Sometimes....

 

Sometimes you don’t need words to explain the benefits of our canine physical therapy or to describe how well a dog feels during a session.  Sometimes their face says it all.

So here is Archie and his face……

 

Multimodal therapy in one session

Rescue girl Bambi had developed a limp from her right rear leg which has been slow to respond to rest or medications. 

Bambi was lying on the mat with the PEMF mat below and started her therapy session laying there while also receiving Red Light Phototherapy. That’s 2 therapies. 

Bambi then had the smaller PEMF mat directly on her rear leg while I gave her some massage. Therapies = 3 

Chris then took over with Bambi and gave her some Trigger Point therapy and stretching. Therapies up to 4. 

At the end she did not want to leave the treatment room. Relaxation = therapy 5. 

Multimodal in one session. 

#result

Canine Reiki

Recently, 7 year old Miniature Dachshund Rufus started dipping slightly from his back left leg. In his short life, he has already undergone 2 major spinal operations due to fenestrated vertebrae and his Mum was rightly conscious of the need to help him through any new mobility issues as soon as possible. 

He appreciates some calming Reiki work during his massage, so Chris went to give a double therapy session. 

He was very excited to see him. And responsive, settling in for some muscle tension release and compression, which is one of his favourite techniques. All the while, also getting some calming Reiki. 



His Mum was astounded by his response and the way he looked even longer at the end of the session. His whole body also felt warmer and softer. He’d clearly been taking all the therapies in.

Massage and digestion

Cathal’s Mum has known us for many years and even hosted us in her shop to chat to her customers about the many benefits of canine physical therapy. And now it is our turn to help her with a not often discussed benefit of physical therapy - digestive issues. 

In 2016 we had a request to help Floc who was suffering from constipation. When he came to us, we performed lots of gentle work over his abdominal muscles which were, understandably, as tight as a drum. Before he left, he had a few successful ‘movements’ in our garden and then, over the next few days, his carer would send me plenty of texts describing other successes – LOTS of successes. 

Cathal had been suffering from an Impacted bowel for 1 week and, like Floc, had been straining uncomfortably. This was, in turn, affecting his whole body. He was standing hunched, he was wobbly, he was constantly trying to push down. He looked very uncomfortable. Think how you would feel or stand in a similar situation. 

His Mum had taken him to vets a few days before my visit where he had been sedated and flushed as the X Rays showed he was backed up into his colon. But he was still holding himself tight. 

He is a bouncy boy with a short back for a French Bulldog. When he is well, he doesn’t really squat when pooing but stands and pushes. Any extra hunching due to this new discomfort, would affect his mobility further. Cathal was made for massage – he adored it. 

I started working on other areas of his body before getting to his tummy. But I needn’t have worried. He just smiled and sighed when working around his abdominal area. 

I spent an hour with this lovely boy easing out his strained back muscles and generally helping his recover from his poo-tension. 

After I left, he was fast asleep with a relaxed look on his face. Massage therapy is truly holistic working on the whole body. 

New ideas, new techniques, new modalities

Meet Charley – the amazing Red Lighting Magnetically Vibrating Chocolate Lab. 

Some months ago. we bought a Low-Level Light Therapy device to target some relief for Sarah. Recently I completed my certification for the application of Phototherapy. 

How does it work? The manufacturers explain it well here

And now we have a Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field (PEMF) machine with a variety of mats. This site has a simple explanation of how that device works : “Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy can decrease inflammation and pain, increase the rate of tissue repair and regeneration. This painless modality can be used adjunctively with rehabilitation sessions or daily at home. PEMF uses pulsing electromagnetic fields to jump start and accelerate normal biological cellular reactions. A small battery current is pulsed through a coil to create the electromagnetic field and initiate the biological cellular reactions. Cells contain electrically charged particles called ions that govern all cellular processes. When the body is stressed (by illness, competition, environmental factors or age) the cellular membrane that conducts the essential ions into and out of the cell becomes compromised and is unable to efficiently do its job of managing the transport of these ions. The PEMF machine generates a magnetic field that creates motion with these ions immediately and positively directly impacts these and the membrane potential to stimulate them into action. The result is an increase in cellular communication and circulation, a decrease in inflammation and pain and a resulting acceleration of healing. There are no side effects seen with the use of PEMF.” 

Me, being the scientist I am, researched further and this, very technical, journal item explains it in great depth.

What does all this technical jargon this mean to our Sarah? Well, she is treated on the large mat every morning after her first walk, targeting both hips, knees, paws and lower back – all her achy bits. In the evening she is treated with the Vetcare light, targeting specific areas of issue. Both may contribute to ease her discomfort. 

Our Sam is suspicious of everything that he can’t eat (or pee on). And would wriggle off the mat. Now with the smaller mat, we can slide it under his elbow, which is where his arthritis is worse, and he just continues snoozing. Similarly, he can be also be targetted on that area with the Vetcare. 

What does it mean to us? We use the PEMF device on our hips, knees, back and neck……and it is so soothing. For a long while after, we feel young again – well……young-ish. But it is a device that we can see and feel working. If it feels as good on our dogs as it does on us, then that is a big addition to their multimodal therapy regime. 

Meanwhile, back to Charley. Like Sarah, his aches and pains are centred on his rear end. As a bigger boy, he can lie on the PEMF mat while having his photo therapy and being massaged. After that, we can then target any new niggles he has picked up – I this case, his elbow on which we used the smaller mat. All in the same session. 

After his second multi-therapy session, his Mum, who is now very observant to changes in his gait and behaviour, wrote “Charley has just woke up, bright eyed and bushy tailed. We went for a short walk- lots of energy, pretty fast I have to say, no sound of nails dragging, front paws back to front position, tail wagging. Thank you so much Les- happy doggy, happy mummy! Now we have to risk the temptation to overdo it.” 

Treatments evolve and improve – new ideas, new techniques and modalities are continually being introduced. Here at AchyPaw, we look into these developments and, where appropriate, offer and incorporate them into our treatment regimes. 

Have a read of our case histories and feedback and, if you think we could help you and your four-legged friend, give us a call or drop us an email. In order to treat your dog, we need a vet consent form – for the most part this is a no-fee formality to allow your vet to check our credentials and approve the treatment as a complement to any treatment they may already be providing. 

#anothertoolinourtoolbox

Mixing and matching therapies

A successful competing athlete will almost certainly have a team of therapists behind them - physio, massage, laser etc – and probably will train in a variety of ways. This will ensure their whole body is fit and primed and not just the part they use in their sport. Likewise, canine athletes can benefit from this multimodal approach. 

Eili Dettmering is a vet who also practices acupuncture and laser. She visits our Sarah each month for an aculaser session which has become a very important part of her own multimodal treatment regime. Eili has two handsome dogs who regularly receive laser and acupuncture therapy from her. For the past year they have been visiting us to receive a different and complementary therapy – manual therapy. 

Are they being ‘therapied-out’? Of course not. Each therapy works on a different element of the body - energy flow, muscle, joints and even emotions. Mixing and matching these will ensure their bodies are kept in peak condition for their sport which involves weaving, running, jumping, twisting and turning. Add to this mix a sensible balanced diet and supplements and you’ve got a perfect combination. 

Benny has been doing a lot of weaving lately in his sport. This has translated to extra tightness in his mid to upper back. Manual therapy can and did, help sort that tension (see the videos of the post-massage zoomies later). 

But your dog doesn’t have to be an athlete to benefit from combining treatments. Our Sarah is on conventional medication but also has massage, hydrotherapy, Reiki from her Dad and aculaser to help with her arthritis and mobility. Each works together to maintain her quality of life and her own special character. 

#mixandmatchitmakessense 

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 

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.

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’.

Building confidence in the owner and muscle strength in their dog

Jack is a 13 ½ year old Springer/Lurcher/Staffie. He is now stiff with osteoarthritis all over exhibiting worse in his hip joints which have weakened. But other than his mobility issues, his Mum described him as in remarkable health for his age. That may well be down to the extensive research and care his Mum is taking for him. She checks out the pros and cons of everything. When I arrived, I was handed a list of the medication, supplements and food he is on – everything meticulously studied and balanced. And all his food is hand made with the same amount of care. 

Mobility-wise, his Mum said he is a ‘plodder’. He was tentative when he got up and equally deliberate when going down – front end first then his backside. 

He needed a little extra to complement this jigsaw of multimodal care. Adding manual therapy is something that can give him a lift and, equally important, something his Mum can do daily along with all the healthy food preparation. 

He was one of the “I love this massage and shall lie here……. Although maybe I’ll get up now and come back in a minute” dogs. Massage was on his terms. But when he was in the zone, he fully went with it, closing his eyes. 

After an hour I handed over the skills to his Mum, who took to physical therapy like a professional, not that I had any doubts. We also went through a few gentle stretching exercises and our simple, quick and effective warm-up / cool-down routine. 

Just before he left, he lay down, front and rear at the same time, without any hesitation – a big indicator of the benefits of the session. And later in the day, him Mum send me a post-session picture – a snoozing relaxed Jack. 

The following day his Mum send me a message of another benefit of the session – and that was to Jack’s sister. His Mum wrote “I just wanted to tell you about this morning. I was massaging Jack under Pixie’s watchful gaze, and he did his get up and wander off routine like yesterday. 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!” 

In her review his Mum added yet another benefit “…..Perhaps the biggest thing Les did when he came to see our dog Jack last week was give me confidence. I was so worried about hurting Jack and Les patiently explained and showed me how I can help ease Jack’s aches, pains and stiffness safely and gently. The next day Les sent over a workbook that went over the session again and included exercises (more like games for Jack) that will help build his confidence and muscle strength again.”

It was never in any doubt that Jack’s Mum would fully embrace this addition to his therapy regime.

Massage and canine anxiety

Sometimes it not just about the physical issues. 

6 year old Jack Russell/Chihuahua cross Pippa was referred to us by behaviourist Debbie Peters Schooling 4 Dogs. For the past few months, Pippa had been exhibiting anxiety and shaking. Debbie wanted to make sure there were no underlying physical issues causing these behaviour patterns. 

When I met Pippa she came bounding down 3 flights of stairs and back up again – no noticeable issues there - thank you for that Pippa. Then once in the house, Pippa decided I was her latest plaything – bringing me her toys and sitting with me. Again, no obvious signs of physical discomfort or anxiety. 

What was clear though, was her movement when walking across the vinyl floored living room. She is a small dog but she was making teeny tiny deliberate steps from place to place. She also hunched her back while doing so. As soon as she reached a mat or rug, her back visibly lowered and straightened. This had given her quite a stiff back. Stiff backs in us humans can cause a lot of grief and anxiety and it is likely the same in dogs. 

The stiff back was one thing we could help to solve with physical therapy. But there was also the floor – lots of Mobility Islands needed of mats, runners or rugs especially by the water and food bowl so Pippa didn’t have to worry about slipping. 

Then there is bonding. Touch is a language all dogs understand. Using it to help with re-establishing bonding is a powerful tool. We started to build a multi-purpose massage routine that would help to ease Pippa’s overall tension, straighten her back and also to be relaxing. A few minutes a day, a few times a day. 

Massage was on her terms. A bit here, and a bit there. In between getting out more toys, walking round the room but always coming back for more. Until, after 2 hours, we had a breakthrough moment with Pippa demanding more and more from her Mum. Even shifting her body around so nothing was left untouched. 

With massage, household adaptations and some interactive play we can see how Pippa progresses before her behaviour assessment. Her Mum wrote back “Thank you very much for the report, we have already noticed a difference in Pippa and she definitely appears calmer after a little massage and less shaking” so that is a positive start. 

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.

Support your dog throughout every stage of their life...

...don't just wait until they are senior or suffer from arthritis. You can help manage and maintain their mobility at an early age. 

We love working with our senior boys and girls but equally enjoy working with the newbies. Frank is only 10 months old but had already had 4 homes. His current carers adopted him 5 months ago. Not surprisingly he was initially not happy with other dogs as he had missed out on much puppy socialization. 

He is now a lot better and goes to Debbie Peters of Schooling 4 Dogs to help catch-up with his training. Recently she noticed his back seemed a bit stiff and sent a video to our colleague Cathie Forbes who, in turn, referred him to us as we are more local. 

By the way, 10/10 to Debbie for taking the video. It helped us see what she meant. Videos are great. They help you explain your concerns to your therapist or vet and they give you comparators for monitoring progress or change. My phone is full of videos of our Sarah walking which I can show to her specialist vet to explain what I see every day - we only see him twice a year and this way he can monitor her progress.

Frank is a Chihuahua/Jack Russell cross and as cute as a button. Chris was able to visit quite quickly after we received the vet agreement form (another benefit of having two therapists in the team). 

There didn’t seem to be any specifically out-of-balance issue with Frank on initial palpation although he did have a trigger point found in his shoulder. Despite being energetic and bouncy, Chris was able to perform a full massage routine on him which released a lot of fur and tension and created a lot of yawns. One of the things both Chris and his owners noticed was that, when walking on the massage mat, he held his back relaxed. On the floor, however, he hunched slightly. He also learnt that he could use the cushion to jump on the sofa and then our massage mat to get back down again rather than the wooden floor. Runners, mobility islands and mats will be re-instated. 

Chris demonstrated some back-stretching exercises and our special quick-but-efficient warm-up/cool-down Locomotion. Although no specific issues were found, Chris recommended that if the stiffness continues or they are worried, the vet should be the next port of call. 

By maintaining his balance, as Frank matures this should help him avoid having issues. This is what Cathie and I will be discussing in our winter workshops on ““Supporting your dog to reach their full potential through every stage of their life”. Give me a call if you’d like to come along.

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.

What do the dogs do after we leave?

Rather than asking the carers to bring their dogs to us, we typically do home visits. There are a number of reasons for this including the dog feeling more relaxed and comfortable in their own home and for us to have a look at their environment to see, and suggest, if any simple adaptations could make their mobile life easier. 

But what happens when we leave? 

Do the dogs feel uber flexy and go round frantically hopping on and off furniture? 

Do they rush around the garden weeing and getting rid of all those waste products we helped shift during the lymphatic drainage part of the therapy? 

Do they wait at the front door for us to come back again and continue working with them? Or do they just flop down and go to sleep? 

I think the majority seem to do the latter. We frequently get snoozey, dozey, dopey and eyes closed photos sent to us afterwards. We don’t take that as an insult in a “they’ve gone now, we can go to sleep” way, but more in a “I can barely keep my eyes open after that massage” way. 

Proof needed? Here are Flint & Alfie after their second session with us. We had similar pictures after their first visit so it must be real. 

Multi-faceted therapy routines in dogs

Vet Eili Dettering used to treat Feebee for her arthritis with acupuncture and laser. When our Sarah had a mobility flare up a couple of months ago, I asked her to visit for laser therapy. We started with weekly sessions and are now working our way to maintenance monthly sessions. Her treatments helped turn our Sarah around and now she is back to levels of the start of the year. 

Eili has two dogs of her own who she wanted us to look at in a Double Therapist Friday session at AchyPaw HQ. When she arrived with Louie & Benny, our Sarah looked most put out that she was here for them and not for her. She sulked – throughout. 

Louie is a 6 year old Whippet who was rescued at 9 months. He is rather anxious and recently, when starting to get up, the hind end took a while to catch up with the front. He was diagnosed with mild hip dysplasia of the right hip. He is now no more than 5% lame and, as his Mum said “only a vet would see it”. 

He has been to a physiotherapist who confirmed the neck and front girdle was tight which is likely compensatory for his rear end issues. He goes to hydrotherapy at Roundstone Canine Hydrotherapy in Angmering but he would only use his front end and floated with the rear. That wasn’t quite the point of the exercise! Luckily, they have a water treadmill which meant he had to use the hind legs. 

His brother Benny is also a rescue and is a 3 year old Lurcher. He’s quite an athlete with no particular issues, except that he likes to be ‘part of the group’ so his Mum brought him along so he didn’t feel left out. A good maintenance massage wouldn’t do him any harm anyway. Louie chose Chris while Benny was outside exploring the garden (which later meant our Sam had to go out and pee on all the spots that Benny had pee-d on originally. Sarah followed the two boys later and left her mark on top – that’s our girl.) 

Louie was very tight from his mid back forward – muscles and fascia. It didn’t take long for Chris to work his Back Magic and ease out the tension allowing him to massage Louie all over sorting out his tight muscles. 

Meanwhile Benny felt he had to hold onto Louie (see picture) while I was massaging him. 

Despite interruptions from our Sarah who glued her face to the treatment room window demanding that her Auntie Eili work on her and not the boys, we managed a full session including exercises and demonstration of things Eili could do quickly and regularly with them. 

With maintenance work and the other therapies the boys are having, this multi-faceted approach should help both enjoy their runs and walks without niggles and discomfort