How can physiotherapy help your dog with Osteoarthritis? (OA)

How Physiotherapy can Help your Dog with osteoArthritis (OA)

How Physiotherapy can Help your Dog with Osteoarthritis (OA)

Physiotherapy is a key tool in managing your dog’s arthritis because it addresses many of the symptoms of OA, including pain, stiffness and loss of mobility while improving a dog’s quality of life. Here is how physiotherapy with me will work for your dog:

1. Pain Relief

• Manual therapy techniques, such as massage, joint mobilizations and Tellington TTouch techniques can all help relieve pain by reducing muscle tension, soreness and improving circulation. Massage therapies also stimulate the production of endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers.

• Electrotherapies, such as photobiomodulation (also known as laser therapy), pulsed magnetic field therapy and ultrasound.   These therapies all benefit a dog with arthritis, by increasing pain relief They do this by stimulating nerves and muscles, or by producing electromagnetic fields that help the body heal itself.  A great additional pain relief source as well as pharmaceuticals.

2. Improve Mobility and Flexibility

• Gentle passive range of motion exercises help maintain flexibility in stiff joints. By slowly and carefully  moving the dog's limbs, I can help reduce stiffness and keep their joints moving more freely.  Motion is Lotion!

• Stretching exercises are customized to each dog’s condition, each dog and their symptoms are unique, as are their pain levels.  By focusing on improving mobility without causing discomfort, using the dogs own movements to stretch their body, it not only helps with joint flexibility but also reduces the risk of muscle tightness around the affected joints, which can worsen the symptoms.

3. Strengthen Muscles

One of the main goals of physiotherapy for dogs with arthritis is to build and maintain muscle strength. Stronger muscles support the joints better, which in turn reduces the overall load on them and thereby easing the progression of arthritis.  This can be achieved in many different ways, each program is uniquely created for your dog’s needs.

• Targeted strengthening exercises are individually created to improve muscle tone around the affected joints. This helps stabilize joints that have lost function due to osteoarthritis, making movement easier and much less painful for the dog.

4. Weight Management

• Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for managing arthritis because extra weight increases the stress on a dog’s joints. Excess weight has many effects on a body.   Fat cells are inflammatory cells, and OA is an inflammatory issue amongst other things.   Excess weight also creates problems with the endocrine system, leading to diseases such as diabetes. As your dog’s physiotherapist, I will create a balanced exercise plan that incorporates low-impact activities, like controlled walking, balance exercises and look at their diet/treats together so we can promote weight loss without causing pain or injury.

5. Improve Joint Function

• Laser therapy, ultrasound therapy and PMFT are all modalities I am trained it that enhance the healing process in damaged tissues, reduce inflammation, and promote better joint function.  All of which will benefit your dog.

• These therapies can also help relieve pain and stiffness by stimulating blood flow and reducing inflammation in the arthritic joints, this makes it easier for your dog to move with less discomfort.

6. Provide Customized Exercise Plans

As a fully qualified and insured veterinary physiotherapist and Tellington TTouch Instructor, I will design a tailored exercise program for your dog based on their specific needs and stage of arthritis. This could include:

• Balance exercises to improve proprioception and coordination, which are often affected by arthritis.

• Tellington TTouch techniques to encourage body awareness, reduce tension, and improve movement patterns.

• Strengthening exercises to build muscles safely and in a controlled manner in my clinic and continue at home.

These exercises can often be continued at home, giving you, as your dog’s guardian, tools to continue your dog’s therapy between appointments.

7. Support Mobility with Aids

As part of the therapy, the use of mobility aids such as harnesses, ramps or steps, buggies, support braces, or orthotics may be recommended to assist with walking, standing or any kind of mobility. These aids can make daily activities easier and less painful for dogs with arthritis.  They will also help you by limiting the chance of you being injured trying to help your dog move around.

8. Prevent Secondary Issues

Dogs with arthritis often alter their movement to avoid pain, leading to compensatory changes in other areas of the body. This will often cause secondary issues like muscle strains, additional pain or joint injuries.  We can address these additional issues as I work with the whole body, with a holistic view to dog care, ensuring balanced muscle development and correct posture.

9. Guardian Education

Many dogs struggle when their body starts to change.  They may feel less secure and more likely to worry in new environments or with new people or dogs.  They may appear less tolerant of situations that have not concerned them before.  Rachel can help you recognise these changes and show you how you can help your dog become more confident again and by a  few tweaks in their everyday life make their days brighter and fun filled.

As your dog’s guardian, the more you see how your dog moves from the beginning to how they improve, means you can easily spot when things change – for the better or if they are having a problem.  As a chronic health problem, OA is ongoing, but it can be managed and it does not mean the end of fun and joy with your dog, it just means a slight shift in what and how you do things together. Rachel encourages you to be part of your dog’s health and well-being, recognising when there are changes, so that we can act promptly so your dog can receive the care they need ASAP.

In Summary

Physiotherapy for your dog with arthritis is about much more than just pain management. It helps improve mobility, reduce stiffness, strengthen muscles improve mood and wellbeing, all of which contribute to better joint health and a higher quality of life for the dog. With consistent physiotherapy, many dogs with arthritis can live more comfortably, enjoying longer periods of activity and improved overall wellbeing.

I see these positive changes daily in my clinic, and I love being able to help dogs with chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis.    If I can help you with your dog, please do add a comment below, or book a phone call with me to discuss your dog’s specific needs.  

Acute and Chronic Pain - they are the same, right?

No, there is a difference between acute and chronic pain. Acute pain comes on suddenly and goes away when there is no longer a cause. We may hear a yelp or the dog is suddenly lame. We may see swelling, lameness, or if we are very unlucky a broken bone may be evident. If the cause is known it is typically treated with veterinary prescribed pain relief and rest.

Chronic pain is ongoing and linked with chronic issues such as osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia and luxating patella. Chronic pain is now being classified as pain that continues after the tissue has healed, though it can be thought of as lasting longer than 3 or 6 months.

Not only do the causes of these two types of pain differ, so do the effects. Chronic pain is not just a prolonged extension of acute pain, it signals that wide-ranging physiochemical changes have occurred in the central and peripheral nervous systems, from the level of the peripheral nociceptors, to the cerebral cortex, causing a persistent hypersensitivity to pain. Meaning our dogs can become super sensitive.

Dogs are good at hiding pain. The first signs may be a change in behaviour. They may be grumpy with other dogs when they haven't been before, sleeping more, not jumping onto the furniture or into the car, if they do jump in they may hesitate first. Some of these changes are very subtle, and require us being observant of our dog's behaviour.

Chronic pain also has an emotional effect on our dogs too. They may seem depressed or quieter than they used to be. There may also be a change in appetite or weight changes, which should always be assessed.

Osteoarthritis is an extremely common health problem for the dogs in the UK. A study in the US found that 80% of dogs over 7 years had some degree of OA.

The difference between a healthy joint and one with osteoarthritis.

I have designed a special program especially for dogs with these chronic pain issues, to include physiotherapy, Tellington TTouch, videos, home management recommendations and more to help your lovely canine friend feel less pain, be comfortable, improve their stride and be happy again.

If you would like to learn more, contact me via e-mail wellbalancedanimals@gmail.com or book a free 20 minute phone call here. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php...

Bleeding disorder in greyhounds and other sighthounds

Some of you who know me well will know of my passion, addiction and love of all things sighthounds. While I adore every dog I meet, for our household sighthounds rule:-) We have lived with, fostered, loved and lost them over the past 25 years and they are awesome!

Something you might not know about greyhound or greyhound crosses is that there is a bleeding disorder that affects them called “hyperfibrinolysis syndrome”.

The clinical signs can vary from a little localised bruising to life-threatening generalised haemorrhage after trauma or surgery. Why this happens is not as yet fully understood. They may have one surgery and not be affected, but the next time they can be.

So what can be done about it? Well, the risk of delayed post-operative bleeding can be significantly decreased with the administration of a drug such as tranexamic acid (TEA), which is readily available.

If your dog is having elective surgery, they can be treated perioperatively (before and after) to limit the risk of bleeding. There is a test that can be done to see if your dog is likely to suffer with hyperfibrinolysis syndrome, however it is not readily available.

If your dog has a trauma, such as runs into something or is attacked, be aware that this can also create excessive bleeding. If you have any doubts, contact your vet ASAP for advice and treatment.

Please feel free to share with your sighthound friends, this knowledge may save a life.

The picture is of Flo, one of our fosters three years ago, just because she is gorgeous!

Halloween Howlers

Tomorrow is Halloween, a night when spooks and ghouls abound, humans in outlandish costumes and travelling from door to door, bells being rung repeatedly in one evening. A night of noise and music, of fun and games. For many dogs though, they would choose not to get involved in Halloween celebrations, they find them overwhelming and too much. Even with the celebrations being curtailed this year and people spending Halloween at home, there are still a few changes we can make for our dogs to help them cope.

Some of our four legged friends find these types of days when their humans change a bit scary, so here are a few tips on making the frivolities easier and fun for everyone!

Pinterest Photo

COSTUMES
We have all seen the super cute pictures of dogs in costume (go to Pinterest, there are pages and pages of them) and you may think it will be fun to dress your dog up this year. Some dogs are happy to join in and don’t have a problem with it. Others may not be so keen. If you have a dog who backs away from you when you go towards them with a coat or harness, they may be sensitive to something being against their skin, these are probably not going to want to join in with the dressing up. Give them the option to not have to wear a costume, they will probably thank you for it :-)

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

You may decide to have a party and one food that we associate with Halloween is chocolate. But make sure it is kept well out of your dog’s reach! Chocolate may be wolfed down by your dog in a moment, but the effects of the theobromine, one of the ingredients in chocolate is dangerous for your dog. The darker/richer the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains, the worse it is. If your dog does eat chocolate you will start to see symptoms such as hyperactivity, drooling, vomiting or diarrhea. More serious symptoms may be seen such as seizures and twitching. If you suspect or know that your dog has eaten chocolate, contact your vet immediately. The sooner treatment begins the better the likelihood of a good outcome. Chocolate isn’t the only snack that can be poisonous for dogs. Grapes, raisins, caffeine or any food containing xylitol amongst others are not good for your dog, so keep them all out of reach!

Scary humans!

SCARY FACES

If all of a sudden the family they love turn into green faced monsters, change shape with odd hats on, move differently to normal and make strange noises this can be really scary when they are in their own home. Your dog may try to move away from you, or bark at you because they are scared. This may seem funny at first, but look at this from your dog’s perspective. You went upstairs looking how you always do, and come back downstairs looking like a stranger, even if you do smell the same. Let your dog see that it is you. Even better, if you think your dog is going to be spooked by you in costumes, let them go into a safe place, like their bed in another room and leave them in peace, maybe with a long lasting treat or toy that you know is safe for them while you get dressed up and have some fun.

WALKS

Usually your dog will be very happy to accompany you on an evening walk. While this year with Covid- 19 restrictions there will be few people out and about in costumes, there may be some which will spook your dog, especially in the dim half light of early evening or darkness.
You may have some neighbours who have decorated the outside of their houses flamboyantly, with graves, flags that move in the wind, or sensor activated models. These may be a bit too spooky - so it may be of benefit to walk your dog earlier in the day and let them chill out in the evening. Halloween can be a spooktacular time for the humans in the house and leave the dogs to have a chill time. Happy Halloween!

Living with a Tripaw

A number of memories have shown up in my Google photos over the last week and it has prompted me to write this blog about Amaya. This time last year she had lived with us and our lurchers, on foster, for nearly two weeks. I had been contacted by a fabulous rescue, Forever Hounds Trust, who had taken her in after she broke her leg at the race track and was due to be PTS. The break to her left hind leg was too severe to be repaired and so she had her leg amputated. She was in need of a foster home after this major surgery and this is where we came in.

Many people stop and look at her when we are out on walks, she gets lots of fuss and people say “Awww” a lot and ask how she lost her leg. Amaya does not have any issue being a three legged dog. She is still cheeky, fun loving, opinionated and it does not stop her doing very much, though obviously it does have an effect on her mobility and she can’t scratch her left ear!

There are typically two main reasons dogs lose a leg. Some, like Amaya lose a leg through a traumatic event, such as an accident of some sort. The second reason is if there is bone disease, such as a cancer. The dogs in this second category can be affected differently because they are often older, so can find it more challenging to adjust to life with three legs, but not necessarily. If it is a front leg amputation they may find it more difficult to adjust initially, due to the front legs carrying typically 60% of a dog’s weight, compared to 40% on the hind limbs, however again this will differ between dogs, they are all individuals.

Dogs adjust very well to life on three legs, depending on their age, breed and their general condition. Good aftercare and rehabilitation post surgery can make this recovery easier and return to their pre-surgery fitness in many cases. The remaining limb on the other side of the body does have to do the work of two legs. They will have to adjust the way they stand and move to enable them to redistribute their weight on three legs instead of four.

So what can you do if your vet says they recommend amputation?

Firstly, don’t panic. You may well have questions such as, What will their quality of life be? How will they cope? Ask your vet these questions and speak with other owner’s of dogs who have had a limb amputated, they will be able to answer them for you and put your mind at ease.

What can you do to keep your tripod healthy?

The biggest challenges a dog faces when it has had a leg amputated is to re-learn proprioceptive awareness and compensatory issues. Proprioception is the body’s ability to know it’s location, how it moves and it’s sense of balance and equilibrium. A dogs’ gait has to change when a leg has been amputated and this can lead to compensatory issues which may require assistance. This is where a Veterinary Physiotherapist can be a great benefit, by optimizing the body’s ability to heal post surgery and re-learn how to walk and move functionally.

There are a number of changes you can make to your home environment that will mean your dog can stay healthy and mobile:

• Ensure the dog has a well padded bed that will protect the elbow and prevent callouses and pressure sores from forming.

• Keep their weight down. This keeps the strain on the remaining legs joints to a minimum.

• Exercise them regularly and keep to a routine.

• Feed a good diet and maintain general good health.

• Assist the dog going up and down stairs.

• If you have hard floors, cover these with non slip rugs to prevent slipping and damaging other limbs.

• Monitor the dog’s activity and do not let them get over tired.

  Ask your vet about a good supplement to help keep joints as healthy as possible.

One year on, Amaya is a happy, healthy three legged greyhound. She has a zest for life, going out on walks, playing with toys, lounging on her back and eating her favourite foods and treats - which is all food and treats! Amaya gets a weekly physiotherapy assessment and treatment from me, which keeps her in tip top condition and enables me to spot any small changes early and remedy these before they become a problem for her. Oh, and she isn’t a foster dog any more, she is a permanent member of the Jackson family.

If you have a Tripaw, please leave me a message or contact me for further information on how veterinary physiotherapy can help your animal.

Amaya two weeks Post Surgery

Amaya out and about enjoying life with Idris