Why Physiotherapy?
We often think physiotherapy is only required after injury or surgery, to reduce pain and optimise recovery, however the benefits are endless. Animals are notorious for continuing with day–to–day life, no matter how much discomfort or pain they are in; over time this leads to more chronic issues which are often missed, therefore physiotherapy can be crucial for identifying problems before they get worse, as the well-known saying goes “prevention is better than cure”.
As veterinary physiotherapists, we use a science and evidence-based approach to identify areas of pain and discomfort, which allows us to provide the correct treatment, and to formulate a suitable rehabilitation programme tailored to your animal’s requirements.
Physiotherapy is not limited to patients that have undergone surgery or suffered from an injury, it can also be extremely beneficial for general maintenance and to enhance performance.
Physiotherapy for Horses & Dogs
Horses
Ridden behaviours such as bucking, napping and rearing, are often labelled as ‘naughty’ or ‘dangerous’, however quite often there is a reason for this behaviour, therefore physiotherapy may be required to discover and help resolve these issues alongside all other necessary checks such as teeth and saddle fit. Not only this, physiotherapy can also aid in the recovery and management of various pathologies, alongside veterinary advice.
Besides this, competition and performance horses are all subject to wear-and-tear, therefore general maintenance appointments to keep your horse fit and healthy are of benefit too!
Dogs
For canine patients, physiotherapy is often only considered by owners after injury or surgery. However, all dogs can benefit from the various treatments we can provide as veterinary physiotherapists, whether that be an elderly dog suffering from arthritis, or a performance dog aiming for its next CRUFTS show.