Gina Elliott Equine Massage Therapy

09/09/2024

22/05/2024

Red Light therapy is a non-invasive procedure that stimulates internal and external healing.














# lymphatic-draining

14/05/2024

Did you know by releasing soft tissue in the poll, atlas and cervical vertebrae, can affect performance elsewhere in the horse?
The benefits of tension released in the poll also releases in the sacrum and vice versa!

#🐴

13/04/2024

Horses have evolved to eat forage, not grain. Think carefully about the feed that you give your horse, and how easily his body is able to digest it.

22/03/2024

Colic Surgery: What You Should Know
Brian S. Burks, DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board Certified Equine Specialist

Suddenly, you are faced with an enormous decision about your best horse. The choice is colic surgery or euthanasia. You only have a few minutes to decide, and the outcome is uncertain. Will he have a good quality of life? Will he return to his previous performance level?

You may not even know the veterinarian telling you about colic surgery. Should you proceed with surgery, a deposit of $5000.00 is required. The total cost may be $7000-$10,000, or more, if there are complications. What should you do? There is no time for me to tell a client everything they need to know. There are many things to think about prior to facing this difficult decision.

Equine Colic
Colic is a symptom- abdominal pain- not a diagnosis or disease. It is a sign of something wrong in the abdomen, or occasionally from other organs outside the abdomen. The equine intestinal tract is very complicated with stacked horse-shoe configurations and different sized lumens at various points. Colic signs include depression, loss of appetite, lying down, pawing, rolling, sweating, looking at the belly, stretching, and others.

Many times, colic is simple, and occurs due to a spasm or a gas pocket. This may require minimal treatment or even resolve on its own. Other times, aggressive medical therapy is required. Sometimes colic surgery is required to determine the cause and replace and/or repair the intestinal tract.

• Volvulus- a torsion or twist of the gut
• Small intestinal strangulation by a lipoma or other structure
• Colonic impaction- a build up a feed material, sand, or dirt in the colon
• Foreign body blocking the colon- an enterolith or another object
• Colonic displacement

Causes may vary with the breed and age of the horse. For instance, Ascarid impactions occur in weanlings and yearlings, whereas lipomas are most common. in older horses.

There are many other variations, and each comes with its own prognosis and estimated surgical cost. Large intestinal surgery usually has a better prognosis than small intestinal surgery and may cost less than a small intestinal strangulation requiring a portion of the bowel to be removed. It should be noted that colic surgery is a diagnostic test; until the surgeon explores the abdomen to find out what the trouble is, a definite diagnosis, prognosis, or cost estimate cannot be given.

The Veterinarian’s Advice
How does your veterinarian know your horse needs surgery?

• A diagnosis is made following the physical and re**al examination that requires surgery.
• Unrelenting pain, that cannot be controlled by medication
• Various diagnostic tests may add up, even when the horse does not appear that bad (especially if it has been given pain medication)
• Medical management has not corrected the problem

The field veterinarian must determine if the horse requires further evaluation at an equine surgical hospital. Part of that determination is you, the owner, about whether surgery is even an option. Sometimes, the only other option is euthanasia.

Diagnostic testing includes routine blood work, re**al palpation, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal tap, and occasionally radiographs (for smaller horses).

Your Decision
Here are some considerations when making this difficult decision:

• Diagnosis & Prognosis: What does the veterinarian think is wrong with your horse? How complicated will the surgery be and what is the likely prognosis? Recurrence?
• Anesthesia & Recovery: General anesthesia is required for colic surgery, and although the risk of this is small, it still exists.
• Cost: Can you afford surgery? Is your horse insured, and is there coverage for colic surgery? Colic surgery is expensive because it is performed in an equine hospital with professional staff, equipment, and experience to perform surgery and handle the intense after care required.
• Stress: Colic surgery is stressful for any horse owner.
• You may spend considerable time and resources treating on the farm, when early referral gives better prospects of a successful outcome.

COLIC SURGERY
When there is a colon torsion, the intestinal lining will only survive for 3-4 hours, so early and close referral is required. Such horses require immediate surgery and often do not survive a 3-4 hour trailer ride.

If you have decided to proceed with colic surgery, your horse is now being prepped for surgery. Then entire abdomen must be clipped, the feet cleaned, and the mouth rinsed to remove any residual feed material so that it does not end up in the lungs. There is a team gathered around him for this and intravenous catheter placement. Large bags of IV fluids are used, and medications are given prior to surgery. A nasogastric tube is left in place until after surgery. Soon, he will be taken into the surgery area.

Once anesthetized and gently lowered to the floor, he will be placed on a padded table, using hobbles and a hoist system. Your horse will be placed on his back and secured to the table. A ventilator will be used to deliver anesthetic gases and breathe for him, and other equipment will be used to monitor blood pressure and oxygen levels.

Once the surgical area (belly) is surgically prepped, a heavily gowned surgeon will place a full body drape prior to making a 10–12-inch incision on the mid-line of the abdomen. Then, a full abdominal exploration will take place to determine the problem; much of this is by feel as many structures cannot be pulled into plain view.

Colic surgery is a great physical undertaking. Heavy segments of bowel must be pulled out of the abdominal cavity and emptied and re-positioned. Once a diagnosis has been made, the surgeon may need to discuss the problem and prognosis. You should be prepared to euthanize your horse on the table, as some lesions are not reparable, or may exceed costs that you are able to incur.

Once a diagnosis has been made, repairs must then ensue. This may be as simple as placing the intestine back in its normal position, i.e., a partial torsion or twist, or some other displacement. Also, damage intestine may need to be removed, a blockage of sand or other foreign objects removed or fluid moved out of the small intestine into the cecum. Surgical time ranges from 1 ½ to 4 or more hours. Once the intestine has been repaired and replaced, the abdomen is painstakingly closed with heavy suture. Post recovery, which is assisted, he will be taken back to his stall where post op care will begin.

POST OPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS
Survival rates for many types of colic surgeries are high; however, things can go wrong at many points of the process. Very ill horses may have trouble surviving anesthesia, horses can be injured during recovery, and for horses with complicated conditions the first week after surgery is critical, requiring intensive medical care, including large volumes of intravenous fluids. The horse is monitored frequently, every 1-4 hours, day, and night, to adjust treatment and look for early signs of complications.

Hospital stays can vary from a few days to a few weeks, depending upon the initial surgical problem. Complications include abdominal or incisional infection, laminitis, colic recurrence, reflux, and many others. For many horses, the intensity of treatment gradually reduces prior to discharge at 5-7 days post-surgery.

HOME CARE
Once the horse is home, there is usually about 4 weeks of complete stall rest, followed by 4 weeks of stall rest and hand-walking. This is followed by 4 weeks of turn-out in a paddock. They must not be allowed to move faster than a walk until the incision has gained sufficient strength to bear the weight of the organs and movement. The diet may be modified, and other specific treatments may be given to you.

CONCLUSION
There is a general belief that colic surgery is often not successful. More than thirty years ago, that was true, but anesthetics have improved, along with surgical techniques. Many types of colic surgery today have a good prognosis; however, you should remember that despite the investment of a great deal of time and money, fatal complications can occur. Think about all of this before you ever get into this situation.

Dr. Brian Burks is the owner/veterinarian at Fox Run Equine Center, a 24-hour medical-surgical center near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Equine Practice). This certifies him as an expert in all categories of equine practice.

Fox Run Equine Center

www.foxrunequine.com

(724) 727-3481

Your horse's health is always our top priority.

02/01/2024

New Year resolutions….. keeping your horse in a healthier place! #🏇🏻

Massage is an effective natural way to give your horse’s body a chance to reset into a healthier place.

Tightness, spasm or atrophy (dysfunction) of an individual muscle will mean an impaired muscle group.

Muscles within the group will have to compensate in performing the function of the group, increasing their risk of fatigue.

Uneven forces isolate exertion onto other anatomical structures of the body such as joints, ligaments and tendons.

Treat your horse to regular massages treatments as part of your training to alleviate compensation patterns.

#🐴 #🦄

27/12/2023

This year’s Equine & Canine students heading to their final units before qualifying;

some great sessions during their practical days throughout the year. Well done everyone.

A big thank you to all the wonderful owners who have loaned me their animals to help guide students on their massage journey.

26/11/2023

A well deserved massage for this mare, with interest from foal at foot #🐴
➡️ enhance range of movement
➡️ alleviate physical and emotional tension
➡️ relieve muscle spams
➡️ compensatory tension and stiffness

20/10/2023

A little Suspensory support..scroll ➡️ not through the force of the KTape, but through activation and communication with mechanoreceptors and the nervous system! #🐎

12/07/2023

Longissimus dorsi the largest and longest muscle, runs along each side of the equines spine above the ribs. It is part of the active epaxial musculoskeletal system, providing stability and aids extension of the spine.
Back pain is a very common problem in ridden horses and is often discovered too late by poor performance or gait abnormalities.
Avoidance of long-term effects, such as secondary skeletal modifications, early detection of pain and its cause is essential.

Kinesiology taping for fascial restrictions, scar tissue and proprioception on this horse,

Works by lifting the superficial tissue, skin and underlying fascia to

➡️ improve circulation,
➡️ remove pressure of nociceptors (pain nerves)
➡️ reducing muscle guarding
➡️ reduced strain patterns 🙌
➡️ stimulate acupressure points
➡️ to facilitate deeper stimulation and emotional release

It’s very useful in many ways, by retraining under active muscles, and relaxing over active ones, generally activates the neuromuscular system 👌

08/06/2023

Monitoring muscle imbalances within the body using kinesiology taping.

#🦄 #🐴 #🐎

19/05/2023

When treating ailments such as laminitis, infrared lights help decrease inflammation and bruising, while increasing the blood supply which stimulates circulation helping to heal. Infrared light promotes collagen production, and because it is the essential protein for the repair of damaged tissue, healing occurs more quickly.

25/04/2023

Canine Reflexology - additional tool to my treatments 👌

* Through releasing tension in the feet, we can improve gait and performance through the whole body. 

* stimulate proprioceptive mechanisms. 

Tension in the feet can throw the rest of the body off balance, leading to compensatory postural problems elsewhere.

16/04/2023

Canine massage therapy, helping to support and assist your dog’s muscular system, to reduce risk of injury, enchance happiness and wellbeing ❤️

#❤️ #🐕

14/04/2023

Listen...

14/03/2023

Benefits of massage include improved muscle function, joint alignment, mobilised fascia, enhancing relaxation and recovery.

03/03/2023

If anyone, anywhere tells you to pull the horses head down (or uses leverage and gadgets to do so) they have no knowledge of healthy horse biomechanics or of correct training.
The horse's nose must always lead, with the poll highest and the gullet open. The base of the ears mustn't be lower than the withers. The jaw must be mobile. If the horse cannot chew and swallow, the hindlegs cannot operate correctly. If the hindlegs cannot operate correctly, the horse will not be able to jump, or stay off the forehand, or stay sound.
"Don’t be obsessed with the head and neck, learn to feel what the hindquarters are doing." ~ Glenys Shandley

16/02/2023

Facilitating a massage treatment with some Kinesiology Tape stimulating the hair follicles, each hair follicle base is a sensory plexus of mechanoreceptors.
Communication with mechanoreceptors, relax trigger points, unwind fascial restrictions & promoting nerve function.

15/02/2023

24 Likes, 1 Comments - Gina Elliott Equine Massage (.massage) on Instagram

01/02/2023

Incorporating some myofascial release work alleviating tightness and tension, having a significant impact on your horses biomechanics and well-being.

30/11/2022

Taping is not about the mechanical force on the soft tissue but the communication through the body’s nerve receptors within the tissue.

When tape is applied, it causes compression or decompression of these areas, allowing it to alter pain signals to the brain, whether to help with proprioception, or fascia release.

#🍑🍑

16/11/2022

Photo-therapy
Red and infrared light therapy

The cell is the building block of the body and if each cell is able to function optimally, the body will heal itself.

Light therapy is a non-invasive procedure that stimulates internal and external healing.

Red light therapy works by energising compromised cells, increasing blood flow, and generating collagen production using highly beneficial wavelengths of LED light., to treat surface of the skin. Whilst the infrared light targets issues deeper beneath the surface, from musculoskeletal problems such as arthritis, tendonitis, overuse injuries and muscle spasms.

26/10/2022

Kinesiology taping #👌 #❤️
Works by lifting the superficial tissue, skin and underlying fascia to

➡️ improve circulation,
➡️ remove pressure of nociceptors (pain nerves)
➡️ reducing muscle guarding
➡️ reduced strain patterns 🙌
➡️ stimulate acupressure points
➡️ to facilitate deeper stimulation and emotional release

21/09/2022

13/08/2022

Lymphatic draining with kinesiology taping for swollen fly eyes 👀

Taping is not about the mechanical force on the soft tissue but the communication through the body’s nerve receptors within the tissue, lymphatic movement in this case.

05/08/2022

Post-event treatment for the well deserved Champ!