RELIEVING PAIN

Call 07983 514968 Physiotherapy ... caring for your animal

ENHANCING HEALING

RESTORING FUNCTION

Now Available

Online veterinary physiotherapy consultation sessions

Launched soon after the start of the Covid epidemic, my online consults have now become a convenient and valuable support to owners and their pets requiring access to veterinary physiotherapy advice and information from home.

ABOUT

VETERINARY PHYSIOTHERAPY

What does a veterinary physiotherapist actually do?

Veterinary physiotherapy is a science-based, health care profession based on specific training, that uses physical approaches to accelerate the healing process, relieve pain and promote, maintain and restore physical movement and function.

A thorough knowledge of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics gives physiotherapists a strong foundation to assess, treat and rehabilitate a wide range of muscular, skeletal and neurological conditions. Clinical reasoning and use of their hands (for palpating/feeling) are two of the most important skills of the animal physio in assessing and treating animals.

It is a legal requirement for veterinary physiotherapists to gain consent from your veterinary surgeon prior to treating your animal.

Why choose a veterinary physiotherapist to treat your animal?

Just like humans, animals can suffer from back, neck, pelvic and musculoskeletal problems at some time during their life. So, whatever the age of your animal, whatever their level of activity, they can also benefit from physiotherapy treatment.

Injuries and illness can happen which will affect your animal’s mobility and wellness. These conditions can cause pain and discomfort which - if left untreated - can affect your pet’s quality of life and cause compensatory issues, that can be very subtle and may go undetected for years. This can lead to compensatory movement patterns which can result in chronic tension in soft tissues.

Whether it is to enhance healing, improve quality of life, prevent re-injury or increase performance, treatment from a veterinary physiotherapist can achieve remarkable results.

All types of animals are referred by veterinary surgeons for physiotherapy treatment, including domestic cats and dogs, professional and working animals (racehorses, show jumpers, competitive dogs) and also donkeys, monkeys, cattle, goats, rabbits, parrots and even swans!

It is not necessary to wait for a problem to present itself. If you feel your animal could benefit from physiotherapy, you can have them evaluated with a view to improving their quality of life and conditioning.

Click here to see what is involved.

FIVE KEY SIGNS

TO LOOK FOR

How would I know if my animal needs physiotherapy?

Apart from the post-surgery or post-injury conditions commonly treated, the following are five key signs to look for

Lameness - limping, stiffness or weakness when getting up after rest or first thing in the morning
Reluctance - to go on walks, to run or to play and struggling even with low exercise levels
Behavioural changes - withdrawing or defending certain areas of the body by growling or snapping
Mobility problems - inability to jump in/out of the car or on to the sofa, difficulty going up or downstairs
Age-related conditions - arthritis, loss of muscle tone/weakness

Other indicators to look out for include

Reduced performance in agility - working and competitive dogs
Vocalising - whining when getting up or changing position
Excessive chewing of an area of the body
Neurological signs - weakness, dragging feet, and tripping
Unsettled - pacing at night
Before and after surgical treatment - including rehabilitation exercises
After trauma - injury or accident

To read more about the actual conditions that could underly the above indicators, please click on the link below.

MEET

JULIA

Julia qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist at Kings College Hospital in London and has had more than 30 years of extensive experience treating people and animals. In 1999, she combined her two passions of physiotherapy and love of animals by extending her training and practice to incorporate veterinary physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

Her particular interests are in canine post-surgical rehabilitation, neurological cases and the elderly canine patient affected by osteoarthritis.

Her animal veterinary physiotherapy practice is based in Bulmer near Sudbury, Suffolk and she also consults at Christchurch Veterinary Referrals (a second opinion practice in Ipswich). She works in consultation with a number of first opinion veterinary practices and local hydrotherapy centres including Canine Hydrocare in Sible Hedingham and Blue Bear Animal Rehab in Colchester.

She treats equine patients at stable yards within a 15 mile radius of Sudbury.

Member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (MCSP)
Registered with HCPC (Health Care Professions Council)
Category A member of ACPAT (Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy)
Member of RAMP
Professional Public Liability Insurance Cover

Treatments & Benefits

TREATMENTS

& BENEFITS

Physiotherapy treatments may include a combination of techniques and modalities, including

Orthopaedic rehabilitation – functional re-education of movement specific to the musculoskeletal system
Neurological rehabilitation – functional re-education of movement specific to the nervous system
Manual therapies – spinal & limb joint mobilisation/manipulation
Soft tissue techniques – massage, passive stretching, myofascial release, trigger point release
Electrotherapy – therapeutic ultrasound, low level laser therapy, muscle stimulation, TENS
Thermotherapy (heat & cold)
Proprioceptive retraining – sensory integration techniques
Individually designed rehabilitation programmes
Assessment, fitting and advice on orthotic devices and mobility aids - walking harnesses, splints, braces, carts, wheels, ramps, etc
Advice to owners re home care and exercise – written protocols, videos, prescribed lead walk advice, etc