Osteoarthritis (OA), or degenerative joint disease (DJD) as it is also known, is a very common condition with 30-50% of animals being affected during their lifetime. Sadly it is also one of the most untreated problems, particularly in the feline population, as it can unfortunately be considered a fact of life when pets slow down as they begin to get older. Unfortunately once the OA cycle has begun there is very little that can be to reverse the process and the focus moves to managing the condition in best possible ways.

Physiotherapy can be very beneficial in aiding recovery from many different orthopaedic surgeries by reducing pain, improving joint range of motion and weight bearing as well as balance and coordination. All important elements that contribute to your animal moving around comfortably and being able to enjoy daily activities. The home exercise program does mean getting involved and doing some exercises at home with your pet, but they can actually be quite fun for everyone involved and when you begin to see improvements you can sit back with your coffee and biscuit and proudly say ‘I played a part in making my dog better!’

In the dog core muscles are those muscles of the abdomen, back and some limb muscles and they are responsible for correct and balanced posture in standing, sitting and during movement. Having good core strength helps prevent against soft tissue strains and injuries as well as improving muscle tone and making our dogs physically strong and ready to go!

It all begins with an idea.