogs and demonstrate massage techniques, enabling dog parents to comfortably practice these at home.
📖 Read more here:
https://seniorpaws.ie/pet-physiotherapy-methods-and-mobility-care-for-senior-dogs
🐾 Let's enhance our senior dogs' lives with the power of physiotherapy!

12/07/2024

Thank you 🙏 Amanda and Rollo for this wonderful review. Rollo and his brother Solo (there for moral support and a cuddle 🤗) always bring a smile to my face, they are the most fabulous dogs.💕 Rollo is so receptive to physiotherapy and it's wonderful to hear and see how well he does in life living with OA 💕Rollo's pawrents are amazing at spotting when Rollo is uncomfortable and addressing this immediately.

"Rollo who was 8 in February was referred to Deirdre at Pet Paws Physio by our wonderful vets at the Vet Clinic Midleton.  He had had a GDV and two week stay in ICU in September 2022 with accompanying Systemic Inflammatory Response, Myo Carditis and Pneumonia and although he recovered well he was left with scar tissue, arthritis and compensations throughout his body. 

When we first saw Deirdre he had had an episode where he lost some coordination, was very slow on the stairs and was struggling with pushing himself up onto the ramp into and out of the car.  He is a very big chap at 65kgs so this was all having an effect on his mobility and quality of life.

Deirdre is brilliant and Rollo loved her immediately.  She was very thorough working through all the tightness in his body and we straight away noticed improvements as he walked straight down the stairs that evening. 

He has been seeing Deirdre for a year now and the difference has been amazing.  He is using his ramp easily as his back legs are much stronger, his balance is so much better and he has re-gained a lot of flexibility around his shoulders/neck and elbows.  She also recommended a brilliant heat pad which he loves and wears over his shoulders on the way home from the beach.

Deirdre always gives us follow up exercises and stretches to do at home with detailed explanations and/or videos and has been a wonderful support to us and Rollo is enjoying his sea walks and swims and is his best playful happy self which is wonderful to see. " 

Amanda, John, Solo and Rollo Marrow

11/07/2024

How a multi dog professional team can work together to promote better healthcare for your beloved fur friend 💕

Meet your Dogs Full care team & the MOST important part of my Behaviour Toolkit!

This is why referral and working collaboratively is so vital.

This is based on a true case (you might remember the beautiful Darby post from yesterday).

💉Kathryn at  diagnoses & treats uncomfortable skin conditions & owner reports behaviour concerns so Kathryn refers to

💊Erin from   to perform a pain assessment and treat medically.

We're not here yet but the following steps will potentially be.....

💊Erin may refer for further invesitgation by or refer to...

🦾 Deirdre from who devises a program for the owner to follow at home to restore movement, form and function.

Catherine follows up to assess for progress and takes the training program to the next steps to build confidence and engagement with owner via play and refers to Caroline .ie

🐕Caroline assess's the best form of training activity via dog sport to compliment both veterinary, physiotherapy and behaviour needs.

🇮🇪We may even refer to hydro via at  or the treadmill at   and the required equipment will be referred to  and    to support quality independent, Irish businesses.

🍗Training treats will be referred to and depending on the dogs dietary needs and toys & training aids will be referred to

Ask me again why networking matters?

💯

25/06/2024

Received a lovely email a few days ago updating me on their dog's progress. Pet guardians play the most important role in their pets care. People can receive all the guidance and support in the world but if they are not consistent with following that advise nothing will change. Even little changes over time can have big results 💕

24/06/2024

🎉 physio clinic at Veterinary Specialists Cork 🎉

I am very excited to announce I will be hosting a physio clinic every Wednesday at the fabulous Cork in Little Island.

Please contact me directly to arrange an appointment 🐾

Who can benefit from physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is beneficial in treating conditions that affect movement and function such as orthopaedic, neurological and soft tissue dysfunctions and their associated pain. Patients recovering from weakness associated with medical conditions may also benefit from a gentle return to function strengthening program.

I work closely with the referring Veterinary Surgeon to ensure the best treatment outcome. Examples of common conditions that benefit from physiotherapy are:

🐾Pre and post cranial cruciate surgery (eg:TPLO, TTA, Lateral support suture)

🐾Conservative management of cranial cruciate ligament disease when surgery is not an option

🐾Pre and post luxating patella repair surgery (eg: tibial crest transposition and block or wedge recession trochleoplasty)

🐾Post FHO surgery (Femoral head and neck ostectomy)

🐾Post fracture repair

🐾Osteoarthritis/degenerative joint disease management

🐾Elbow dysplasia

🐾Hip dysplasia

🐾Post fracture repair

🐾Any joint dysfunction,tendon strain or ligament sprain

🐾IVDD ( intervertebral disc disease)- post spinal surgery or conservative management.

🐾Wobbler syndrome ( cervical spondylomyelopathy)

🐾Degenerative myelopathy

🐾Lumbosacral disease

🐾Vestibular disease

🐾FCE (Fibrocartilaginous embolism)

🐾 Maintenance of strength and condition in healthy geriatric pets to aid in combatting natural decline in muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia )in the aging animal and maintaining quality of life

🐾Pain associated with overuse of muscles due to chronic compensation

www.petpawsphysio Tel:086 3150786

10/06/2024

Gus ruptured his Achilles tendon back in February.
His amazing guardian has done super work to get him back on his feet.

We are progressing his exercises to help challenge his proprioceptive system, strengthen supporting and affected soft tissue structures and promote balanced movement and powering.

Keep up the great work Gus 💪💓

02/06/2024

Thanks so much to Senior Paws for this lovely article about my journey into the canine rehabilitation world 💕

Did you know pets can benefit from physical therapy just like humans? Can senior dogs regain mobility through physical therapy? 🐕

【Pet Paws Physio: Rehabilitating Mobility in Senior Dogs】
In this feature, we interviewed Deirdre Duggan, founder of Pet Paws Physio, to explore her journey from becoming a veterinary nurse to establishing a Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy center in East Cork🐾.

📖 Read more here:
https://seniorpaws.ie/pet-paws-physio-rehabilitating-mobility-in-senior-dogs/

Stay tuned for our next installment, where we share professional insights and tips from Deirdre on caring for senior dogs, preventing mobility issues, and home-based physical therapy techniques. Follow Senior Paws for more insightful articles!

22/05/2024

Slippery floors are the bane of every dog's life.

Some people think it's funny when their dog runs and slips when taking a corner and slams into a wall , or their feet slip from under them when they are trying to maintain a standing or sitting posture, or when their paw pads find no traction to grip onto when they are trying to get up from lying or standing, or when our older dogs in particular need to sit or lie down frequently even when eating because trying to stay standing upright against the forces of gravity when you have naturally declining age related muscle cells/mass and strength ( called sarcopenia) and your paw pads have worn and become smooth losing their natural traction!!!

But I don't find it funny at all. Everyday I see dogs with different musculoskeletal ailments. These ailments are most definitely exacerbated by them having to constantly navigate slippery floors.

Slippery floors are great to keep clean but a nightmare for our dog's musculoskeletal health 😥

I encourage you to risk assess your home and observe your dog walking, trotting , moving from a sit to lie to stand- if you notice any one of their feet sliding while they are in a static posture this means they are struggling to maintain grip.

I recently received these fab pictures from a fabulous client who invested in her dog's comfort by purchasing these pilates mats and placed them around areas where her dog navigates the most in the home 👏👏👏

I don't do house calls but recently i had to visit 2 clients homes and I was so impressed to see they had followed my advise about placing a path of mats around their home for their dog 💕

I would also ensure to keep furry feet at bay- regularly trim hairs under and around paw pads or ask your vet or your groomer to do it for you.

Special doggie booties with traction are great too but are not suitable for all dogs.

They had it well sussed in the 80s when the house was covered in carpet 😊

Comment below if you have any more suggestions 💕

30/04/2024

This 10 month old ball of cuteness, Sophie has grade II bilateral luxating patellae. She was advised by her vet to start a strengthening program to help strengthen her bilateral Quadriceps femoris muscle group.

The patella/knee cap sits in the tendon of this important group of muscles. Weakness in her Quads along with having a shallow patellar groove ( the groove at the distal/ end of her femur/thigh bone where her knee cap sits in) allows the patella / knee cap to slip in and out. This will also pull the Quadriceps tendon and muscles medially - towards the midline.

Sometimes you will notice they will skip on the leg or sometimes hop and then walk normal. Thats because the knee cap has slipped out 🫣, sometimes they can pop it in place again themselves and sometimes it may remain luxated- they can't extend their knee/stifle then. The problem is if the patella is popping in and out regularly it can wear down the articulating cartilage and this will cause inflammation, pain and lead to osteoarthritis as well as an array of compensatory secondary issues.

Strengthening the Quadriceps Femoris muscle group ( and all the muscles of the pelvic limbs), along with exercise modifications will help provide enough tension on the patellar tendon to keep the patella in place, or at least reduce the amount of times it luxates. This can also form part of their prehab if they need surgical intervention and this will help them recover quicker.

Sophie and her pawrent have been super and small changes in environment and play and walking times have already made a huge difference.

29/04/2024

Had the best day yesterday hosting the Thriving Oldies retreat day with Caroline of Dogsercise.
This healthy senior dog retreat day was all about fun, education, fitness, awareness, and relaxation inspiring dog guardians of aging dogs on all the ways they can enrich and enhance and prolong their dog's healthspan as they age.

I really enjoyed these fab dogs and their humans 💕 They were a wonderfully proactive group

Our mission is to help senior dogs not just survive into their latter years, but thrive into old age 🐾💖

If you are interested in our next thriving oldies retreat or have any questions, please DM me or Caroline and booking is through website
https://dogsercise.ie/thriving-oldies/
Places are limited, so that we can focus on your dog's needs.

27/04/2024

Thank you so much to Hanching and Michael from Senior Paws for chatting with me today about senior dog care and, physiotherapy, signs of pain, and what we can do to be more proactive in keeping our aging dogs mobile and strong. It is a topic that is so close to my heart 🥰

I really enjoyed hearing their stories about their beloved senior dogs. We shared our experiences of caring for our senior dogs, the highs and the lows. But it's the least we can do for our beloved fur family who give us so much unconditional love throughout their lives.

The article will be published sometime very soon.

Check out www.seniorpaws.ie a resource for all things related to Senior dogs 🐾🐾
https://seniorpaws.ie/