“Her strength shows me how it can be done… mind over matter”

 I had an emergency call for help from Marley’s Mum.  Marley is a 13 year old Staffie who suddenly lost all use of her rear left leg.  Her vet suggested suspected neurological trauma as there was no proprioception or superficial pain reflex although deep pain reflex was present.  They advised that the issue was likely disc or spinal disease and it was unlikely that Marley would regain use of that leg.  They advised physical therapy to maintain tone in the muscles of the left rear leg and keep the remaining legs strong.

We managed to see Marley the next day as it was clear that both her and her Mum needed help as soon as possible.  Her Mum needed some hope.

Marley was determined.  Oh, so determined.  She was not going to give in.  She managed to get herself into the therapy room with her three working legs which had quickly adapted to keep her moving.  She reminded me so much of our Sarah who never accepted her limited abilities.  She still wanted to enjoy her life and wasn’t going to let wobbly legs get in the way.  Dogs have a strength and grit that is simply awesome.  No wonder the term “dogged” is used for tenacity and persistence.

Marley’s left rear leg muscles were already showing signs of softness while her other limb muscles resembled those of a weight training athlete.  Everything needed help, but in different ways.  Left rear leg needed pumping massage and stimulation, while front and right rear leg muscles needed help to make sure they didn’t overexert themselves and tighten up restricting movement further.

Her mid back was also tight, understandably.

Marley had brought along her two human sisters to help their Mum with the therapy routine. 

By the end of the session, which Marley thoroughly enjoyed, she was moving even more fluidly.  I sent through a personalised workbook of what to massage, why and ways to ensure the left rear leg is kept stimulated while she is not using it herself

The next day her Mum wrote “I wanted to give you an update on Marley.  She is weight bearing on the leg and is showing signs of using the muscle in the upper leg……The improvement this morning after seeing you last night is phenomenal (I am secretly hopeful and believe she may use the leg again).  Marley is definitely the strongest dog I have ever met and her strength shows me how it can be done… mind over matter.  Oh and I tickled her toes earlier and she spread her paw!.  You and your partner are amazing people and extremely kind.  I will keep you updated. DAY 3 and look how far she has come”

The following day an additional text “I was doing her massage this morning and she curled her bad paw round my hand”

And a week later...“Marley saw the vet yesterday, the vet is confident that she will regain full function!! She told us that you can see the work we have done for her and that is because of your immediate help.   Thank you for supporting me through this process.  It really was true team work.  Thanks for passing that knowledge and seeing what I see in her”

Now that was the feedback we wanted to read.  With hope from the carer, determination from the dog with some empowerment and knowledge sharing from us, team work has helped Marley to recover and maintain some mobility. 

 

Involving the family in therapy

13 year old Rosie received lots of good wishes when I first visited her and posted her story. At that time, when I was invited into her house she was sitting in the hall by the wall and had to be helped into the lounge for her therapy. Once there though, she was an “OMG…this is what I have been waiting for” dog. 

When I left, I had a feeling that her family would all get involved and rally round to help her as much as they could. 

And they have….so much. Rosie is a new dog. 

On this visit, she greeted me at the dog excitedly and wagging her broad tail. A different girl. Standing straighter with more confidence. More musculature evident. Bright eyes, attentive and enthusiastic. Her Mum said that she gets a massage daily (her personalised workbook was in a folder on the sofa by the toys). Now, when massage is over, she looks up at her Mum with a “Hmm…why have you stopped?” look. The youngsters in the family are involved too. Every treat she is given, she is made to give a nice long nose to tail stretch working on her spinal and core muscles. She plays with her tuggy toy which she hasn’t done in a long while. She is eager to walk and sometimes even asks to go round the block. And to complete the transformation, she is now confident to start getting on the bed (with some help) and the armchair in the living room. 

She decided to show me how she could get on the armchair – which is where she remained for the next hour’s therapy session. 

Her fur is so much softer now and she now has space under it. She is no longer wearing a coat two sizes too small. She still has her myofascial twitches. Touching the left side, causes the right rear leg to twitch and touching the right side, makes the left rear leg twitch. She knows it is annoying to her but was very tolerant as I eased the fascia. 

But she was happy, smiling, sighing and closing her eyes in delight. Such a transformation due to the consistent work done by her family every day. I look forward to seeing how much progress she makes in the future.

#imanewgirlnow

Adopt, Don't Shop

Dogs everywhere…and it was heaven! 

I went back for some volunteering with Arundawn Dog Rescue and this time I took an extra pair of hands – Chris’s hands. The dogs loved him – he had a very patient line of them at one point, queuing up and waiting for their turn. Typically working two hands at once. 

We worked with whoever was nearest at the time – sometimes they were resting on each other so one hand could slide over them both, sometimes they were within reach of both therapists so received a double helping. 

By the end, they were all asleep, rested and snoring and we both had wide silly grins. 

Best day. 

#adoptdontshop

Prevention rather than cure – or – Make hindsight your foresight 

When we treat, we also teach, educate and empower. Sharing the skills of how to help a dog with their Mum or Dad is an integral part of each and every visit. How to start with massage and exercise and then things to add as mobility improves or changes. 

Massaging your dog is not only beneficial and makes them feel good but if you have another dog in the family who is sitting there watching, you can work with them too. You don’t need to wait for an issue to happen. 

Recently I went to treat little Maisy. There are two other rescue dogs in the family. Maisy’s Mum wrote “I’m also practicing a little massage with our other two, Binky and Milly as they get jealous when Maisy’s sessions start! It’s great to have that skill now to share with our other two pooches.” 

Our Mr Sam might not need as much help as his sister, but each has their own therapy session. There are many more examples I can think of where the sibling has benefitted from the newly acquired therapy skills of their Mum or Dad. Luther and Hugo, for example. Luther was the dog who needed help. Typically, while working on him, his Dads were working on Hugo. 

After I visited Sophie, her Mum wrote back “Molly's on the same regime - prevention rather than cure is my new motto !!!” 

And after a session with Jack, his Mum wrote “I was massaging Jack under Pixie’s watchful gaze, and he did his get up and wander off routine. The very instant he moved off she flopped at my feet waiting for her massage too. She was pretty comatose by the time Jack decided he’d let me do a bit more!” 

Archie’s Mum had a training session with me. But in pictures you can see sister Molly peering over his shoulder. Their Mum wrote “Thanks so much for this and of course for your time yesterday I feel sure that both Archie and Molly will benefit hugely from the techniques you have shown me.” 

Bailey and Ruby were another couple who posed together after the Bailey’s treatment session. Whoopi might still be a puppy, but her Mum Sarah does the same exercises with her that she does with her senior brother Harry and now has added knowledge of things to look out for 

And it’s not just the manual therapy. Included in each and every therapy visit that we make is advice and assistance. Ways you can make your home more dog friendly, simple adaptations such as rugs not slippy floors, steps and slopes. Seeing things through a professional experienced eye can benefit. These changes are going to help ALL the dogs in the house – helping to prevent any injuries occurring in the first place. That’s means we can use hindsight as foresight for other dogs in the family. 

If you want us to come and show you how you can help all the dogs in your family through manual therapy, exercise advice or household adaptation, please give me a call. If there is more than one carer, we’ll teach you all. We are always affordable and accessible. 

#whystopwithone

Enrichment with your dog doesn't have to be physical activity : Charley's story

“It’s so lovely….it’s not just about the fact that I’m helping Charley but it’s about the time we spend together”. 

We first met Charley and his Mum in February when she put up a desperate plea for help on the Hanover Dogs Facebook group. He was struggling to walk, was clearly uncomfortable and, naturally, his Mum was beside herself with worry. 

Having gained his vet’s consent to treat, on the first session we were able to not only offer him a thorough investigation and treatment, but also sent his Mum her own massage routine tailored specifically for his needs, some exercises, lots of ideas for household adaptations and some suggestions of other things she could add to his treatment plan. 

Charley has now been on his own multi-modal regime for 4 months now : massage daily from his Mum (Charley knows it is massage time when the Emmerdale theme tune comes on), maintenance massage from us, frequent text messages between Charley and us, Yumove Advanced, Paracetamol, rugs and mats in all the previously slippy places, harnesses to help him up the stairs to bed, raised food bowls, safe stretching exercises and laser therapy (weekly at first and now fortnightly).

His Mum asked if I could come back to make sure she is doing everything right with her massage techniques. Doing it right? Goodness, she was amazing. She was doing moves on Charley that were her own – techniques that ‘felt right’, that Charley clearly adored and, most importantly, had built Charley’s muscles back again. Intuition. 

But it is the positivity in Beverly Ann’s attitude toward Charley which is the biggest change. After our first visit, Beverly Ann wrote “I think people can be a bit sceptical. I wasn’t but I was desperate to try anything and I’m so glad I did! I know the arthritis won’t ever go but we can make it more liveable. When we went for our walk, I felt far more relaxed with him, and not worrying so much. I’m sure he felt that too. The relief I feel is huge. And yes - my worry face has been replaced by a big grin xx” 

“Massaging Charley like this, has given us an even deeper connection. When I massage his bad legs, he looks at me with such deep trust, knowing that I won’t hurt him. I thought Charley and I had the most amazing relationship before. Now there is something even more between us.” 

Four months later and she said “It’s about us. It’s so easy to come in the door, say hello, give your dog a fuss but then carry on with doing the things that have to be done. And then you can find that you have forgotten to spend time with your dog or that time has simply disappeared. With massage, I make sure that Charley and me ALWAYS spend 30 minutes together every day. This is his and my time and nothing gets in the way of it”. 

Enrichment activities don’t have to be about getting your dog out and moving. Equally enriching is spending quiet time with your dog, giving them a beneficial massage on the bed. 

#bemoreCharleyandMum #enrichment=quiettime

Shedding fur - good thing or not?

“Don’t wear black” Roxy’s Mum said when we confirmed our second visit. 

Last time I worked with Roxy, she shed fur. A lot of fur. And she is a Yellow Labrador. As a result, I looked like Chewbacca by the end of that session and her Mum’s vacuum cleaner probably seized up. 

When we work with dogs, shedding fur is one of the ways we can tell that we’re having an effect and doing some good. Imagine if you’re going round with skin that is sticking to you due to anxiety or discomfort. That’s got to be uncomfortable. Manual therapy not only works on the joints and muscles but also on the fur – that’s what our fingers are passing through all the time. Myofascial release techniques assist with this fur lifting. And when you create space between the fur and underlying structures, blood and other nutrients can start to move freely through the body again. Result = looser, softer and more healthy fur. 

I once worked with a very VERY anxious Chihuahua who simply ‘couldn’t be touched’. Well…. guess what, not only did she adore her session ‘being touched’ (in a therapeutic way) with me, but, by the end, we had a pile of Chihuahua fur that could easily have made another dog. Over the months of treating that dog, the fur shedding became less and less as her body became more fluid, softer and supple. The blood and nutrients could move through at last. Also, her anxiety decreased and approachability increased accordingly. 

The same happened this time with Roxy. OK, there was a pile of fur on the floor but it was just a small pile. And my black jeans (I know…..should have worn a different colour!) didn’t look quite so much like I was auditioning for a Pantomime Bear. 

Roxy’s Mum has been doing some homework with her, particularly warming-up her hips and thighs before exercise. Roxy’s insecurities about being massaged have vastly diminished. 30 minutes with no getting up and down. Mind you, despite it being the hottest day of the year so far, Roxy decided she wanted her massage in the sun. And, you’ll remember I was wearing black…when will I listen? As we were both cooking, she did move into the shade for a while but decided that being microwaved was preferable and shifted back into the sun. 

She felt better all over – neck softer, fascial movement possible and muscle tone improved. AND less fur shed. That’s a great result for her, her Mum and for the vacuum cleaner. 

#lessfurshedmoremobility

Listen to Your Dog

Jack’s Mum calls him Magical Jack (well, that’s one of the names he is known by) but I think he should be Lucky Jack. 

I first visited Senior Boy Jack in November last year when his Mum gave me a list of the supplements and food he is on. Each is carefully researched with the other leading to a tailored balanced food intake – things like golden paste, ground egg shell, bone broth, fresh fruit, veg and meat. Jack is very well looked after naturally but he is also on pharmaceuticals to take care of any underlying discomfort. 

After the first session with me, his Mum, Sue, took on board everything we did. Jack is an ‘as and when’ boy regarding his manual therapy. He has a session as he needs it and when he asks for it. He is still reluctant to offer his rear end for therapy but with careful muscle melting, Sue is able to work just where he needs it. Sometimes she has to start a session with general stroking which can then lead to more intentional massage – which is exactly what we have to do occasionally. 

6 months along in his therapy programme and Jack is now stretching more, especially with his rear end. He is still a plodder but he is a happy plodder. His exercise regime is controlled by him. His Mum said that they typically have about 30 minutes outdoors walking a day but that “varies by how stiff he is. If he is stiff, we mess about indoors”. Such a sensible attitude to listen to your dog. 

Knowing that his outdoors exercise might become shorter, Sue is bringing the outdoors in. She has planted a sensory garden for him. Lots of herbs and flowers with strong smells so he can go outside and sniff and explore to his heart’s content. He can still have his sensory enrichment without having to walk round the parks and streets to catch up on his pee mail. 

With his nutrition and medicinal needs carefully controlled, his exercise needs listened to, his sensory needs now growing in the back garden plus his ‘as and when’ manual therapy, Magical Jack is really a Lucky Jack. 

#listentoyourdog 

Seated massage for dogs

Wouldn’t it be good if every dog settled down to their massage session immediately? Of course, but that doesn’t happen. Some dogs get it straight away. We arrive. The massage mat goes down. They lie on it. And they’re away – lying down in the zone. Grins. Sighs. Snores. Others take a bit of time. They investigate the mat. They stay still for a few minutes then decide they need to get up and go for a walk coming back in a short time. This may go on for a while until, eventually, they ‘get it’ too. Trust building is important. 

We would never force a massage on a dog. Therapy is on their terms. After all, as well as being beneficial, massage should be enjoyable. What we do will feel different to dogs than petting, even those who get petted all the time. And initially, we are someone new – although we quickly seem to become their new bestie. 

We let the dog come into the massage space on their terms. It may be that in the first session, hands on therapy may only take half the time. But the dog is still experiencing its associated benefits. 

Equally importantly, we are adaptable and the massage techniques we employ are also adaptable. If a dog won’t lie down, we run a whole workshop full of techniques that can be performed on dogs who prefer to sit during their therapy. Seated massage is frequently performed on humans, it made sense for us to develop similar techniques for dogs. 

Even the dogs we have been visiting for a long time can display this pattern. I’ve been treating Ralph and Auntie Pearl since 2014. They are big solid dogs – Sussex Bulldogs. But with hearts of gold. When I arrive, I get squashed with affection and licks and paws and legs.  They love their massage. But the position they adopt has to suit them. 

Big Boy Ralph will happily sit right in my lap letting me work up and down his spine and over his shoulders but won’t lie down until he decides it is time. On the last session his front paws were slipping bit by bit down the mat until he went fully prone lying down. Now I could get to work on his hind legs and perform long myofascial moves. 

Auntie Pearl was the same, except she likes to start by facing me while being massaged – she loves a quick sneaky nose boop – mine, not hers. She slips down into my lap rather than out of it like Ralph. With her, I can start work on her rear legs and then get to her front when she’s lying in my lap. But then she turns around and copies her brother. 

By having a toolkit of massage techniques that can be performed with the dog sitting, standing or lying, both Ralph and Auntie Pearl receive the benefits of massage whichever way they decide to go. 

Don’t worry if you think your dog won’t like it or doesn’t settle down immediately, we adjust and adapt to suit your dog. 

#lotsoftechniques

Adapting the Adaptations

Whenever we visit a dog, we see if there are any simple adaptations that can be made to their house to help with their daily mobility. Things like rugs, mats or carpets over slippy floors. A raised food bowl so the dog doesn’t have to stoop down on already sore joints. Small steps over the door frames. Cushions beside a sofa or bed that they always use to jump on. And comfy beds – don’t forget them. Do the 30 minute Numb Bum test (if you can sit on your dog’s bed for 30 minutes without getting a Numb Bum then it’s likely that they are finding it supportive and comfy) 

But things change. And adaptations should change too. 

Our house has progressively become a Senior Dog Show Home. We have carpets and half steps everywhere. But our Sarah is beginning to drag her rear legs more, meaning Carpenter Chris has been building again. 

Most of the frames to the outdoors have small lips. These were becoming trippy lips. Now we have ramps. Two pieces of light, but strong, wood, hinged in the middle so we can put the ramps away when not in use, move them from door frame to door frame as necessary, with some rubber on top to protect paws even more. And Sarah loves then. Up she goes and down the other side with a big grin into the great outdoors. 

Then there’s Mr Sam. He likes to start the evening on my bed. He had a couple of memory foam mattresses to help him with the up and soften the down but they were giving a little and not helping his upwards propulsion. Now….he has his own step. Custom built to Mr Sam height with an added soft but thin mattress. He can easily stand up on the step and then take a further step onto the bed. Going down, the step is big enough so he can get completely on it, before taking the last step to the floor. No more crashing squishing noises. Just a couple of gentle steps. 

Follow your dog around your house for an hour or so, noting any areas where they may be struggling or tripping and think how you could minimise or relieve the hazard. Cheap, simple homemade solutions often work best as they can be tailored to your house and your dog. Give us a call if you need any advice or help. 

One of the many perks of what we do - smiling

We’re always putting up pictures of the dogs we work with after their therapy session where they are wearing big fat smiles.  But one of the many perks of what we do is that we get to smile too – a lot. Chris was over at Harry’s yesterday (https://www.facebook.com/HoundsOnTheDowns2014 ) where Molly was staying for a long weekend. Both are AchyPaw maintenance dogs and both were due a therapy session.

As ever, the dog not being treated at that moment slept happily picking up the calmness of the other. And in this case, young Whoopi grabbed some chill vibes too and fell asleep although she was not even being treated. 

At the end, they all came up for their treats. First the two who had their massage and then Whoopi got in the mix too. Looking down at the three faces resulted in……a big grin from Chris. #bestmedicineever #dogsmakeyousmile 

Scheduling maintenance therapy - the benefits

Edie is one of our 3 monthly girls. She’ll be 12 shortly but apart from some silver in her beautiful face and a slight rear leg issue, she is moving well. And this time she felt awesome. No stresses or tension in her back which is her usual problem. 

We had to postpone her appointment a few weeks ago as she decided to eat something quite unsavoury which must have been yummy and went down well, but came back out the next day. Definitely not the ideal health state for manual therapy. 

She is on a low dose of Gabapentin and also Rimadyl plus monthly acupuncture with vet Guy from Coastway. That plus the regular physical therapy is doing the trick and keeping her mobile. She even has a 2 year Rottweiler puppy as her new best friend. He clearly sees her gorgeousness too. 

She has a walk in the morning when she decides whether that is ‘her for the day’ or she might decide she wants a short walk as well in the evening. But it is Edie who chooses what is best – as it should be. 

She is an ‘up and down’ girl too. Massage is in 5 to 10 minute bursts with lots of goofing Labradorness in between. That’s fine.  She should be allowed to choose how much she can take or needs. 

Typically though, just as the session reaches 60 minutes, she decides that it’s time for snoozes and settles down. You can see from the pictures that she is barely keeping her eyes open. 

Even a single session, scheduled regularly, can release muscle & fascial tension and maintain mobility. Consider these sessions as “tune-ups”. They can be scheduled like Edie, or arranged when necessary – before an event, before/after a holiday, before/after surgery or even when a new dog is coming into the house like Charlie & Ziggy. 

Don’t worry about contacting us for a therapy session if there doesn’t seem anything wrong at the moment – we don’t make you sign up for a series, many benefits can be achieved from a single session.

One size does not fit all

Every dog we visit is different and unique. And we plan all treatment sessions in the same way. Each in different and tailored to that dog at that time. The plan might be different still on subsequent visits. There is no template, no prescription, no model. We adapt our therapy to match the needs of the dog. 

Gentleman Jack was seen by me at the end of last year. At that time, he was an up and down dog – 5 minutes with me, then would walk away, before coming back for another 5 minutes or so. Since then, his Mum has been working hard with him, getting him far more used to touch and physical therapy. But it is still on his terms – as and when. That’s perfectly fine. As and when is better than nothing at all. And Jack is learning to give himself to Mum when he is most in need. 

The recent visit was as though a lightbulb had gone off – still the occasional up and down but far more hands-on time especially when he was lying on the sofa. Then he just closed his eyes and snoozed. His therapy session was quite different from the first. 

He is 14 in a few days – hopefully with Mum and me helping him, Jack will keep offering me a different treatment plan and stay comfortable and moving for a long while yet.

Accessible & Affordable therapy for all dogs and their Mums and Dads

We aim to make canine physical therapy accessible and affordable to every dog and their Mum or Dad. When we read Charley’s story on the Hanover Dog page where his Mum was saying how he slipped in the mud and went down on his side I offered to help and try to see Charley as soon as we could. This entailed Chris making a couple of visits to their vets to deliver and then pick up the signed vet agreement form. But all was completed and Charley was booked in with us shortly afterwards. 

Charley is a 10 year old Chocolate Labrador with arthritis in most of his joints but particularly in his hips. After his fall, Charley cried out in pain and then couldn’t put any weight on his front paws. He had to be carried home by car and hobbled after that clearly in discomfort. 

Charley also likes to make it known that all conversation has to be about him. If not, he vocalises. That made the consultation and treatment session much fun. Every time I would ask him Mum something or show her a massage move that would help,  Charley wanted to join in the chat. 

But he needed help and he knew it. Charley is smart really. It took a while but gradually the vocalising slowed, then stopped and Charley ‘got it’. This was good. This is helping. This is oh so relieving. 

As if by magic, after an hour, he got up on the sofa allowing his Mum to sit next to him while he placed his head in her lap. We went through all the things that would help and could be added to a daily therapy routine. Meanwhile not a sound from Charley – just lots of “I love you Mum” eyes. 

He already has mats around the house but the food and water bowl needed raising. His Mum didn’t have anything of the right height so ended up holding his bowl up for him. Now that is a Star Mum. 

We went through some stretching techniques and exercises – Charley needed space opening up in his back and neck connection, increasing his movement & ease. This should help create a more fluid rotational movement in his spine making it more comfortable for him to stand. Charley LOVES our special Back Space technique and now demands it from his Mum, stretching forward like a giraffe. Sometimes this one move can help address so many other issues. 

Charley’s Mum wrote us a lovely review “Les was absolutely fantastic with Charley. He showed such love and patience. He has given us both hope that we can help his arthritis….I finally feel like I am doing something to help Charley through this.” 

I warned that Charley might become a Massage Diva – this typically takes a few days. Not our Charley. 2 hours later his Mum wrote “It is amazing! He is on my bed and I’m doing it now. If I stop, he lifts up his paw to touch me to carry on! …..He is so calm now. And he keeps rolling from side to side when he wants a change!” and then the following morning Charley himself wrote “Hi Uncle Les. It’s not even 10 o clock and I have had a warm up, a walk and a cool down. I did my tricks- you left your treats here (I don’t mind)I have had a long massage- my eyes actually rolled back my mum said! I am now going to sleep. Thank you for teaching my mum this- I love it!! ” 

His Mum said that her “worry face has been replaced by a big grin xx” and that through touch and knowing that she can help him rather than just watching him look uncomfortable “it’s like we have found each other all over again” 

This will be the start of Charley’s new life. An empowered Mum full of positivity and armed with the tools to help him. Can’t wish for a better outcome than that. 

Thanks Charley x

Intention, intention, intention - Canine Massage Rule No.1

Among the ‘New for 2019’ dogs was Vintage Girl Rokit, a 13 year Lab who was referred to us by Guy of Coastway Vets with generalised osteoarthritis and stiff back. She also has Cushings and Vestibular Syndrome as well as a cyst in her neck. But she still manages her walks in the countryside every day. 

Why Rokit? Because she was very speedy when she was a puppy and her younger siblings couldn’t spell Rocket – hence Rokit. 

 I was told she can be a bit wary of new people who are touching her. But she rather seemed to take to me – putting her head straight down and shifting her body so I could get to all areas. I think she even knew what I was saying. “If you can’t get to the side she’s laying on, don’t worry – do that side another day” I said. To which she rolled over giving me access to the ‘other side’. Dogs are brilliant. 

Her Mum is a human massage therapist so had all the skills but just needed to think of Rokit, not as her best friend when working with her, but as a client. That way all her massage intuition and experience will flow naturally. Intention, intention, intention. So important. 

You can’t play at massage. There is not a prescription that fits every dog. It doesn’t follow the same pattern. You need empathy. You need the dog to know you’re there to help and not play. 

Using her existing massage skills and looking at her in a new way, Rokit’s Mum will be able to carry on all the good work. We ended up with some simple and fun stretching exercises before letting Rokit snooze off all that excitement. Vintage Girls need their beauty naps

Creaks, ouchy bits and wobbles

11 year old Miniature Poodle Tilly's Mum described her issue as ‘creaking’ when she stretches and wondered if she would benefit from maintenance massage sessions. 

We love terms like ‘creaking’ and ‘ouchy bits’ as they not only perfectly describe what is going on, but describe how it must feel. I often get up from the floor after an hour working with a dog and feel creaky. My knees often get ouchy. Terms like that can bring home the discomfort our dogs might be undergoing. 

Tilly is quite an anxious dog with people she doesn’t know (she has a short list of OK people) but she sat in my lap shaking slightly. She wasn’t trying to get away at all, but keeping her eye on me just in case. Over the next few minutes the shakes started to subside until 10 minutes in we were like life long besties. No shakes, just sleepy eyes and relaxed yawns. 

When I went to leave, she was most put out, clambering up my leg to try and keep me behind for more. I think I’m now on her list of ‘nice people’.

Canine Massage Therapy #123456 - "Being able to chase that dog you've always fancied"

For our latest Double Therapist Day, we worked with senior girls Lyla and Midge. Midge chose Chris while Lyla chose me. 

Lovely Lyla is a 12 year old Doberman who has a history of stiffness in her forelimbs. Radiographs taken last year showed arthritic changes in both carpi and digits. She is a happy potterer when out walking and her Mum wanted to start maintenance massage to support her through the next stages of her life.

Lyla got over her shyness and realised the benefits by settling down for a full hour. 

The next day her Mum wrote “..OMG!!!! Wow what a difference in the girls, ….. Lyla was walking with a spring in her step not as stiff at all, managed to chase this dog she fancy's….Magic hands uncles a big THANKU XX” Hmm…chasing a dog she fancies. 

Now THAT is a new benefit for canine physical therapy. 

Benefits of AchyPaw Canine massage

There are all sorts of signs during and after a massage therapy session, that it has been of benefit. As well as the dog moving more freely and balanced, typically we finish with a dog comfortably relaxed on the floor. Then the gait benefits are harder to see.

But, as shown by Pudding here, there are drippy noses (indicating that lymphatic drainage has taken place flushing out all the nasties from the body), a relaxed posture (relief from discomfort) bright shiny eyes and overall physical ease.

Chris has been visiting 12 year old Pudding every two weeks for some months now. Her progress since that time has been heartwarming and encouraging. She now manages to keep up with her Hounds on the Downs chums.

She is another poster girl demonstrating the benefits of our AchyPaw therapy techniques.

Maintaining the quality of life of a dog with manual therapy and more

My Luther is the dog I’ve worked with longest – over 3 years. When he was first referred to AchyPaw, his Dads had run out of ideas to help with his increasing arthritis in his hips. He had gone off his back legs and they feared the worst. 

When their vet first told their Dads of us, they were a bit sceptical to say the least. His Instagram comment in 2015 was “Luther hardly moves but I’ve got a canine massage therapist coming on Saturday – I kid you not. Can’t quite believe I’ve even shared that – that’s SO Brighton”. 

One week later a video of me massaging his handsome boy went up on the same Instagram feed (search #lutherweimaraner) with a comment of “Luther having his weekly massage with Dr Les. This stuff works!”. Well that didn’t take long to convince Dad did it? 

And 3 weeks later the comment went “Luther having his 3rd massage….Luther actually RAN along the road when he saw him”. So that’s Luther convinced too. 

Since then Luther and I have shared a journey. He still has his bad days – that’s the insidious nature of osteoarthritis. We’ve been through hydrotherapy and various medication regimes. On his really bad days, it’s easy enough to just get on the AchyPaw bike and go to give him an extra boost of massage benefit. His mobility is greatly helped by his Help’Em Up harness which he wears all day now. It gives him the confidence that he is not going to slip or fall as his Dads can support him from the front and back. Plus being massaged daily by his Dads benefits too and all the household adaptations they have put in place. 

He’s just celebrated his 13th birthday. He walks less than he used to 3 years ago – but so do I. He has even gained a new brother, Hugo (Instagram #hugoweimaraner) who I spotted on Waifs & Strays website and thought would make a great addition to their family. The boys get on as though they have always been together. Massage sessions HAVE to be done with them both side by side. 

Every 4 weeks Hugo now gets his own massage from me while Chris works with Luther, or the other way round depending on which dog picks who. But on the days Chris is not there, his Dad massages him using the tools we have equipped them with over the years. 

Thanks for the journey Luther. Looking forward to much more.

Benefits of maintenance therapy for senior dogs

Seeing the results of our maintenance physical therapy is heart-warming. Seeing it with the senior boys and girls is even more. 

When Chris was asked to take over the treatment of glamorous silver faced Pudding in July, she had a sore back, stiffness due to her osteoarthritis, she struggled on first rising and was generally unsteady and wobbly. 

He has been visiting her every two weeks since then. 

Continued teamwork from Chris, Pudding’s Mum and Dad doing their homework and Sarah from Hounds on the Downs making sure Pudding gets the opportunity to use her new improved mobility skills during her walks, has made such a difference. A multi-faceted treatment plan involving all the carers has so many benefits. 

This video on our AchyPaw YouTube channel here says everything of why we do what we do. And it makes us smile.

Sunday Seniors day at St Leonards

Last New Years Eve, I was invited over to St. Leonards to help 13 year old Corkie and his Dad deal with Corkie’s newly diagnosed arthritis. Between us, we went through a special massage and exercise routine to help his mobility. Corkie already had his own Corkie Stair Lift in place. 

The other week, his Dad wrote that he has been spreading the good word of AchyPaw training to a couple of the local dog walkers who also have senior dogs and wondered whether I would be up to training them in one of their houses. Of course I would. 

Then the word passed round the Park dog walkers and we had to arrange a larger hall. Sunday, we had 12 dogs and their owners attending – the session had grown as real social media (i.e. talking to each other) worked the magic. The workshop became a spur-of-the-moment Senior Dog and Arthritis Awareness Session as the average age was 11 (9 dogs aged from 12 to 15). There were also a couple of youngsters who had their own mobility issues and one puppy who just wanted to learn how to be a Supple Senior. 

The pictures from the day can be found here 

Here’s a challenge then...if you and your chums belong to a local dog walking group, get in touch and we can look to arrange your own Park Walkers canine massage session. Let’s get everyone up to the level of the St Leonard’s Seniors (dogs not owners).