How to start treatment
To start with, please get in touch with me and we can discuss your dog’s issues and arrange an appointment for me to meet you and your dog. I have clinics at my home near Ledbury
All therapists legally require Veterinary Consent from your Vet to treat your dog, and I will forward you a form to give to your vet. This can either be sent to me or given back to me at the first appointment. If your Vet requests any further information, please let me know and I will be happy to speak to them.
At your first appointment, I will:
I will take a full history of your dog’s activities of daily living. This includes: the amount of exercise/diet/games they play, where they sleep and any other details that might affect your dog’s musculo-skeletal health.
I do a gait analysis and look at their general condition. This gives me an insight into areas of injury and overcompensation. Simply put, I’ll ask you to walk and trot your dog to and away from me.
This gives me an idea of what muscular issues your dog may have and involves running my hands over your dog to feel for scar tissue, spasms, trigger points, muscle/tendon strains.
I will then massage your dog and palpate more deeply once the muscles have been warmed. I will be using some deep muscular manipulation techniques to ensure the best results. Most dogs enjoy massage therapy and although some bits maybe tender, soothing strokes aim to leave your dog relaxed at the end. Depending on the size of your dog, I may massage them on a massage table, or on the floor, especially if they are a large breed, infirm or worried about being on a table.
After the massage, I will explain the details of any injured tissue and make a treatment plan with you to enable your dog to get as much benefit from the treatments as possible.
I will provide a report for your vet, and again, if your vet has any queries, they are welcome to contact me.
My aim is to resolve or improve muscular issues in 1-3 treatments; some conditions may take longer and certain orthopaedic conditions, such as arthritis, will benefit from regular maintenance massages to keep your dog comfortable and mobile. Your first appointment takes approximately 1 ½ hours. Subsequent appointments 1 hour. 