Horse releasing tension by yawning following a massage and treatment . This horse suffers with a muscle myopathy called PSSM and can get very sore.

Why Animal Physiotherapy?

  • Physiotherapy is well recognised in humans as part of an athletic fitness programme- either using massages to relax hard-working muscles after a work out; or using structured exercises to build condition and strength in targeted muscles or to help recovery and rehabilitate after an injury.

  • Animals benefit for the same reasons – by using different manual therapy techniques, electrotherapies and exercise routines; we can improve or maintain their musculoskeletal health.

  • More than just a “massage”, a full Physiotherapy assessment and treatment can help to identify areas of tenderness or weakness before they become a bigger problem.

Conditions where Physiotherapy can help

Image of dog skeleton. Osteoarthritis, Cranial Cruciate ligament damage (CCL) , luxating patella in dogs , hopping on hind leg in dogs
Horse with sacroiliac dysfunction and hock arthritis. Over-riding dorsal spines or kissing spines. Spinal surgery may be indicated . Tendon injuries including DDFT , SFDT, Suspensory and check ligament.

Physiotherapy Benefits

What to Expect in a Session

Each session varies depending on the assessment findings. Generally, dogs need 30-45 mins, while horses require a little longer at 90-120 mins for their initial consultation. The session starts with a complete assessment, followed by treatment, which may include using an electrotherapy device such as therapeutic ultrasound, laser, pulsed electromagnetic field or muscle stimulation. These devices complement the manual therapies used and help to prolong the treatment  effects.

Assessment 

Your horse/dog is observed carefully when both standing still (static) and moving (dynamic) , then their muscles are gently palpated , before their joints slowly flexed and extended. I’ll also ask you more generally about their management, saddle fit, level of exercise  etc to get a more complete picture.

 Sometimes, I will also carry out a neurological assessment as well , depending on what I notice when the animal moves or, if the problem occurs in certain situations eg when cornering or under saddle; it can helpful to try to recreate the situation to pinpoint where the problem lies.

The feedback from the visual assessment together with palpating and flexing the different tissues, provides the information  I need to identify to plan my treatment .

Equine physiotherapist in wales improving flexibility in a horses leg

Treatment

I use a combination of manual therapies, including:  massage, stretches, trigger point release, myofascial release and joint mobilisations to relax and release muscles, joints and ligaments and ease pain or musculoskeletal tension. An electrotherapy device is simply a machine that is able to enhance the energy produced by a cell, and I use them to help the healing process eg for tendons or wounds ; or to reach into the deeper tissues to alleviate trigger points, muscle spasm and pain. 

Electro therapies used include - Therapeutic Ultrasound, Laser, PEMF,          H-Wave, NMES, TENS.

PEMF therapy being used to stop trigger points in a horses back , by a veterinary physiotherapist
Equine physiotherapist using ultrasound or laser to improve pain in a horses hock
Horse therapist using laser and ultrasound to heal a horses back and tendon

Exercise Programmes 

Strength & Flexibility / Rehabilitation. . Not everyone wants or needs an exercise programme, although they can be very effective in keeping our younger animals fit and and strong, and our older ones mobile and more comfortable .

Each programme is truly bespoke for your animal, your available facilities, and your time constraints. It may include a selection of stretches, balance exercises, proprioception exercises and the physiotherapists favourite – polework!

Horse with pssm2 muscle myopathy being assessed by wales and west veterinary Physiotherapy

Booking is easy!

Simply fill in the owner  registration form online and press submit. I’ll get in touch with you to arrange a suitable day and time and arrange for veterinary consent if I’ve not seen your dog/horse within the past 12 months.

Speak to me.

If you’d like to have a chat regarding your animals suitability for Physiotherapy – just send me an email or Whats App and I’ll call you back.