Massage is an effective treatment for pain and tension in muscles and subsequently aids in increasing stride length and increasing joint range of motion. Massage also aids in neurological conditions by stimulating nerve endings and their connections to the brain.

Laser is most commonly used to reduce pain at trigger points by altering endogenous opioid production in the same way that morphine works to reduce pain, reducing the action potential in nerve fibres so that the pain signal is not transmitted and also reducing substance P production which leads to a reduction in pain, similar to TENs.

Cold therapy is used to reduce blood flow- vasoconstrict, therefore, is useful for reducing heat and swelling in an area this is often the case in acute injuries or post-surgery.

Heat therapy is used to relieve muscle spasm, tension and areas of pain similar to how we would use laser therapy but heat can also be used pre-exercise or competition as a warm-up.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) is a form of magnetic therapy that generates a low-level electromagnetic field. This aids in re-establishing cellular voltage, as when cells are injured their cellular voltage is altered causing changes in cellular activity. This can lead to a build-up of toxins in the muscle tissues leading to pain and reduced function and length of the muscle.

TENS also known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is used to reduce pain by stimulating the opioid mechanism in the same way as pain relief such as morphine but without the difficulty of getting your pet to take pills- we've all been there!

What's the Longissimus Dorsi and Why do we find muscle spasms there?

Often the signs of chronic pain can be overlooked as bad behaviour, old age or even personality traits. This is especially true for those of us who have older pets as we often blame our pets age for any changes in their behaviour or activity, however, this may not always be the case.

Over 30% of sporting dogs suffer an injury at some point in their sporting career. These injuries are most commonly occur in the limbs, back and neck. Some of these injuries can be mild such as a cut to a pad or a cracked nail. These injuries cause only minor discomfort to our dogs and can be quickly treated (find out more in our laser blog). However, some injuries can be more serious and lead to a prolonged recovery for our dogs.

Pets who are overweight have more stress on their joints so exercise should be easy on their joints. Swimming and walking in water are great for this as they reduce the amount of weight your pet’s joints have to carry as they are supported by the water. Because of this, you should avoid high impact exercises like running, jumping and competing.

Swimming or another form of hydrotherapy such as walking or trotting etc. in water is hugely beneficial to most horse's.

Has your dog just started licking their paws out of nowhere? Or perhaps they’ve been doing it for a while but now you’ve noticed they’re doing it more?

Ergh why is my horse lame?! It’s the age old question isn’t it. You know the saying “if you look at it long enough you’ll find a lameness” well it’s kinda the same with trying to find out why right?

Noticing a limb or lameness in our dogs can be a worrying time for us as owners. But firstly is your dog lame? How do you know and what should you look out for?

Veterinary Physiotherapy uses a combination of manual therapies including massage as well as electrotherapies and exercise therapies. This gives your pet a bespoke and comprehensive treatment for any underlying conditions as well as a great basis for a fitness and conditioning plan in fit pets.

In our dogs and horse's there are lots of causes for knee (stifle) weakness or pain. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy for us as owners to identify there’s a problem. So what signs should we be looking out for?