Animals can’t tell us where their pain is or if they have injured themselves and they are often clever at hiding their discomfort. Your veterinarian will often give you a diagnosis and veterinary physiotherapy can then be used to help your animal to recover using direct musculoskeletal treatment and personalised exercise programmes.

Behavioural changes and abnormal gait patterns can be caused by pain, muscle weakness or joint stiffness. Noticing these changes in your own animal quickly and being proactive to find help in the form of veterinary physiotherapy can improve the prognosis of returning to normal function.

Additionally, your animal may have suffered a direct injury or had surgery and may need rehabilitation to get back to its previous level of performance/workload or to return to enjoying life the best they can.

Veterinary Physiotherapists are highly skilled in a variety of different treatment techniques. After having carried out a thorough assessment of your animal, they may typically use a combination of the following approaches in order to help with any problems identified:

1. Manual therapies: these include a wide variety of different massage and soft tissue techniques, joint mobilisations or manipulations, myofascial release, stretches etc.

2. Electrotherapies: the use of therapeutic machines such as ultrasound, laser, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, H-wave, TENS, interferential, microcurrent, and electrical muscle stimulation. 

3. Remedial exercise programmes: individual exercise programmes are utilised to help to encourage correct movement patterns and improve muscle strength, endurance, suppleness, proprioception (the animal's awareness of where it's limbs and body are in space), balance and stability as may be required. 

4. Management advice: frequently owners may need additional advice on therapeutic handling of their injured animal, or perhaps how to make appropriate adaptations to an animal's home environment and general management in order to assist in their rehabilitation.

All animals at any age or condition can benefit from a routine veterinary physiotherapy check-up, just like when you have your animals annual health check. Prevention is always better than cure and early intervention can reduce long-term compensatory issues. If your animal is unfortunate and has an underlying health condition then veterinary physiotherapy is a necessity. Speak to your local veterinary professional today.

Use the link below to see our appointment availability.

Please note we do not show weekend availability on the online booking, however we do offer a few weekend appointments on arrangement. You will have to book this direct with Lily on 07531639808

https://book.heygoldie.com/Lily-Moffatt-Veterinary-Physiotherapy

Appointments are with one of the Lily Moffatt Veterinary Physiotherapy team. We are all qualified professional veterinary physiotherapists.

For your appointment we will require a quiet place in your house where your dog is comfortable and will lie down for treatment. This can be your dogs favourite sofa or bed. If your dog struggles to settle, I advise preparing a licki-mat, kong or alternative enrichment.

Where appropriate, for your dogs exercises we will need an area in the house that is carpeted or a large rug to provide a non-slip surface. We will also need treats so if your dog is on a diet please bare this in mind and ration your dogs daily feed accordingly. Carrots or low calorie treats are also often a great alternative.

You will need to provide your dog with a collar for the session. We will also perform a gait assessment on your dog ideally with a collar and lead as opposed to a harness however exceptions can be made, or we can watch your dog free moving in the garden or house.

Send me videos! WhatsApp 07531639808 of anything abnormal you may be seeing.

Please make sure your horse is in the stable, yard or accessible area. They should be clean and dry for the session as dirty or wet coats make it very difficult to palpate the horse correctly. You may want a haynet prepared to give to your horse during the session as entertainment. Prior to your session you are welcome to ride or exercise your horse as normal, just please make sure they have 30mins resting before our arrival and make sure they are not covered in sweat or wet from their exercise.

You may need some treats or carrots to perform some dynamic stretches so please have some to hand for the session.

You will also be asked to perform a gait assessment with your horse. This will require a walk, trot, circles both directions and a back up. This should ideally be performed somewhere flat and non slip.

You will also need to give your horse a day off after the physiotherapy session, ideally in the field or at least a walk out of the stable is important the following day.

Send me videos! WhatsApp 07531639808 of anything abnormal you may be seeing.

We need consent from your vets to see your animal otherwise we will not be covered on our own insurance to see your animal. This is a standardised procedure and there will be no exceptions for animals receiving treatment by us.