1 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16ElephantOsteopathyWorkshopin ThailandElephantOsteopathyWorkshopin ThailandWhen a human physiotherapist turns their hand to animalsExercising your developing canineEquine trainingLiving with and training a mare!Back after thebreak Equine fractures part 2When a human physiotherapist turns their hand to animalsExercising your developing canineEquine trainingLiving with and training a mare!Back after thebreak Equine fractures part 2ISSUE 16M A G A Z I N EAnimalerapy
2Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Supply and Service of Medical Devicestrimbio offers a vast range of products all at very competitive pricesAnimal Therapy Products Vetkin-Tape® Kinesiology Tape A robust tape with good ventilation. Vetkin-Tape® has 25% increased adhesiveness to other tapes. It is 20% larger than Human tapes and gives maximum results for animals.Photizo Vetcare Light Therapy UnitA simple-to-use, non-invasive treatment tool to accelerate natural healing and provide drug free pain management for degenerative conditions. £9.95 +VAT£232.50 +VATExtra Wobble CushionThis large wobble cushion (55cm dia.) is ideal for animals as £69.95 +VATNEW Digital Vet H-WaveThe new Vet H-Wave has been upgraded with xed and adjustable frequencies, a backlit screen and a lighter battery. The Vet H-wave uses a signal £1750.00 +VATIntelect Mobile Ultrasound with Pro Carry BagThis unit is ideal for animal therapy where the unit can be powered by battery whilst in its carry bag, and be protected from the elements. Call for latest pricing offerHand Held LaserA hand held system that does not require protective glasses and runs off standard AA batteries. The unit is extremely hard wearing, portable and effective within supercial and soft tissue injuries.Intelect Mobile Laser PackagesThese packages are ideal for all Animal Therapy Practicians as we can mix and match the probes & clusters to suit the required eld of treatment.Neurotrac Sports Muscle StimA dual channel muscle stim unit which has 15 preset programmes and the option to store 3 of your own custom programmes.£69.95 +VATBiomag 2 Base UnitThe Biomag 2 unit has a range of frequencies offering a range of treatment options from soft tissue injuries, fracture repair enhancement and pain relief.Prices start from £495.00 +VATthat is natural to the body. It emulates the H waveform found in nerve signals and therefore enables greater and deeper penetration of a low frequency current, whilst using signicantly less power than other machines. £295.00 +VAT2 limbs can be easily placed on the cushion, for balance and proprioception work.01403 597597 www.trimbio.co.uk sales@trimbio.co.ukCall for latest pricing offeranimal therapy ad 01 19 final.indd 1 01/02/2019 19:47
3 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16GET IN TOUCH: Hannah Ashton – Editorhannah@animaltherapymedia.co.uk Georgia Keegan – Editorgeorgia@animaltherapymedia.co.uk Beth Lorraine - Sales Manager info@animaltherapymedia.co.uk Donna Boddie - Sales Manager donna@animaltherapymedia.co.ukLeucillin ___________________________________ 5Conversation with Hannah Carmichael _________ 12Photizo __________________________________ 16Elephant Osteopathy _______________________ 18Equine Water Treadmill Therapy ______________ 22Maintaining healthy skin and coat in pets ______ 26Growth and Exercise Management in Dogs _____ 29Back after the break - Equine Fractures _________ 32Tony Nevin: Osteopathy and Manual Therapies in the media _ 36Louise Robson: From Racehorse to Dressage Horse ____________ 38Levi’s Blog ________________________________ 42M A G A Z I N EAnimalerapyWelcome! Welcome to issue 16. We will denitely be having a 20th issue party when we get there.Since our last issue we have been working hard making changes to the website. For 15 issues we have been able to oer our online readers free access to the articles, however, with the need to grow and oer more to our wonderful subscribers, we had to make the decision to add a membership fee so we can develop.In the next few months we will begin making our podcasts to share with you. We have lots of exciting interviews lined up and can't wait to launch this new side to Animal erapy Media. We will also be sharing so many more research articles with you. e therapy world is forever evolving and we want to make sure we can make many more articles and papers available to you.We hope you enjoy this issue and thank you as ever for your support.thanks from all at Team Animal erapy MediaISSUE 16Issued QuarterlyCONTENTSwww.animaltherapymedia.co.ukWhile every eort has been made to ensure that information is correct at the time of going to print, Animal Therapy Media Ltd cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any action or decision based on the information contained in this publication/website. The publishers or authors do not give any warranty for the completeness or accuracy for this publication’s content, explanation or opinion. No part of this publication and/or website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of Animal Therapy Media Ltd and/or the authors of the articles within. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing.Front cover image supplied by Tony Nevin following his latest workshop in Thailand. Our cover Elephant's name is Beau and she lives in the Golden Triangle Reserve.
4Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Animal Skincarewww.leucillin.co.ukLeucillin Animal Skincare is a high efficacy topical antiseptic solution.With a wide range of uses and benefits this incredibly versatileproduct provides protection against infection caused by invadingmicroorganisms or pathogens (bacterial, viral and fungal.)Dramatically reduces bacterial loadMinimal contact timeSafe for all mammals, birds and reptilesSkin pH neutralSafe for ears and eyesBroad Spectrum antisepticStraight to use, user-friendly applicationThe latest test conducted by The NHS Laboratories at The Queen Elizabeth HospitalTest facility; EN 13727 Leucillin achieved a class leading 99.99999% (Log7) ormaximum measurable reduction in bacteria.Call today to find out more about Leucillin,order direct or with Centaur Services or Henry ScheinVisit our stand at Vet Festival for your free bottle. ANTIBIOTICRESISTANCE;THERE ISTOPICALASSISTANCEFP_MAY19:Layout 1 02/05/2019 13:14 Page 1
5 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16LEUCILLIN Antiseptic Skincare is a high ecacy, broad spectrum antiseptic; it requires minimal contact time and is safe for any topical application. Leucillin has an extensive range of applications including rst aid, post-surgical sites, stubborn infections, eective allergy management, ear and eye infections and as a general purpose antiseptic. Leucillin a Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) based antiseptic solution and is one on the highest performing formulations of stable Hypochlorous; it is skin pH neutral at 5.5 - 6.0 pH.Stabilised Hypochlorous is a revolutionary breakthrough in healthcare with many 100 times the eectiveness of standard antiseptics while proven to be 100% safe, other antiseptics struggle to achieve the 99.999% ecacy required for a Standard EN13727 test, whereas the Leucillin formulation can achieve 99.99999% ecacy on the same test; a 100 fold improvement in ecacy, whilst still remaining non-toxic, non-irritant and skin pH neutral.Hypochlorous Acid: Living with a KillerHypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a biocide produced naturally by the mammalian body.e chemical HOCl is a weak acidic chlorine that is naturally, produced by Leukocytes or Neutrophils to ght invading microorganisms or pathogens (bacterial, viral and fungal.), During tissue injury or infection, neutrophils, white blood cells, travel to the site of infection where they capture and engulf the pathogen then produce Hypochlorous to destroy these harmful pathogens.HOCl being an oxidant, leaves nothing behind for bacteria and viruses to create resistance and therefore does not contribute to the superbug (multi drug-resistant organisms) dilemma. Lyvlee Ltd, the manufacturers of Leucillin has found a way to produce HOCl outside the body, stabilize it and bottle it for commercial use. Leucillin is non-cytotoxic, its concentration (parts per million) and pH level have been specically formulated for optimum product ecacy and safety for use directly on living tissue without usage constrains. The Problem of Antimicrobial ResistanceAntimicrobial resistance happens when microorganisms change or mutate when exposed to antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals). Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”. As a result, these medicines become ineective and infections can persist, increasing the risk of spread and threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in prolonged illness, disability, and potentially death.Without eective antimicrobials for prevention and treatment of infections, medical procedures such as organ transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, diabetes management and major surgery become very high risk.More medications (especially antibiotics) can create more problems. Side eects of antibiotic usage are dicult to manage or can require more antibiotic usage. If we are to reduce antibiotic usage we need to know what tools in our tool kit are safe and eective for all skin types and situations. Leucillin meets these criteria. In a published scientic article describing a study in which HOCl was tested to look at a variety of its components, the outcome determined that the solution in most cases had a 12-second kill time for numerous bacteria and viruses, helped promote wound healing and cell proliferation, and did not harm current healthy cells. Also of note, this solution disrupted biolm and increased cell migration.The role of Leucillin; assisting with reduction in antibiotic usageLeucillin is intended for cleaning, irrigating, and debriding acute and chronic dermal lesions by the action of removing foreign materials, including micro-organisms and biolms from wounds. Leucillin has been shown to be highly eective in killing drug-resistant bacteria and essentially all mammalian pathogens in LeucillinAntibiotic Resistance; ere Is Topical Assistancee Role of Leucillin in Wound Managementcontinued overleaf
6Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16bothlaboratory testing and actual case scenarios demonstrating no negative eects.When used as a soak on wounds followed by gentle wiping with gauze, it has been demonstrated to eect a debridement.In addition, it is not painful to the patient and tends to remove odour from the wounds.e latest test conducted by e NHS Laboratories at e Queen Elizabeth Hospital Test facility; EN 13727 which supersedes many tests, Leucillin achieved a class leading 99.99999% (Log7) or maximum measurable reduction in bacteria.Leucillin; Applications and UsagesCuts, wounds, stubborn infections, rashes and skin irritations, dry, itchy, aky or smelly skin problems, ear and eye infections, burns and abbess, and the management of the symptoms of allergies are just some of the many uses of Leucillin, and of course as a general purpose antiseptic. Using Leucillin to ush and cleanse a wound or to clean an infection, not only dramatically reduces the pathogens, but also has the eect of calming the associated inammation as the body responds to the presence of the very chemical the Neutrophil makes to ght infection.Leucillin can be used to help maintain healthy skin; it acts as a topical wound wash, an anti-bacterial treatment, promotes healing by reducing potential for infection and is a preventative solution. Spraying Leucillin washes the area, it’s highly eective antiseptic properties cleanse and eradicate germs, preventing infection. Leucillin is almost instant in its eect, working on contact and resulting in faster recovery time.Leucillin Animal Skincare will be sponsoring the Veterinary Nursing eatre at Vet Festival this June and also hosting a talk in the Innovation Hub, please visit their stand at the event to receive your information pack and free bottle. To nd out more about Leucillin please call 0345 548 9800 email: info@leucillin.co.uk or visit the website: www.leucillin.co.uk “Having struggled to nd a long lasting solution to Poppy’s chronic skin problem, (repeated outbreaks of weeping sores following an bacterial parasite infection), I am overjoyed to have found Leucillin. Not only is it fast working and eective but it doesn’t make her suer and more importantly I’ve been able to stop the repeated antibiotic treatments that are not good for any animals long term and especially not a young cat!”Damaris Lambeth-ScottLeucillin RRP50ml Leucillin Dropper £4.99150ml Leucillin Spray £7.50250ml Leucillin Spray £9.99500ml Leucillin Spray £14.99Images: Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7REFERENCE SOURCES: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistancewww.woundsource.com/blog/role-hypochlorous-acid-in-managing-wounds-reduction-in-antibiotic-usagewww.o-wm.com/article/pearls-practice-hypochlorous-acid-its-multiple-uses-wound-careLEUCILLIN
7 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16This Level 3 Diploma in Small Animal Hydrotherapy is an extensive Ofqual approved qualication (603/4410/6) that enables students to develop the required knowledge for working as an animal hydrotherapist - providing small animal hydrotherapy for a variety of small animals including dogs, cats, rabbits and other small animals.The course consists of theory and practical training; the theory aspect is studied online through Moodle at the student's own pace with full Tutor support. The practical training and assessment takes place over 6 days at Woozelbears, a well established canine hydrotherapy company in Witney, Oxfordshire. There is a focus on Practical Aquatic Treadmill Therapy and Advanced Treadmill Techniques - something that is not oered in any other qualication. Additionally, students will learn terminology to be able to practically conduct gait analysis and review patient performance.Tel: 0208 626 9646 www.animal-job.co.ukAnimal Jobs DirectImproving Animal Welfare Through Education since 2005Level 3 Diploma in Small Animal HydrotherapySign up now to reserve your place. www.animal-job.co.uk/animal-hydrotherapy-diploma-course.htmlNEWFatree5 design and manufacture fully sublimated clothing for lesiurewear, teamwear including jodhpurs and gilets. All our clothing is fully sublimated so it can be washed upto 90 degrees. We can also make bespoke orders that are fully personalisedEmail: info@fatree5.comwww.fatree5.com
8Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Advance your professional skills with a wide range of online and in-clinic canine courses. Canine Hydrotherapy CoursesJoin us for our free live monthly events on canine topics at k9hscourses.com to build your CPD portfolio.We’re the professionals that train professionals.K9 HYDRO SERVICES info@k9hscourses.comWeb: k9hscourses.comUnit 21, The Business Centre, The Street Earl Soham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 7SA
9 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16The Open College of Equine Studies (TOCES), the leading international equine distance learning college, is relocating to a new purpose built Equine Veterinary Nursing and Physiotherapy Education Centre. To better meet the growing demand for their Equine Physiotherapy and Veterinary Nursing programmes, TOCES has been granted full planning permission for the development of its Equine Veterinary Nursing and Physiotherapy Education Centre at its new 17- acre site at Chevington, near Bury St Edmunds, Suolk. Just a few miles east of Newmarket, TOCES is ideally located close to the centres of equine excellence for training, veterinary hospitals, research, breeding and rehabilitation.Students attending TOCES study weeks will benet from the use of an all-weather manege, lunge ring and trot up strip, a 24m x 18m barn housing loose boxes and a practical and therapeutic skills teaching area. Indoor teaching facilities will include fully equipped lecture rooms, an interactive equine anatomy teaching zone, library, clinical skills area, laboratory, wet lab and OSCE zones.TOCES Director, Julie Brega, says “This is such an exciting opportunity for TOCES. We are at the forefront of training in the Equine Veterinary Nursing sector and these new facilities will enhance the learning experience for all TOCES students, in particular those studying the EVN and Equine Physiotherapy programmes. The TOCES team are champing at the bit to get going!”Work is scheduled for completion summer 2019. In the meantime, TOCES continues to operate, business as usual, out of its existing site in Higham.Equine Physiotherapy Diploma• Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP) Accredited Educational Provider• UK graduates can apply directly for RAMP registration• 4½ year HE Level 6 online and practical training programme• Quality assured and approved by Pearson Assuredwww.equinestudies.co.uk Email: info@equinestudies.co.uk Tel: +44(0)1284 811 401The Open College of Equine StudiesFor more information about TOCES:E: info@equinestudies.co.ukT: +44 (0) 1284 811 401W: www.equinestudies.co.uk
10Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 162 Tools For Practice Innovation and Treatment SuccessHow The Stance Analyzer and Companion Therapy Laser Have Impacted My Practice.Mandy Clarkson, BVM&S, MRCVS Co-Director & Veterinary Surgeon Riverside Veterinary Practice in LivingstonOur clinic recently implemented two new innovative tools that have changed the way our practice both diagnoses lameness and treats pain - the Stance Analyzer, and Companion Therapy Laser. The result of these technologies has been healthier pets, happier clients that are well bonded to our staff, and financial gains for our business.Step 1: Diagnose with Ease The Stance Analyzer is a simple new diagnostic tool designed for general practitioners. Clients are fascinated by it – the pet stands on a mat and in real-time, information is delivered about the pet’s weight bearing. We use it for admitting dogs for diagnostic limb radiographs to make sure we don’t miss any other issues.Step 2: Convince with a PictureThe print out from the Stance Analyzer clearly shows where a pet is exhibiting lameness, allowing us to easily justify further diagnostics and plans of care.Step 3: Treatment with a “Wow” FactorLaser therapy has given us a tool that is effective on loads of clinical conditions. We treat everything from acute conditions such as muscle and tendon injuries to chronic conditions like arthritis, and we have many repeat treatments because of how happy pet owners are with the results. Step 4: Track ResultsWhen a pet is actively engaged in a plan of care we return them to the Stance Analyzer at the beginning of every visit to check the efficacy of their laser therapy treatments, drug regimens, and overall plans of care to provide the best overall results for our patients.Step 5: Grow Your BusinessWe used to have one Class III laser, now we have two Class IV lasers – and there is still a queue to use them. Pet owners love the results and local word of amazing outcomes has spread, resulting in increased referrals to our clinic.The stories of success are infectious - we currently are treating two Westies with Westie lung disease, one of which was only given a 3-month survival time prognosis. 18 months later he has not deteriorated with any significance, these are the kind of stories that the laser is helping us tell every day.Get the laser out on a trolley, something the entire staff can easily access and that can be rolled from room to room. Train the staff and encourage them to use it at every opportunity – you will be impressed by the results.A Strong Combination for Overall PracticesThe Stance Analyzer and laser together are the perfect combination. The Stance Analyzer is both a powerful diagnostic, and a proof source of the efficacy of laser therapy. We have seen both an elevated standard of care as well as financial benefits from the powerful combination of these two technologies.Visit CompanionAnimalHealth.comfor more information or to watch webinarsabout the two featured technologies.Photos, top to bottom: Stance Analysis is collected with a hand-held remote. The patient is encouraged to stand still with a treat. Laser therapy being administered in contact mode.
11 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16The organisers of VET Festival 2019 are excited to announce that the 2019VETFest™Conversation will take place withbroadcaster and authorFearneCottonFollowing the wonderful and enlightening conversations of previous years with Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand,VET Festivalwanted to continue this unique session designed to berelevant and personal to all delegates.They say they are delightedthat Fearneistaking time out of her busy scheduletomake an exclusive appearance on Friday night at VET Festival,to reect on someof the common experiencesandchallenges we all face in our day to day lives.Fearnehas been presenting live TV since she was 15 years old, with anincredible track record onradio,as ahost and presenter, spending 10 years on Radio 1. In recent years,Fearnehas written eight books including the popular top 10 bestseller ‘Happy’ in which she talks about her own experiences of happiness and advocates raisingawareness around the many ways people can build their own resilience and maintain good mentalwellbeing. The success of Happy ledFearneto create the HAPPY PLACE podcast series where she draws on her own experiences and shares advice from experts on how tobuild resilience andwork through feeling blue to nding joy each and every day.Fearnehas recently been appointed as a Princes Trust Goodwill Ambassador where she will be focussing on young peoples’ wellbeing and mental health. She is also anambassador for the charity Mind and has spoken about her wish to help stop the subject of depression being such a taboo. Fearne will provide a fascinating and practical insight, sharing her experiences onhow we might nd joy ineverydaylife despite the challenges, stresses and strains. Join event founder Professor Noel Fitzpatrick andFearneas they delve into what promises to be a wholly unique and personal conversationabout health and wellbeing.Professor Noel Fitzpatrick said:“We are absolutely thrilled that Fearne is joining us for the VETFest™ Conversation this year, continuing on what has become an integral and enlightening fulcrum of the wellness program of our event schedule. It means a great deal to myself and the organisers that all delegates who attend VET Festival have a very special and personally enriching experience - but they also feel part of a wider community of compassion too - within the industry among their peers but in a broader societal sense as well.“With Fearne, we will explore many themes about health and well-being relevant to all of us. We hope to make you think, laugh and have a great time, and impart some wellness to take home into day to day life as well.”7-8 June 2019 | Loseley Park, SurreyVETERINARY EDUCATION TOMORROW15% discount - use code ATM15 For more information and to book tickets visit www.vetfestival.co.ukVETFest™ Conversation 2019TheVETFest™Conversation is open to all delegates at VET Festival and takes place after the clinical programme on Friday 7thJune at 6.00pm – 6.45pm.11 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16
12Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16 What drew you into a career as a physiotherapist?Spending time building a rapport with both animal and human clients is integral to my job as a physiotherapist and attracted me to the role. My role at Fitzpatrick’s has allowed me to work in such a way as to give each animal the amount of time that it needs - which can oen initially take some investment in time early on but generally what I nd is that aer a few sessions, an animal will start to relax and be able to focus on the therapy. is is especially true once you initiate a routine and structure to the session in a predictable way. is is of most relevance to the neurological cases that we see aer undergoing spinal surgery oen when the animal has a paraplegia and is at their most vulnerable. e other main attraction is the practicality of the job and the hands on nature. I enjoy the challenge of handling all types of patients and using my honed palpatory skills to assess so tissue state in order to identify underlying issues. is is especially true of the orthopaedic patients who are ooading a limb and compensating through other so tissues for example around the thorax, this is a very common area that can be treated with hands on therapy. I also enjoy interpreting guidelines and oer sometimes novel and unique treatments, a colleague once said that physiotherapy isn’t an exact science and have found this to be very true. What literature tells you and what actually works can be two completely dierent things and sometimes you have to go with what works for an individual patient. What training did you require to become a physiotherapist? I have a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy from Kings College London, and am a member of both e Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and e Health Care Professions Council (HCPC). Both of which have professional development guidelines and requirements. Further to this I have also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Veterinary Physiotherapy. ere are now a number of dierent routes to completing this qualication but as I am a chartered human physiotherapist, I am now also a member of e Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal erapy or ‘ACPAT’ a branch of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. is has its own requirements for professional development - meaning that I have not only completed an accredited course, but that I am also responsible for regularly updating my own knowledge in my areas of practice. How has your training beneted your career and impacted your role at Fitzpatrick Referrals?Becoming a Category A ACPAT therapist has been a challenge but well worth it. Most importantly, my course has given me the skills to not only review evidence in a critical manner to establish both in theoretical and practical terms which are the best techniques and therefore ensuring that practice is maintained at a gold standard. But also an understanding of the legal requirements of my profession for example ensuring that I always gain consent from the veterinarian prior to treating an animal. Most importantly, my 9 years of working as a human therapist has given me the opportunity to build up my experience and understanding of managing acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions and co-morbidities and this has been pivotal when working in veterinary practice. In conversation with ...Hannah CarmichaelChartered Physiotherapist at Fitzpatrick Referrals Hannah Carmichael talks to Animal erapy Magazine about her journey from human physiotherapy graduate to animal physiotherapist at Fitzpatrick Referrals.
13 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16 How does working referral side dier to primary practice? At Fitzpatrick’s we see anything from Poly radicular neuropathy (PRN) a neurological condition which can cause patients to become non-ambulatory, to patients who have had routine Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery. I also work alongside a number of specialists in dierent areas which you wouldn’t always nd in primary practice. Although I don’t have extensive experience working in primary practice, the variety and speciality of the cases attracts me to working at a referral practice. What sorts of cases do you treat in referral practice? It ranges and can include neurological cases such as those undergoing routine surgical procedures such as a hemilaminectomy due to disc extrusion or being conservatively managed aer FCE (Fibrocartilagenous Embolism) to orthopaedic cases such as animals with multiple fractures aer being involved in road trac accidents. Most pertinently, it is useful and important to draw upon experience from working in an acute human orthopaedic and stroke rehabilitation setting to guide my assessment and clinical reasoning. What advice would you give to physiotherapists are who are interested in stepping into a career in animal physiotherapy? Firstly get some work experience to fully understand the physicality and demands of the role. Opportunities to work in referral practices are amazing but hard to come by. Most veterinary physiotherapists are self employed and generally work alone. Secondly, as there are a number of dierent training routes, do your research to nd the best one for you. ere are many changes going onin the industry at the moment so have a look e Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP) and check that the course you are looking at is recognised by them.Hannah Carmichael qualied with a BSc Hons in Human Physiotherapy from Kings College London in 2010. She then undertook a two-year postgraduate diploma in Veterinary Physiotherapy at Hartpury University Centre and qualied as a Cat A ACPAT Veterinary Physiotherapist in June 2017.Since qualifying, Hannah has divided her work time between her human and veterinary specialities.Currently, she works in a private physiotherapy practice in London where she sees a range of musculoskeletal injuries. Hannah joined Fitzpatrick Referrals in August 2017 to work within the inpatient team. To nd out more about Fitzpatrick Referrals and its physiotherapy services, tzpatrickreferrals.co.uk“My role at Fitzpatrick’s has allowed me to work in such a way as to give each animal the amount of time that it needs ...”
14Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Faster, natural healing and pain reliefA non-invasive treatment tool for numerous acute & chronic conditionsIdeal for pet owners to use at home for• Wounds• Musculoskeletal injuries• Swelling/inammation• Arthritis or joint dysplasia pain• Bruising plus many moreExclusive discounts for animal practitionersInterested in becoming a Photizo Reseller? Call us nowon 01327 310909 Order now online at:www.danetrehealthproducts.com• Highly effective• Simple to use • RechargeableDanetre Health Products LimitedBroad March, Long March Industrial Estate, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 4HE 01327 310909 info@danetrehealthproducts.com PhotizoUk PhotizoUk
15 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16How Honey’s helps elderly, poorly and overweight dogsPhone: 01672 620 260 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) Email: info@honeysrealdogfood.comwww.honeysrealdogfood.comIf you are responsible for looking after an elderly, poorly or overweight dog then we would like to help. We can offer you expert advice and information on every aspect of canine nutrition and health. If you are interested (but you will be under no pressure to order) we can also supply food. In case you are unfamiliar with Honey’s, we are a small, artisan dog food producer based in Pewsey, Wiltshire. We believe dogs are healthier and happier on a species appropriate (or raw) food diet. We also believe that the quality of the ingredients makes a huge difference to the nutritional value (and benets) of the food. Which is why all the meat and vegetables we use are British, fresh, suitable for human consumption and ethically sourced. We are, incidentally, a certied organic producer. If you would like to know more about what we can offer and, perhaps, free copies of our various books and guides, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We welcome new customers, incidentally, with a variety of special offers including a Half Price Hamper.Free, unlimited access to our Health Care TeamThe Honey’s Health Care Team (vets, vet nurses, nutritionists and other canine health experts) are happy to provide unlimited dietary and health advice, free of charge, to anyone who contacts us. There is no need to become a customer. We offer a special, lean Health Range The Honey’s Health Range combines all the benefits of raw feeding with all the benefits of leaner recipes. We offer Lean Pork, Lean Turkey, Lean Lamb and Lean Duck using raw, British, fresh, free range meat and bone and seasonal vegetables. The ingredients are all suitable for human consumption. The lower levels of protein (compared to other meats such as rabbit or game) make our Health Range ideal for senior and less active dogs. They provide support to kidneys and liver. The lower levels of fat in all these recipes make it suitable for dogs suffering from pancreatitis, colitis and hepatitis. They are also ideal for post-operative recovery and general digestive issues such as flatulence and soft stools. The recipes are naturally high in glucosamine (and therefore offers higher levels of bioavailability) which means they are good for joints (we would recommend this over a supplement, which will have lower levels of bioavailability). The recipes are naturally high in moisture to help hydration, digestion and to support kidneys in senior dogs. All the recipes are ‘pure’ and may help dogs with allergies.We offer a pure, certied Organic Range If you are looking for raw dog food that is guaranteed to be as pure and unadulterated as possible then the new Honey’s Organic Dog Food range is the best possible option. The meat, the bone and the vegetables all come from certified organic farmers and are made into food in our certified organic premises in Pewsey, Wiltshire. All our ingredients are British and all are fresh i.e. suitable for human consumption.Lucky the dog that loses weight the Honey’s wayWe have become expert in helping dogs lose a few pounds and drop down a collar size or two while still maintaining optimum health. Vicky, one of our founders, has even written a book about it called The Lucky Dog Weight Loss Plan. Dogs following the plan lose the right sort of weight and do not suffer from hunger pangs.We invest in researchTo the best of our knowledge we are the only artisan, raw dog food producer that invests in detailed research into the benefits of species appropriate or raw feeding for dogs. We analyse our ingredients and recipes on a regular basis to ensure that they meet nutritional requirements. We make sure that our complete dog food is compliant with the European Pet Food Industry Association (FEDIAF) nutritional guidelines (we don’t have much faith in these guidelines but we comply with them). We study the effects of raw feeding on a dog’s general health and fitness. You can be confident that the claims we make regarding raw feeding are supported by scientific fact. We have published our research in a document called Raw Proof, which is free to download from the Honey’s website.
16Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16PHOTIZO‘Photizo to the Rescue’ Initiative Shines a Light With Kratu – the ‘Rescue Dog’ and Cuan Wildlife Rescueby Anna Webb on behalf of PhotizoBroadcaster, Author, Trainer has studied natural nutrition and therapies with the College of Integrated Veterinary erapies (CIVT)As the face of ‘Photizo to the Rescue’, Kratu, ‘the Rescue Dog’ is also an ambassador for Photizo’s Vetcare.A relaunch of ‘Photizo to the Rescue’ allows re-conditioned devices to be exclusively available for animal rescues across the UK whilst reducing Photizo’s impact on the environment. rough the scheme the Vetcare has already made a positive impact to a host of charities and not for prot organisations including London based All Dogs Matter, Dogs on the Streets, Cinque Ports Rescue, K9 Holistic Rescue, Wolf Dog Rescue and many more. Kratu was a pup living on the streets in Romania Tess Eagle-Swan adopted him. He needed plenty of time and patience, but Tess discovered his natural air for Agility, which has helped re-habilitate him, not least being a fun activity for them both to enjoy.His sensational performance at Crus 2018 went viral turning the once underdog into a superdog overnight. Proving how these dogs can make the best pets, Kratu was awarded an Ambassadorial role for Romanian rescues.Kratu benets from Photizo Vetcare as a key part of his healthcare routine. Tess Eagle-Swan explained: “I’m so grateful to Photizo Vetcare as it ensures Kratu’s passion for Agility does not compromise him physically as a big dog. I want to keep his Agility up as he loves it, whilst ying the ag for all rescue dogs.”The latest rescue to benet from a re-conditioned Vetcare device is registered charity Cuan Wildlife in Shropshire. Cuan takes in over 2,500 sick, injured or orphaned wild animals and birds annually.Nursing them back to health, great emphasis is placed on releasing them back into the wild. is means back to the area from where they came, where they may have a mate waiting, or where, at least, they will be familiar with their territory or hunting ground. When a swan came into Cuan’s care aer ying into power-lines, Cuan’s vet, Barbara Jones (BVMed, VetMFHom, MRCVS), from the Oswestry based Oakwood practice, recommended using Photizo Vetcare on this swan’s wounds. Kratu the rescue dog benets from Photizo before his Agility at Crus 201916 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16
17 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Cuan Wildlife’s General Manager, Anna Nicholls, explained: “Unfortunately we get at least two cases a year of a Swan that’s own into power-lines. Damage from the electrocution oen includes paralysis of the wings. e muscles ‘droop’ and the birds cannot y. It really is horric.Additionally the power-lines burn the esh and create nasty wounds that sometimes do not heal at all. Heartbreakingly we can’t always save swans aer this type of trauma.In the case of the swan that came in last December, his wounds were serious, and were de-generating very quickly.It was the rst time we’d used Photizo, so I had no idea what to expect. We used Oakwood’s Vetcare unit three times weekly for three weeks in total. Amazingly in only the rst week the healing was visible and we could see there was hope for this swan.I was more than impressed with the dramatic dierence Vetcare made so quickly. I called Danetre Health Photizo’s UK distributor to tell them how happy we were to be able to save the swan, and I wanted to buy one for our centre. I learnt about the ‘Photizo to the Rescue’ initiative where re-conditioned units are being oered with considerable discount to UK based charities and not for prot organisations. Its no surprise we’re thrilled to have a Vetcare on board for on-going rehabilitation of Shropshire’s wildlife. We take in around 900 hedgehogs a year, the latest was suering with a virus, very underweight and sick, yet with Photizo’s help we release him back in only 24 hours, he’d improved so quickly.” To promote sustainability and provide a supply of re-conditioned units, Photizo has launched a ‘trade in oer’ to its regular practitioners. Ruth Milner, Director of Danetre Health, Photizo’s sole UK distributor, A sickly hedgehog benets from Photizo’s healing at Cuan Wildlife Rescueexplained: “We’re giving animal practitioners that might need a new battery or repair an option to trade in their well-loved Photizo that’s over three years old for £50 discount on a brand new device. We’re committed to help reduce impact on the environment. We recycle as much as we can and dispose of parts at end of life as ethically as possible. If you’re thinking of upgrading your ‘go to’ Photizo we’d love to nd it a forever a home with an animal rescue as part of our re-launch of our ‘Photizo to the Rescue’ campaign for 2019”.Since its launch in 2013 the Vetcare’s popularity has grown as a non-invasive pocket sized treatment tool that promotes natural healing for a host of musculoskeletal conditions, atopic skin issues as well as accelerating wound healing.Combining years of research with the latest LED technology, Photizo delivers modern Phototherapy with pulsed and continuous red and near-infrared light in 30-second pre-programmed doses.LEDs have an incredibly long life (up to 75,000hrs), which means these little LED machines keep going for many years. However with heavy regular use, other parts can suer wear and tear and will age overtime but can be easily renewed.For more information visit www.danetrehealthproducts.com or to take up the Trade-in Oer, please contact us oninfo@danetrehealthproducts.comor give our team a call on 01327 31090917 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16
18Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Elephant Osteopathyby Emily KingOsteopath, Bapsci, MOst, Cert in Advanced equine Osteopathy. Emily lives and works in New Zealand.OSTEOPATHY WORKSHOPOSTEOPATHY has fascinated me from my rst treatment when I was still at high school, to when I saw such an extraordinary change in my horse’s movement and demeanour after he was treated and managed osteopathically. These experiences prompted me to study osteopathy and then go on to do further training in equine osteopathy. The beauty of osteopathy is that no two days are the same, you are constantly learning and continuously challenged to adapt your techniques to suit individuals and think ‘outside the box’. I’m so lucky that I have been able to build a career that I am so passionate about.My obsession with animals, conservation and osteopathy meant that I stumbled across Zoo Ost’s website, where I discovered these wildlife osteopathy courses and three years ago, I found myself attending my rst workshop in elephant osteopathy with Tony Nevin in Northern Thailand’s Golden Triangle. Initially, I had no idea where I was going, who I was meeting and very little idea of what we would be doing but I loved the idea of working with elephants and just couldn’t miss this opportunity. I left New Zealand on my own and ew to Chiang Rai, where I was then driven nearly an hour north to the Golden Triangle where I met an amazing group of osteopaths and therapists from all over the world and had the time of my life.The workshop is held in the most beautiful location, the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort, which is home to the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF). This is a remarkable foundation that has been set up to not only help the elephants but also to help the mahouts and their families. The GTAEF strongly believes that in an ideal world there would be no captive elephants, but as this is not the case, they strive to provide world-class care and welfare to captive elephants while also taking part in conservation and wild elephant programs to ensure the survival of the wild herds.The GTAEF does not own any of the elephants that reside at the elephant camp and resort. Instead, they employ the mahouts and eectively ‘rent’ the elephants. Under this employment, the mahouts are given a regular income, accommodation on-site for their families, education and schooling for their children, as natural environment as possible for their elephants with all the feed they require and an on-site veterinarian who makes sure that the elephants are healthy and correctly cared for. The purpose of employing the mahouts and providing for their elephant and their families is to try and break the cycle of using elephants as a source of income. Oering the children of the mahouts a better education increases their chances of future employment in other careers and not as mahouts like their fathers. The GTAEF is unique in doing this as it tries to break the cycle of elephants being used in traditional forms or work (logging) or tourism (rides/begging) and tries to focus on the more ethical types of elephant tourism (bathing/walking with the elephants). The trouble with many sanctuaries is that they purchase the elephants from the mahouts but this then gives the mahout, who has no other form of income to provide for his family, enough money to then go and purchase another elephant to continue to make a living the only way he knows how.The elephant osteopathy workshop runs over ve days and after an overview of the health and safety aspects of working with elephants, we are introduced to some of the elephants that we get to work with and get straight into learning how to apply osteopathic principles and practice to elephants. On the rst day, we would video the elephants that we would be working with over the week so that we could do a gait analysis and movement comparison with footage taken on the last day following their series of treatments. In the middle of the workshop, the group goes out for a day trip to a more remote village where we get to see how elephants are still being used in traditional tourism around Thailand. This gave me a greater appreciation of how much work has gone into the GTAEF and how they have done everything they can to make sure the elephants in their care are looked after in a way that has puts their welfare rst. This trip also allows the group to experience the beauty of northern Thailand and Thai culture.I’ve had many people at home ask how we could possibly have any eect on these animals given our relative size dierence and their ‘thick skinned/rough’ appearance and this is still, three years and three workshops later, the most commonly asked question. Elephant skin is a lot less rough than it looks, it’s actually quite elastic and pliable and the soft tissues underneath are surprisingly easy to feel through the skin. Similar to treating humans and horses, working with the elephants, we would start by observing, palpating, treating and then observing again. We would watch their gait for uidity and ease of movement, the way their heads undulated as they walked, the symmetry of their bodies, their posture whilst resting and any compensatory patterns they may have. Often the elephant’s full histories were unknown or only some information was known so it could be hard to piece together an accurate picture of what each elephant had been through and the mechanisms of injury it may have sustained in the past.Once we had decided what we thought the most signicant issue or pattern in continued overleaf
19 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16 Elephant Osteopathy WorkshopCome and join us for an exciting workshop where osteopaths and animal therapists get to pitch their skills and principles to treating one of natures greatest species. Set in the heart of the Golden Triangle, on the northern borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myannmar (Burma) you will be introduced to some of the 30 Asian Elephants that are employed by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF). By joining us you will be able to contribute towards helping these individuals, as well as supporting the valuable conservation work that GTAEF and Zoo Ost Ltd are involved with.THAILAND, New dates TBC ITINERARYDAY 1Health and safety brieng, elephant introductions, observations and gait analysis, some palpation and treatment techniques DAY 2Walk with elephants, observation, palpation and treatment DAY 3River trip to see how not to employ elephants, lunch, drive to Temple for afternoon DAY 4Observe, palpate, treat elephants DAY 5Final checks/treatments, re assess gaits of patients, view footage comparing before and after treatment programme results, visit opium museum. Gala evening meal – with CPD certicates presented. Fees include 5 star hotel room, B&B, all elephant excursions, museum visit, as well as lunch on day 3. All other meals and drinks are excluded as are ights. ZOO OST LTD, 29 Alstone Croft, Cheltenham, Glos. GL51 8HBTel: 01242 221153 zooostltd@blueyonder.co.uk www.zooost.comFor more informationcall 01242 221153
20Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16the elephant was, we would use sustained release and myofascial release techniques as well as cranial osteopathy to create changes in their musculoskeletal systems. The techniques we would choose to use on each elephant would depend on their mood and energy that day and also, what they were willing to let you touch. Some of these elephants have sustained signicant trauma either physically or mentally/emotionally in the past and it takes a great deal of trust for them to let you into or near the vulnerable areas of their bodies. Elephants respond very quickly to treatment and you have to be careful that you do not over-treat. I still nd it amazing how much of an eect we can have on them in a brief time frame. This is why we would see the same elephants for treatments over consecutive days instead of trying to treat too much in one session.Given some of these elephants have had signicant trauma in the past and have developed strong compensatory patterns, we have to be careful not to remove all of their coping mechanisms too quickly, especially as there are no osteopaths that reside onsite that can continue their treatment in the long term. The GTAEF and Tony have been working together to try to encourage the mahouts to learn some simple but eective osteopathic techniques that they can use to treat and maintain their elephants while the osteopaths aren’t there.Having been on three workshops now, I have also been able to watch the elephant’s progress over successive years. With some of the elephants you can note signicant changes in their musculoskeletal systems and in others, it is just wonderful to see how much they change on a more emotive level. We were warned about one elephant in particular on the rst workshop I attended, that she would become stressed and unapproachable if she heard the sound of an engine. She grew up in the busy city of Bangkok as an elephant who had to ‘beg’ for tourists. These earlier years of her life had left her scared of the sound of vehicles. On the rst and second workshops I attended I got to witness her stressed behaviour when she heard a vehicle, but this year I saw that she had become a lot more relaxed and less reactive to that aspect of her environment.One of the most enjoyable experiences about this workshop is learning to read the body language of another species. We spend a lot of time watching how the elephants interact with each other and how each individual responds to dierent situations. We would observe how the elephants behave and respond to touch and treatment when they’re content and happy versus when they’re feeling nervous or anxious. Elephants, just like horses, pick up on your energy and mood and these elephant workshops have been great for ne-tuning my ability to control my energy/mood/emotions. This is a skill that continuously makes me a better practitioner in my work at home and it’s also helped outside of work when I’m training and riding my own horses.To anyone who has seen these workshops and thought about attending, I would highly recommend that you get in touch with Tony. You will meet the most incredible people from all over the world and make lasting friendships and you will have the privilege of being able to get hands-on in a positive, ethical and benecial way with these most magnicent animals. You will learn things that make you change the way you treat in your everyday practice and you’ll have much better ‘work stories’ to tell your colleagues and clients.Learn more at www.backontrack.com/UK®Back on Track’s own unique Welltex fabric works by reflecting the body’s infrared heat due to the infused ceramic particles in the textile, helping to support circulation and ease muscle tension. Stockists needed - Call now on 07766 463099 or email georgia.keegan@backontrack.com for informationprepareperformFreedom of Movement for DogsATM_Summer_190x134_BOTdogagility01 May 2019 19:21:15
21 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Animal first aid made easyAnimal Therapy Magazine’s soleaim is to inform professionals and owners of current and pioneering treatments and techniques. Featuring interviews with top professionals in the eld, real life case studies and news and reviews. • Quarterly publication• Circulated nationwide• Online version• Targeted audience and distribution• Course and CPD information• Editorials written by highly regarded industry professionals• Case studies• Professional proles• Product reviews• InterviewsDon't forget to keep a close eye on our website for press releases, articles and hot o the press industry informationSUBSCRIBE NOW You can subscribe to receive the hard copy of our magazine by post for just £14 per year or you can subscribe to read our online copy for just £10 per year.Further information can be found on our website animaltherapymedia.co.ukAnimalerapyM A G A Z I N EAnimal Jobs Direct and Woozelbears are recruiting for hydrotherapy centres to join our team to deliver practical placements for the new Level 3 Diploma in Small Animal Hydrotherapy qualication. Requirements include:• Qualied and experienced sta to Level 3 Hydrotherapy Diploma or above.• Pool and Aquatic Treadmill (both preferred but not essential) with bathing facilities.• Classroom area to seat 1-4 students.• Teaching and assessor qualications preferable but can be gained in preparation for the position.Please email: charlotte@woozelbears.com for more information.An audit and contract of services will be required to full this post.Tel: 0208 626 9646 www.animal-job.co.ukAnimal Jobs DirectImproving Animal Welfare Through Education since 2005Animal Jobs DirectImproving Animal Welfare through EducationANIMAL HYDROTHERAPY TRAINING
22Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16PERFORMANCE & REHABILITATIONwww.fmbs.co.uk• Salt Water Treadmills • Cold Water Spas • Dry Treadmills • Vibro Combi Floors • SolariumsPERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE & REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION Cold Water Spas •• Vibro Combi Floors & REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION•• Cold Water Spas ••A4_WaterTreadmillAD.indd 1 26/04/2019 11:07PERFORMANCE & REHABILITATIONwww.fmbs.co.uk• Salt Water Treadmills • Cold Water Spas • Dry Treadmills • Vibro Combi Floors • SolariumsPERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE & REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION Cold Water Spas •• Vibro Combi Floors & REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION& REHABILITATION•• Cold Water Spas ••A4_WaterTreadmillAD.indd 1 26/04/2019 11:07
23 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16IN recent years, the equestrian industry is increasingly turning to the benets of aqua therapy using aqua trainers, for both rehabilitation purposes and the regular training regime for horses from all disciplines. More specically, the use of cold water aqua therapy is now becoming an integral part of the competition horse’s development and training program. It is bringing real, measurable benets including improvements to all-over suppleness, increased stride length, better muscle tone and more core strength. This not only maximises performance and training, but also reduces the risk of future injury. Putting the hype aside, we are going to put the spotlight on the benets of this therapy, which has been backed by countless scientic works and studies. As a leading authority on aqua therapy systems, FMBs have developed a long term working partnership with Dr Matthias Baumann who has over 25 years experience working with aqua treadmills, combined with being an Olympic Gold Medal Event Rider which gives him the perfect mix of knowledge and training to evaluate this therapy objectively.Dr Baumann regularly visits the UK to support and train FMBs’ aqua therapy customers and his advice and knowledge proves to be invaluable at every stage in the process. He is also scheduled to be in the UK later this year to share his key scientic ndings with a wider audience, and facilitate further discussion regarding the many benets of this therapy. Ahead of this visit he has agreed to share some of the ndings that focus on performance improvements through regular use of a water treadmill.Dr Baumann had a water treadmill installed in his vet practice for 17 years, allowing him to conduct and take part in studies about equine biomechanics aqua treadmill training and cold saltwater therapy as a means to reduce inammation and aid recovery. Matthias comments, ‘correct training of every horse is necessary for their development, growth and competition success. A correct training program should develop the horse without subjecting it to the risks of injury.” Matthias continued, ‘I found that the combination of hydrotherapy and controlled work is much more genius than we ever expected’. When Matthias rst installed his treadmill he worked on the theory that the use of cold water for both cooling and massaging gave great benets to a horses’ legs after injury and resulting operations. He started to note signicant reduction in convalescence time and a much smoother process to bring the injured horse back to work.These studies were then extended in 1999, and Matthias started to utilise controlled work in cold water as part of a training program which proved highly benecial as it ensured the horse’s muscles always remained in an aerobic state, and there was a greatly reduced chance of a horse injuring its muscles while in water.This development of work led to a more in depth study and the key measurable ndings are as follows:• regular training in a water treadmill can develop a horse’s stride length in walk• after just 4 to 5 training sessions a young horse will noticeably improve its body balance and stability• when a horse is worked in walk, it shows more muscle activity than in trot in the water• muscle volume and strength can be developed 3 to 4 times faster with aqua training compared to hand walking• the development of back muscle is greatly improved, especially the M. longissimus dorsi and Mm. multidi, showing signicant strength increase with a daily 20 minute aqua training plan• adding aqua training sessions after canter work seemed to decrease the lactic acid in the horse’s muscles.Equine Water Treadmill erapye benets are endless!continued overleaf
24Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16In addition, there were many more additional benets that were observed. Specically with the older horse there were improvements in overall body condition and muscle tone, and the reduced impact from aqua training allowed them to stay in competition for longer during their later years.During the years, Matthias has also studied the eects of varying the water levels to gain the maximum range of motion within each joint group that is worked with the therapy. The unique ability to do this enables the programs to be tailored and set to the specic needs of the horse and adjusted as necessary. FMBs aqua treadmill customers benet from having access to Dr Baumann’s extensive knowledge, advice and training specically with regard to the speed and water level that best suits each horse. Serena Hickson of FMBs Therapy Systems says, ‘The equipment is excellent but only ever as good as the people operating it so it is so important the customers are provided with the best training and refresher courses oered.’Matthias concludes, ‘With well advised training using a water treadmill you can have so much success with your rehabilitation or training regime and most importantly have a happy, healthy horse for many years to come!’Here in the UK, the momentum behind aqua therapy is growing phenomenally. Horse owners across multiple disciplines including private yards, racehorse trainers, professional competition yards and therapy and rehabilitation centres are now using water treadmills as part of their tness and training plans.From the many positive testimonials that FMBs receive, Tonya Willingham of Equine Rebalance in Hampshire, sums it up perfectly. She has worked with aqua therapy treadmills for 6 years now and attended many training courses with Dr Baumann. Tonya says, ‘The healing and tness properties of the humble H20 should never be underestimated. The use of hydrotherapy has long been used to help humans recover from physical and mental stress and strain. The equine water treadmill from FMBs is benecial for all shapes and sizes of horses, not just the top class dressage horses. We see endurance, event, carriage driving and leisure horses, show jumpers, polo and pony club ponies, and have seen many positive results.The treadmill can be used in the rehabilitation of tendon and ligament and muscle injuries as well as many common back-related injuries but more regularly being used for tness, strengthening, toning and conditioning of the horses muscles as part of the horses general exercise programme. The FMBs treadmill here at Equine Rebalance Therapy Centre is the latest model benetting from having an incline option. This allows the horse to work in the water on an incline that further improves stamina and tness. All programmes are tailor made to the individual horse.FMBs have a dedicated team not only providing Dr Baumann for training but also with UK technicians on hand to help with any support/queries and routine maintenance to keep the machine in tiptop condition. The ltration systems are ecient and eective and inclusive of UV lters to keep the water sanitised without the need of chemicals.Scientic works and papers published on dierent studies about exercise of horses with the water treadmill:“Eect of aquatraining exercise on selected bloodparameters and on heart variability of horses” Voss. B.: Mohr, E.; Krywanek.H.; Uni Berlin, 2000“Eect on waterdepth on amount of exion and extension of joints of the distal aspects of the limbs in healthy horses walking on an underwater treadmill” Mendez, J.;Firschman; Groschen et Alt. , University of Minnesota, USA“EMG activity of the muscles of the neck and forelimb during dierent forms of locomotion” Tokuriki, M; Othsuki,R.; et alt. Department of Vet. Med. University of Yamaguchi, Japan“The eect of water height on stride frequency, stride length and heart rate during water treadmill exercise”R. Scott, K. Nankervis*, C. Stringer, K. Westcott And D. Marlin, The Equine Therapy Centre, Hartpury College, Gloucester, UK. 2010“Biomechanical responses of the back of riding horses to water treadmill” M.J.W. Mooij, W. Jans, G.J.L. den Heijer, M. de Pater, W. Back; Department of Equines Sciences, Utrecht University, NED 2013“Water depth modies back kinematics of horses during water treadmill exercise” K. J. Nankervis, P. Finney and L. Launder; Hartpury College, UK; Equine Veterinary Journal 2015;“Conditioning horses on the water treadmill” Persophone Greco-Otto, University of Calgary and Washington State University, 2017, American Association of Equine Practioniers ConventionFMBs Therapy SystemsTel: 01494 883433www.fmbs.co.uk
25 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Fast Actingwww.petremedy.co.ukpet remedynaturalde-stress & calmingSee us at✔ Natural✔ Helps all pets✔ Fast acting✔ Easy to use✔ Clinically proven✔ Works with your pet’s own natural calming mechanismsReason to lovePet Rem edyOur members are highly skilled in providing physiotherapy care for animals. We work as part of the multi-disciplinary team which is involved with the care and welfare of animals. Members are graduates of university validated BSc or PgD/MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy courses.NAVP members must fulfil certain requirements including CPD, they must carry Professional Liability Insurance and practice in line with the Associations regulations and standards of practice. FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT:info@navp.co.ukwww.navp.co.ukPromoting Excellence in Veterinary Physiotherapy
26Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16SKIN AND COAT HEALTHMaintaining healthy skin and coat in petsMAINTAINING a pet’s skin and coat health is a common reason for pet owners to visit their vet. Diet can be a factor when changes in skin and coat condition occur, but the most common causes are seasonal and life stage. The general condition of a pet’s skin and coat is a good indicator of their health. Some pets may have all year-round symptoms, which could mean that they are allergic to something in the home, however there are allergic reactions that are seasonal. Outdoor seasonal allergens can include, ragweed, grasses and pollens.Skin problems and irritation can be caused by a number of reasons and to complicate matters, pets could be aected by more than one cause. The causes of skin problems can fall into several categories, which include:• Fleas• Mange• Food• Allergies• Environmental allergies• DandruGetting to know your pet’s skin and coatA healthy coat should be shiny but not greasy and will be soft and quite smooth. An unhealthy coat will be dry and brittle and could also be greasy with a dusty appearance. There may also be a few bold spots and an unpleasant smell. Most puppies or kittens are born with soft, fuzzy fur, but as they age a coarse coat grows. Pregnant or nursing pets also may experience a change in coat condition or hair loss. And as with humans, as pets reach their mature years, their hair may thin out and become coarser and white. Signs of poor skin and coat condition may include: dry or aky skin, a dry coat and brittle hair that breaks easily. It could also include, moulting and thin or balding patches. If you are concerned about your pet’s skin and coat health, speak to your vet who is best placed to monitor your pet’s health and ensure they are receiving the best possible care. To help to maintain the health of your pet’s skin and coat, there are some positive things that you can do:DietThe quality of food that your dog or cat is fed can reect in their skin. Pets are often fed unnatural diets, which are too high in Omega-6 fatty acids derived from high levels of cereals and vegetable proteins. An acute excess of Omega-6s, or a shortage or Omega-3s will predispose many inammatory and allergic conditions, including dry, aky and itchy skin. Regular groomingBrush your pet’s hair at least once a week as this will help to remove loose hairs, keep your pet’s coat free from dirt and distribute natural skin oils, which helps to make their coat shiny. Try not to groom them too much, as this could lead to irritation on the skin. Don’t over bathe your petThis can lead to dry and sensitive skin. Be sure to only use animal specic shampoos, as human shampoo could irritate their skin.Sun protectionLike humans, overexposure to the sun is bad for your pet’s skin. Pets with light skin and short or thin hair, are more susceptible to sensitive skin caused from the sun. Try to limit the amount of time your pet spends in the sun and watch for signs of burning. Fleas and parasitesOne of the most common causes of skin problems in pets are parasites and eas. Prevention is always the best treatment for ea control. Be sure to treat all pets, indoor and outdoor, as outdoor pets can carry eas to indoor pets. At this time of year, ticks can be a problem. Run your hand through your pet’s coat and check especially around the face and up the legs and leg pits. Fresh waterA constant supply of water is important to keep your pet cool and hydrated, like us, they require water to maintain healthy skin.Reduce stressStress can lead to over grooming. Understand what is causing your pet to become stressed and try to reduce this, if possible. Keep your home and their bed cleanRegularly clean, provide fresh bedding and reduce dust in your home. Hoovering on a regular basis, at least twice a week, will help to get rid of any excess dust. This will include rugs, curtains and any other material that gathers dust.Natural supplementsUsing a natural supplement like nutramega, which contains high quality omega-3 fatty acids, biotin and vitamin E can help to naturally calm sensitive skin, soothe dry, aky skin and reduce itching and scratching.
27 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16 Find your local stockist at www.nutravet.co.ukSupport British manufacturingnutramega provides high strength nutritional support for healthy skin and a glossy coat. ✓Calms sensitive skin ✓Soothes dry, flaky skin✓Reduces itching and scratching✓Strengthens brittle nails✓Aids comfort✓Aids the body’s own natural anti-inflammatory processes✓For dogs & cats View our extensive natural range at www.nutravet.co.ukDoes your pet have dry itchy flaky skin?Naturally soothe, calm and reduce itching & scratchingnutramega is available exclusively from veterinary practices where you can purchase it over the counter without a prescription, even if your pet is not registered at the practice.
28Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16 THERA-PAW® CUSTOM MADE CARPAL AND TARSAL SUPPORTS IN UK For Veterinarians and Physiotherapists to order for their clients Custom Measurement and Order Forms on the website for you to provide us with details and we will fabricate the bespoke support tailored for the function and comfort of the pet.. For Carpal hyperextension, instability or valgus/varus deviation. Adaptable support levels For Tarsal hyperflexion, hyperextension , medial/lateral instability. Adaptable support levels EMAIL: THERAPAW-UK@CLASSICPHYSIOTHERAPY.CO.UK OR TEL: 07767455168 Support amputees forelimb / hindlimb Extension assist straps for rehab. Flexion assist straps available. From www.ClassicPhysiotherapy.co.uk UK Lauren Aston, Exeter, UK. Tel: 07875 951632 kate@PickPocketforagers.com www.PickPocketforagers.comLauren Aston, Exeter, UK.Recommended by canine professionals and vetswww.pickpocketforagers.comEMAIL kate@PickPocketforagers.comTEL07875 951632My young border collie Thessie LOVES her PickPocket For-ager. It occupies and mentally stimulates her and is helping to improve her nose work skills ready for competition. As a canine behaviourist and nose work competitor, I strongly recommend these to all dog owners. David Svennelid, canine behaviourist & trainerSwedish Dog Academy | www.swedishdogacademy.comThe puppies in my class LOVE exploring the PickPocket Forag-ers – one even ate his evening meal from it! In my grooming salon, the PickPocket Forager helped to make puppy Angel’s first visit really enjoyable and she happily snuled in the pockets while being combed. This made her first grooming experience really positive.Karen Backhouse, APDT trainer & groomerGuiding Paws Training | www.GuidingPaws.co.ukI purchased the PickPocket floor forager as I love the idea of gentle foraging to keep Digger, my Dachshund, engaged. When it arrived, I was amazed at the quality of the product and also love that it can be washed and dried easily. I would highly recommend whole range of PickPocket Foragers!Claire Bradford, Dog owner Sophie never tires of her PickPocket Foragers! She has a floor forager, a crate forager and a set of pouches. Foraging is obviously so very rewarding and no maer how often we use them, they are always met with the same happiness and excitement, and no frustration. They are easy to use and yet can be adapted each time to make them a lile dierent. I think Sophie loves the soft feel of the fleece too, as she of-ten sticks her nose in the pouches and rummages about just for pleasure! And I love the fabric - it feels so soft, washes so easily, dries so quickly and looks so prey.”Sherri Steel, Dog ownerenriching dog’s lives through foragingForaging fun!Mentally stimulatingDeeply enrichingBoredom-bustingPerfect for all ages & breedsCase studies BLINDNESSScout was rescued as a puppy after being found wandering the streets of County Durham. He carries the double-merle gene, an unhealthy combination causing serious hereditary problems. Scout is blind in one eye and has limited vision in his other - but his disability has never stopped him. Scout has won many accolades including his Bronze Good Citizens Award and is a Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog. Scout’s ‘mum’ vet nurse Tracey explains how foraging helps Scout:EXERCISE RESTRICTIONGolden retriever Sophie unfortunately sustained cruciate ligament injuries, which take months to heal. As Sophie was on restricted exercise and confined to a puppy pen, her owner gave her a PickPocket for mental stimulation and to assist with rehab. Initially Sophie foraged lying down but progressed to standing to forage with the Pickpocket crate forager tied to the pen at nose height. This introduced gentle weight-bearing exercise for a few minutes. Happily Sophie is now making an excellent recovery – but still loves her daily PickPocket-ing! GENERAL ANXIETYCute cockerpoo Harry needed distracting from some unwanted behaviour. Canine behaviourist Lucy Aalders of Leaps & Hounds explains: “I recommended a PickPocket to Harry’s owner and Harry immediately loved it! Of the many interactive toys we tried, the PickPocket was the most successful in diverting Harry’s aention away from barking, chasing, jumping and licking, and the foraging motivated him to eat more.” “Scout’s eye problems mean he cannot chew for long periods of time as pressure builds up in his ‘good’ eye. This is why I really appreciate the benefits of forage enrichment with PickPockets as they are completely safe for him – and I love hearing him happily snuling!”.Tracey Ison, RVN, Dog owner & Vet Nurse“Sophie’s PickPocket was a real life-saver! She desperately needed something to occupy her without placing strain on her knees and the PickPocket was ideal. The PickPocket real-ly helped with her rehab – and the cats liked it too!”Alders, Leaps & Hounds, East Devon, UK“Lovely Lucy recommended your PickPockets and we’re de-lighted. We hit a milestone recently when the doorbell rang and instead of constantly barking and running madly around, Harry only barked once and continued with his PickPocket! I was amazed (and a very proud dog-mum!). Thank you!”Lauren Aston, Exeter, UK.Case study1Case study2Case study3Recommended by canine professionals and vetsForaging fun!Mentally stimulatingDeeply enrichingBoredom-bustingPerfect for all ages and breeds• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travelenriching dogs’ lives through foragingEasily ties onto crate or penAvailable for small, medium & large cratesKeeps dog standing for grooming, clipping nails and cleaning ears etc.Set of three pouches nest inside each otherVary levels of difculty by how you fold, arrange or ll each pouchHandy for travelLies at on oor with pockets perpendicular to each otherPerfect for your dog’s dry (kibble) dinnerAvailable in small & large sizes with deep or shallow pockets• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel• Easily ties onto crate• Available for small,medium & largecrates• Keeps dog in standfor grooming, clippingnails and cleaningears etc• Lies flat on the floor• Perfect for deliveringyour dog’s dry(kibble) dinner• Available in small &large sizes with deepor shallow pockets• Set of three pouchesnest inside each other • Vary levels ofdiiculty by how youfold, arrange or filleach pouch• Handy for travel
29 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16DOG owners are recommended to walk their dog daily, to keep the animal physically active and to provide mental stimulation. Depending on the age, breed and size of the dog, the physical requirements and limits to exercise will dier. Young, developing dogs undergo signicant physical changes, especially during the rst 12-18 months of life. is development primarily focuses on growth plate closures (also known as physes), these are cartilaginous discs that separate the epiphysis from the metaphysis and are responsible for longitudinal growth of long bones. e longitudinal growth of long bones happens within a timeframe determined by genetic factors (such as breed specic morphology and body size) and a variety of environmental inuences. e length of time taken for growth plate closure is genetic but environmental inuences during development (nutrition, mechanical loading, trauma, infection and medication) will modify both the timeframe and outcome. Gradual mechanical loading within physiological ranges results in the stimulation of growth but continuous overloading can result in reduction in growth length and developmental issues. e dierences between breeds and their genetic makeup relates to dierent capabilities for, and adaptions to, exercise. For this reason, exercise and training programs for young dogs should be tailored to the individual animal. ere are marked dierences in coordination, strength and stamina between puppies, young dogs and adults.Growth and Exercise Management in Dogscontinued overleafby Aisling Carroll MSc, BSc (Hons), PGCE TLHE (Dist.), FHEATable 1: Exercise requirements for dierent dog sizes. e table below displays the average exercise requirements for dierent dog sizes at various life stages (table was adapted from Zink and Van Dyke, 2013; PDSA dog exercise guide, 2018).AgeUnder 6 months6 months until growth plate closureAfter growth plate closure (14-20 months)Toy Breed e.g. Chihuahua5 minutes for every month up to 30 minutesUp to 30 minutes per dayUp to 30 minutes per daySmall Breed e.g. Jack Russell Terrier5 minutes for every month up to 30 minutes5 minutes for every month up to 1 hour at 12 monthsUp to 1 hour per dayMedium Breed e.g. Whippet5 minutes for every month up to 30 minutes5 minutes for every month up to 1 hour at 12 monthsUp to 2 hours per dayLarge Breed e.g. Labrador Retriever5 minutes for every month up to 30 minutes5 minutes for every month up to 1 hour at 12 monthsMore than 2 hours per dayGuidanceExercise should consist primarily of self-directed playHigh impact or long duration exercise should be avoided until the physes have fully closedDogs should be almost fully grown however muscle, ligaments and tendons are still immature so duration and frequency of exercise should be increased graduallyStart Slow for SuccessUnderstanding the way a dog’s nerves and muscles develop provides an insight into how to protect bone growth and so tissue development. Due to growth plates being “open” during growth, they are particularly susceptible to damage such as fractures that can cause abnormal growth, pain and lameness. If a physis is injured, it can prematurely close, resulting in a shortening or malformation of the limb. Many developmental disorders can be avoided or reduced by minimizing stressful activities and training methods that cause trauma to the muscles and nerves. Monitoring a dog’s development and providing proper nutrition can also help in the reduction of developmental disorders. High-intensity, long duration and or concussive activities can have a negative impact on development and the health of the supporting structures (muscle, tendon, ligament). When this happens, so tissue cannot recover quickly enough to continually develop with bone growth and developmental problems occur. Figure 1: A working sheep dog. Photo courtesy of Luisa Dormer.
30Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Guidelines for duration of exercise for growing dogs are provided in Table 1. ese guidelines aim to prevent young dogs from undergoing extreme physical activity because of the problems that can develop in middle-aged dogs that have been excessively trained or exercised prior to growth plate closure. It is recommended that the exercise times be split up during the day into 2 or 3 exercise sessions, there should also be some consideration for a warm up and cool down period. e type of exercise with also have an impact on bone and so tissue development. For dogs under 6 months of age, it is recommended that exercise focuses mostly on strength activities such as short walks or hikes, short swims or gentle play tugging. For dogs between 6-12 months of age, the duration of the above activities can be gradually extended with more free, o lead work included due to the increased stability of the musculoskeletal system. No agility weave pole training or jumping above carpus height should be performed at this stage. Some dogs may be driven to exercise at a young age and will push themselves beyond safe limits. is is particular common in multi dog households where young dogs are exercised in a similar way to adult dogs. It is advisable to set boundaries with young dogs, particularly those that are more energetic or boisterous. Owners should ensure that any interaction between young developing dogs and larger or adult dogs be supervised and built up gradually to ensure longevity of functionality/performance and quality of life. The inuence of exercise on developmentSubstantial evidence to support suitable training and conditioning at varies growth stages is lacking however there is some evidence of the inuence of environmental factors on the development of young dogs. Krontveit and colleagues examined environmental factors that inuenced the development of hip dysplasia in dogs. Hip Dysplasia is a condition where the hip joint fails to develop properly. Young dogs that are genetically predisposed to it can develop it in varying degrees of severity. is severity inuences when a dog shows symptoms and their resulting quality of life. For canine athletes that may be more predisposed to this disease than others (such as Rottweilers, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherd dogs), prevention or delayed onset can improve the quality of life of the animal and extend its competitive career.Rapid growth and high juvenile body weight were previously indicated as factors that increased the likelihood of developing hip dysplasia. However, a study by Krontveit et al (2010) showed that the type of exercise experienced by puppies up to the age of 3 months had an inuence on the development and severity of hip dysplasia experienced in later life. Low impact, short duration exercise daily was seen to be benecial for the development of young dogs whereas the use of steps, jumping and agility at a young age were seen to increase the incidence of hip dysplasia. Krontveit conrmed that varied exercise had a positive eect on healthy development in young dogs. Dogs that were exercised on a daily basis on a leash as well as some free running on dierent terrain prevented the onset of symptoms in comparison to dogs that were less active.The Canine Athletee working, agility and competitive dog is an elite canine athlete, and is exposed to a variety of additional stresses and strains over and above those experienced by the average pet dog. Acute events can cause physeal injury (such as a sudden blow or fall) but chronic injuries can occur to the physes due to the overuse of young growing bones. Overtraining in young dogs can lead to altered immune function, decreased tness and increased risk of injury. Age appropriate conditioning and training should be considered for agility and working dogs, and should take into consideration age, sex, breed and reproductive status. For the canine athlete, owners should balance the dogs conditioning between strength and endurance training but this training should also be proportional to the amount of each type of activity the dog is required to perform in its sport. Depending on the sport, there is a minimum age at which the dog is considered to be skeletally mature and can only take part and compete once they have reacted this age, for example the minimum age for competing in agility and yball is 18 months. GROWTH & EXERCISE MANAGEMENTFigure 2: A gun dog. Photo courtesy of Sienna Taylor.
31 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Aisling Carroll MSc, BSc (Hons), PGCE TLHE (Dist.), FHEAAnimal and AgricultureHartpury UniversityHartpury, Gloucester GL19 3BEwww.hartpury.ac.ukREFERENCESKrontveit R.I. et al. (2010) ‘A prospective study on canine hip dysplasia and growth in a cohort of four large breeds in Norway (1998-2001)’. Preventative Veterinary Measures, 97(3-4), pp.252-263.Sargan D.R. (2004) ‘Inherited diseases in dogs: web-based information for canine inherited disease genetics’. Mammalian Genome, 15(6), pp.503-506.Nap R.C. and Hazewinkle H.A.W. (1994) ‘Growth and skeletal development in the dog in relation to nutrition; a review’. Veterinary Quarterly, 16(1), pp.50-59.Carr B.J. and Canap D. (2014) Sports medicine assessment of the agility dog. Clean Run, December, pp. 49–52.Harasen G. (2003) ‘Common long bone fractures in small animal practice – part 1’. Canine Veterinary Journal, 44, pp. 333-334.Bright, J.M. (2001) Veterinary Pediatrics: Dogs and Cats from birth to six months. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders.Zink C. and Van Dyke J.B. (2013) Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.PDSA (2018) How much exercise does my dog need?. Available at: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/how-much-exercise-does-your-dog-need (Accessed: 26 February 2019).The Kennel Club (2018) Beginners Guide to Flyball. Available at: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/49584/bgyball.pdf (Accessed: 27 February 2019). Hartpury is a specialist educational provider located in Gloucestershire with more than 3,600 college and university level students studying postgraduate and undergraduate degrees, A-levels and diplomas in the areas of sport, equine, animal, agriculture and veterinary nursing.Figure 3: An agility dog. Photo courtesy of Hartpury University.Canine sports medicine and rehabilitation professionals have observed that agility dogs trained at a young age to weave or jump and that may be trained repetitively have an increased risk of injury or skeletal/musculoskeletal development issues later in life, such as chronic spinal issues. Agility dogs presenting with severe lumbosacral disease, frequently had a similar history of being over trained at a young age and were reported to have been eager, fast weavers resulting in repeated training and conditioning sessions. ese were most commonly larger, more heavy-set breeds (e.g. golden retrievers). is condition appears to be much less common in dogs that began intensive agility training when physically mature. Due to the rapid development and expansion of canine competitions and the vast array of dog breeds taking part, there is signicant need for research to increase our understanding of the eects of physically taxing sports on canine athletes.ConclusionDepending on whether your young dog or puppy is to be a companion animal or a canine athlete, the exercise management for that dog will dier. For puppies up to 6 months regardless of future ambitions, their growth and development should be monitored closely with small short periods of exercise interspersed with periods of gently play. For young dogs (6-12 months), more specic training can gradually be introduced but high impact and endurance training should be delayed. If a dog is over trained or over exercised, this can lead to reduced tness, poor athletic performance, reduced resistance to infection and an increased chance of injury. If a dog shows any of these signs, exercise or training should be reduced including duration, frequency and intensity of exercise. It is advised that competition or working dogs be given a minimum of one day o a week to ensure adequate recovery of so tissue structures.
32Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16In the last edition, we gave you an introduction on some principles of fractures. It is time now to get to brass tacks: What type of fractures are common in certain disciplines? More importantly, what to do if you suspect your horse has a fracture? And what are the dierent treatment options available including surgical repair . . . or euthanasia.Does discipline determine the damage?We already know that some injuries are seen more frequently amongst horses competing in specialised sports. is is because discipline-specic movement requirements can cause more anatomical load at certain sites in the horse's body, predisposing them to repetitive strain injuries. But let’s not mix up discipline injuries with stress fractures.Back after the BreakTreatment of equine fracturesby Dr Emiliano Espinar Garcia-Pego CertEP MRCVS, Espinar Equine, www.horsevetberkshire.co.uke location and frequency are dierent amongst horses in the same discipline as we can see from the pictures. -r�l�, Most of these injuries are likely to involve repetitive so tissue stresses i.e. tendonitis in racehorses (most common racing injury) or proximal suspensory desmitis in dressage horses. On the other side, they may involve bones, some stress related, and others of traumatic origin. For example event horses may have occasionally stress fractures of the rst phalanx or metacarpal bone (cannon), however its not so rare to have a fracture caused by direct trauma such as stie injuries involving the patella when they get wedged on a rigid fence, or vertebral or upper limb fractures aer a fall.Stress fractures are caused by cyclic repetitive trauma of bones and joints during training/competition, that starts as a small, focal bone injury and extends to form a crack that becomes progressively larger, ultimately culminating as a complete fracture which can be potentially catastrophic. Identifying this early damage can prevent fatalities. Location and frequency of stress fractures are not always consistent even in the same discipline, and they very much depend on age, training regime, surfaces and other factors such as rider, shoeing, etc. For example, racehorses training/racing on all weather or deeper surfaces would increase the strain on fetlocks and sesamoids/suspensories and the incidence of this type of fracture increases; training racehorses in a clockwise direction may predispose to right fore tendonitis and other injuries.RacingShowjumpingEndurancePolo
33 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16continued overleafLet's not get too immersed on discipline injuries, and look at the bigger picture. In reality the common types of fractures found in a heterogeneous population are caused by kick injuries and also traumas. Commonly splint bones, tibias, cannon, forearm; pretty much any place where they get hit and have little so tissue protection. Reducing the incidence in group housing systems is most important, and like us humans, the more of us there are, the more we disagree. Horses are social and if you let them be horses, that’s what they do! Always consider taking back shoes o when a new arrival is introduced.First steps (or not!) - What to do if you suspect your horse has a fractureCall the vet immediately! Most serious fractures can only be stabilised in the eld environment and require transportation to an equine hospital for further treatment. Do not force the horse to move until the vet arrives. Keep the horse and yourself calm, ask for extra assistance. When vet arrives, the rst step is clinical assessment and further diagnostics such as x-rays may be taken to determine the fracture's location and degree of severity.is rst diagnosis is most important and it could determine whether there is an option of repair or not. ere are several questions to consider which could inuence the decision; is repair feasible given the horse's temperament/condition? What are the available surgical facilities and recovery environment? Is the prognosis for a good quality of life? And aer the horse's welfare has been considered, what are the owner's wishes/expectations? Any associated costs, not only of the surgery but long-term rehabilitation (if necessary), need to be taken into account as well.The best painkiller is immobilisation - Splints and bandagesNothing is more eective than stabilising the fracture. is is a must, if we have decided to repair an unstable fracture. We would apply an appropriate splint/bandage (or cast); basically a large protective bandage incorporating a so padding and a rm supportive material structure However, care must be taken when considering where to place these splints on the limb as we may cause further damage at the site of fracture itself. erefore veterinary advice is always recommended in the rst instance. e principle is that weshould prevent movement on the direction of fracture distraction; some high fractures we may not be able to splint at all.The main aims of applying a splint are to:• Immobilise the leg as much as possible to allow horse to regain some control of the limb, helping to reduce the tendency to panic.• Realign bone columns and prevent fracture collapse.• Prevent a closed fracture with sharp bone ends from deteriorating due to further movement (i.e fragments piercing the skin and becoming an open fracture!)• Preserve blood supply and tissue cover by minimising additional damage to neurovascular tissue, also helping to limit oedema (swelling).• Keep open wounds covered and protected during transportation, helping reduce the risk of infection.• Reduce damage to bone ends (bone eburnation) which makes accurate alignment dicult in surgery.• Allow the horse to be transported to a referral hospital for treatment if necessary.Placing a long splint prevents abduction of limb and further ‘distraction’ of radius fracture -r�l�, -r�l�, HELPFUL HINT:When transporting a horse to a hospital, if a fracture of the front limb is suspected, it may be better to allow the horse to travel backwards to allow the horse to brace itself against braking forces with the uninjured hind legs. A horse with a suspected hind limb fracture should be travelled facing forwards, allowing the front legs to take most of the forces from braking.and can be made from items such as broom handles, PVC pipes cut in half or breglass, although there are now commercial splints available that are easier to apply and made of strong but lightweight materials.
34Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16EQUINE FRACTURESPhotos above: e use of rope assisted recovery aer general anaesthetic has helped to decrease fatalities; some hospitals even have a “pool ra recovery system”.Implants - Screw and platese surface of the joint or fracture is aligned and repaired with one or two screws. Locking compression plates can also be used (although these are costly, they can be contoured to match the shape of the fractured bone that needs stabilising, thereby providing better overall support). Screws can either be le in or removed aer recovery.External xators (photos opposite centre.)ese are not commonly used in equine fracture repair as they can be cumbersome and prone to infection. ey are sometimes used in conjunction with SURGERYAn important factor to stabilise a fracture is that the aected bone must preserve a “main intact core” where fragments can be stabilised, acting as a scaold. If the fracture bone is completely comminuted, the chances of repairing become dicult or impossible. e aim of any repair should be to allow the horse to stand comfortably as soon as possible (as unlike a human they are unable to just lie down until the fracture has healed!), otherwise the uninjured legs can become weakened or get complications such as laminitis by carrying weight. However, despite many advances being made in this eld, the implants used for repairing equine bones are oen not strong enough to withstand the horse's bodyweight for the entire duration of the healing process.Surgery has some hurdles, rst of all there is general anaesthesia death, which can be higher in fracture cases. When horses awaken from anaesthesia, their natural instincts oen compel them to try to stand before they have fully regained their coordination, which can result in overloading of the limb (a high risk of breakdown of fracture repair). Advances in surgical techniques mean that standing fracture repair is now possible in some cases. e horse is heavily sedated but remains upright, and vets operate "from the ground". is avoids some of the recovery risks associated with general anaesthesia and oen means the associated surgical costs are less. (photo opposite top.)Conservative Surgical Rest Plates/screws/wireCasts/splint/ heavy bandage Arthroscopy (removal of chips) or removal of fragments Bone implants External xation devicesFixing the fracture - surgical intervention or conservative treatment?Treatment of fractures can basically be divided into two categories: conservative and surgical. Some fractures require internal or external xation in order to be stabilised whereas others are better left to heal by themselves; your veterinary surgeon and/or the receiving surgeon should be able to advise the best course of action depending on the type of fracture. The table below shows some common methods used:Above: A comminuted fracture without preserving main core, has a very poor prognosis for repair. Euthanasia is best option.a cast; the horse's weight is supported by the bone through which the pins are placed, and the metal support struts and plate allows the leg to be weight-bearing while remaining stabilised. e device must be removed at a later date (which means further surgery).Arthroscopy (photo opposite bottom.)Chip fractures can also be dicult to see and remove; this is where arthroscopy is oen used as it is a minimally invasive procedure. Usually, two small incisions are made; one for a narrow scope and the other for surgical instruments. Arthroscopy allows a good picture of the inside of the joint to be seen, and removal of any pieces to prevent damage to the cartilage and reduce the risk of osteoarthritis developing later in the horse's life.
35 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Above: Splint fracture healed (right) from original injury 3 months previous (le).CONSERVATIVE TREATMENTA common type of fracture that is treated conservatively are splint fractures. Commonly involving the outside splint of a hind limb following a kick. e more proximal (closer to the hock), the more complication they could pose. Also for some high limb fractures, such as the pelvis (which can't have a cast and may be impossible to repair by surgery), rest is oen the only option. is can range from complete box rest (to prevent muscles from pulling on the sites of the fracture) to gentle walking in-hand. A special consideration should be discussed; whether some horses may benet from tying up to prevent lying down which could potentially propagate a fracture.Casts, bandage casts and Robert Jones ese can be used, promoting healing by providing rm, even pressure over the limb to reduce any swelling. Aer further assessment from your vet and once the fracture has unied the horse could potentially begin some exercisewith only a minimal supportive bandage, to allow more range of movement in the leg and promote remodelling (photos below le and right).Electing for euthanasiaDue to the potential complications involved with many fractures, and the fact that certain types of fracture simply cannot be safely and successfully repaired, sadly in some cases euthanasia is the only viable choice to prevent undue suering for the horse. However, it is no longer the only option, and as the world of veterinary medicine is constantly evolving, even more novel methods for treating equine fractures could soon become available, enabling more horses to come back aer a break.35 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16
36Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16TONY NEVIN36 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 15world of Google and other reputable internet search engines.With this in mind it is essential to make sure that whatever you do, say, or how you appear is as timeless as possible. Likewise remember to respect all other professions, and individuals. ere is a pervasive attitude these days to only think of number one. I would strongly urge us all to consider the fact that, even as a collective, we are small in number, and that the general public don’t really understand the unique dierences of each of our professions. erefore anything said or written that is negative or selsh will reect on us all. Also remember to acknowledge those around you who have helped you to achieve anything, especially if they have helped you in your own career path.Looking at the online menu I have already mentioned the fact that lots of terrestrial programmes are then sold on to these platforms, and sometimes get repeated time and time again. Occasionally sections, clips, or entire episodes also make their way onto YouTube and the like.All mainstream radio stations now podcast their shows which add airtime to any of us that promote what we do via this medium.If we now look at the purely online platforms these can be split into two main sections. First there are the TV and radio channels that are indistinguishable from terrestrial ones, such as those on Sky and Virgin Media. Some of these commission their own programmes, whilst others buy in series that have previously been broadcast on larger channels (both terrestrial and satellite) such as Now TV.One potential pitfall with smaller channels that take original material is that they can either be sold, or fold. In either situation it is not unusual for previous material to get binned.All major networks now have several online channels, Sky being the most prolic until the likes of Netix, Amazon Prime, and now AppleTV came onto the scene. All of these networks are ghting for the decreasing attention spans of viewers and listeners, but this can sometimes work in our favour, as they are oen looking for innovative material.With the advent of Social Media platforms it has become possible for anyone with a mobile phone to become a broadcaster. You might not think of yourself as one, but anyone who has posted pictures, and/or video content on the likes of FaceBook, Twitter, or Instagram are broadcasting. ese Osteopathy and Manual erapies in the mediaPART IIby Tony Nevin, BSc (Hons) Ost, DO, Zoo Ost LimitedIN the rst part of this article I looked at some of the pitfalls to avoid when dealing with mainstream media. (For the full article please refer to the last edition of this magazine Issue 15).In this part I am going to look at what we, as manual therapy professions, can do to promote our professional work on various online platforms. I will split this up to look at business as well as general social media platforms.Before that I’d like to look at the rapid growth of online opportunities that are far from exhaustive, and will probably be out dated even by the time you read this. It’s not uncommon for a feature on a mainstream terrestrial TV programme to be repeated on one of the cable and satellite channels. e same can happen with radio interviews that then nd their way into podcasts. As for the written word, that enters the innite
37 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16then been shocked when the following day their employers have called them into the oce to explain and then place them on a written warning. If you have to vent, use an old-fashioned paper diary, and keep it secure!Nowadays it is very easy to lm pieces to camera on your phone, upload to a social media platform and share with as many contacts as you like. Of note though, this material becomes the property of that platform, in that anyone else can share it, or download it etc…If you wish to keep material under your own control then you would be better using one of the professional sites, such as Vimeo.It does depend on what you are trying to achieve. Oen people think that getting hundreds of likes will bring them more business in the form of increased bookings. “Likes” do not. Proper views and shares bring more business, as do direct messages to your page.If you are posting video content try to get your point across in around a minute to a minute and a half. People get bored quickly when viewing on social media.If you want to go into more depth then it would be better to post on YouTube or similar, and then create links to your channel with maybe a few second teaser to tempt them.If you have your own website, and let’s face it who doesn’t, ensure all of these platforms are easily accessed from your site, and by continually adding new material you will drive your website’s activity and therefore ratings.Although some marketing experts will advise you to add new content at least once a week this isn’t essential. Media Tony Nevin, BSc (Hons) Ost, DO is Clinical Director on the MSc Animal Osteopathy programme, run through the McTimoney College of Chiropractic, Oxon. He also lectures nationally and internationally; runs unique wildlife workshops; and is a prolic writer, presenter and broadcaster. His radio show “The Missing Link” on Corinium Radio is the only one of it’s kind and is rapidly gaining a loyal listenership. You can catch his earlier shows, and specialist podcasts by following his Mixcloud page titled Tony Nevin.For more than 6 years he chaired the Society of Osteopaths in Animal Practice (SOAP) before it rebranded and became the Association of Animal Osteopaths (AAO).For more information contact Tony at +44 7831 759339. www.zooost.com www.horseost.co.uk www.coriniumradio.co.uk www.mixcloud.com/tonynevin platforms started out with a view to connecting people socially, but very soon businesses saw the potential to spread their own marketing messages to a far wider audience, for free.However, before we look more at these platforms I’d like to talk about LinkedIn. is was created to do for business what the others did for socialising, but like most things the edges have become blurred.LinkedIn takes itself seriously, and will caution anyone who doesn’t play by their rules. If you’re not already registered with them I would recommend doing so immediately. It is a very well respected platform to share professional material, as well as promote CPD days and workshops, as well as any books or DVD’s etc… that you may have produced. It’s also a great place to share informative posts from other colleagues.Don’t be fooled. Potential customers/clients are impressed when one professional is happy to refer or recommend another on their own business pages.e great thing with this platform is that you have to invite others to link with you, and vice versa. is way you get to vet everyone in your network, and therefore steer your business, and contacts in the direction you want to go.If we take a look at the various social media sites, these are much more open (although you can congure the degree of access via controls in the settings of each page you run) and sadly, you can get targeted by individuals and groups that just like causing trouble (I’m trying to choose my words carefully!).I would suggest that you keep your business and personal pages separate, and indeed have separate pages for these two areas of your life. I would also recommend that you don’t let o steam on any social media platforms if you’ve had a bad day, or had an argument with anyone. is stu stays out there. Even if you delete a post you can guarantee that someone has taken a screenshot of it.I have seen other veterinary professionals vent on social media and 37 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 15should not take over your life. If you are the best you can possibly be clinically and empathetically with your patients and clients then that will drive your business. Although the word “business” is oen seen as a rude work in our eld we do need to be business minded in order to survive, although it should never inuence how we treat each patient.As we are busy (or at least we should be if we are any good!), it is worth noting that there are several Apps out that help with creating professional looking posts for social media, and online there are others that allow you to synch your posts, so that one message can be sent simultaneously to several dierent platforms.If all of this seems a little daunting, or perhaps you have only recently qualied, there are CPD days oered by “Painless Practice” on creating and maintaining your own business media. It’s a fun day as well as being immensely informative.So there you have it. We can all benet from a positive media input, and if we stick together we can collectively inform and help one another without the need to tread on our fellow colleagues in the process. I look forward to seeing more from us all in the coming years.
38Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16From RaceHorse to Dressage HorseTHOROUGHBRED DRESSAGEby Louise RobsonName: Maxilian (Max) 2009 Trainer: Emma Lavelle Form: Ran three times under rules, 2 hurdles and 1 National Hunt. Unsuccessful as a racehorse. Finished Racing 2014. Six weeks after nal race was purchased by the Leach family with the aim to low level eventing. THE Leach family are now in their sixth year of owning and training Max, and it is fair to say that it is only in the last two and a half years that they have been able to start competing him. e Leach family and their support team have been the key reason as to why Max is sound, happy and progressing in his new career. Time and patience are what have been the making of this horse. From the last article featuring e Last Hour aka Harry, we are now looking forward a couple of years down the retraining line. e early stages are about cementing foundations and mainly, beginning to build up our ex racehorses without a jockey on board. is article will focus on how we begin to incorporate the ridden and competing workload, whilst sustaining, maintaining and building upon the foundations that we put in in the early years. Whereas e Last Hour came from the eld aer a break, Max came directly from the trainer with a common issue that many ex racehorses have. Max arrived with poor feet. He had a seedy toe in his right fore, which took six weeks of being in a cast to heal. As the saying goes:‘No foot, no horse’ along with ‘horses break from the ground up’It is quite common that when you get an ex racehorse you can experience the following foot problems;• Under-run/contracted heels• Flat feet• Corns• Lack of strong and healthy hoof growthWhen you purchase your ex racer it can be a bit like a double edged sword as to where you get them from. It can be detrimental to have a racehorse straight from a trainer as the ‘journey’ may seem longer. You will have to deal with a very t racehorse who has little life experience. However, a massive positive can be that you can work your racehorse down before they have a holiday/rest before the retraining starts. If we get our ex racers from the eld aer their break their feet can be worse then if we had had them straight from a trainer. is is because they have;1. Gone longer without the regular shoeing they have been used to2. A Rapid change in diet, exercise and environment. When our ex racehorses are in training it is imperative as a racehorse (or any horse in fact) that the foot is correct and balanced to help maximise the stride potential (it does not lengthen the stride) is is because the muscles of the leg have no control over the landing phase of the galloping stride. Along with a high grain diet (which can create a digestive disturbance) repeated concussion on the foot from galloping and being shod from every 2-5 weeks with new nail holes, there is little room for good, quality hoof to grow. It is so important that when you rst get your ex racehorse and throughout their riding horse career that you have a good farrier that understands your horse, breed and what it is that you're doing with them ridden wise, along with a good vet who is willing to work with and talk to your farrier. Photos C and D show the fore foot when Max arrived, to the foot post cast. e knock on eect of the seedy toe in Max’s right fore was most notably seen in the development of his hindquarters. e asymmetry between right and le was very pronounced and exercises both ridden and on the oor were tailored accordingly (Photo E) It took over 1 and a half years for the foot to fully recover and more time for the muscular development of Max to catch up. CD
39 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Acontinued overleafPhoto A shows Max in his ‘raw state’ when he was rst purchased from racing. You would say that he looked like a ‘typical’ ex racehorse. Slightly croup high, ‘upside down neck’ and looking a bit poor across his mid section. Max was, and still is, rather tall, with a very large frame to ll. In the early stages of riding and training it was obvious, and also to be expected, that Max was very much on the forehand, pulling down and moving his rider, Aimee, forward and o her seat. It would almost be easy to get into a ‘pulling’ battle with our ex racers at this stage. You have to be able assess if your ex racehorse is struggling physically or not understanding the exercise or what is being asked of them. We have to think of ways that we can keep our ex racers happy, yet strengthen and develop them. (top photograph in Photo G) As a rider, we may feel like we are being pulled forward and the temptation is to make ourselves sit up. e ex racers are not bred for us to sit on them. eir backs are naturally quite weak and it takes years of time a patience for them be able to sit, li and carry to allow us as jockeys to be able to sit tall and upright. When ridden Max was also quite behind the leg and would be very very strong down the rein to avoid using his back and ‘swinging/pushing through.’ (Because he had no or little muscular structure to be able to achieve this) is was all due to balance and lack of strength issues on his behalf. As with most ex racehorses, he was quite one sided. On the le rein he would struggle to turn and dri out a lot through his right shoulder. With most ex racehorses, due to the direction that they run in most struggle on the right rein to turn and steer, but due to Max’s foot imbalances his le fore/shoulder was his stronger side to avoid placing the right fore down equally. Due to him being so ‘downhill’ he couldn't actually move forward as he would stumble or trip, which is what made him behind the riders aids. Its a bit of a catch 22 scenario as Max is on the forehand, and pulling his rider forward, but he is not yet physically strong enough to be able to carry himself. It appears in the photograph that Max is ‘well covered’ in the stomach department. he is not and this can be misleading. His stomach muscles are actually very weak, hence the ‘drop down belly’ appearance. Over time (bottom of Photo G) his stomach muscles strengthen and li up as the back also becomes stronger. (think human sit ups…) For me, as a trainer, it was really important to get Aimee to teach Max how to turn his shoulders. By being able to turn his shoulders we could start to place them in a slightly dierent line to that of his hindlegs, which would then allow him to move forwards more freely. I was also very conscious that the end goal was for Max and Aimee to go eventing. In eventing it is key that the horse can compress, extend and balance in the shortest amount of time. We need to be able to place them on their hocks to spring up and forwards over the fences, but then also get them to open up and extend across the ground during the XC phase. Something that we all have to be aware of is that most eventers do all three phases in one day (until you get to a certain level) therefore we need all round tness and ability, along with adaptability and a good all round strength so that we can maintain and develop our ex racers as we progress throughout the season rather than potentially injure them in the rst event. erefore, as well as being able to turn Max’s shoulders, we also needed to teach him; gear changes, and what a half halt means. In the rst few years the exercises were put in place to be basic and easy to allow Max to work out what was being asked of him, but also, the exercises gave us scope to develop and adapt them as his level of tness and education progressed. All of these exercises can be used in all three paces “Square riding”is exercise would then be able to help Aimee with her jumping and being able to steer Max without too much use of the rein. It also begins to teach the horse the half halt and the slight movement of balance and weight back towards the hocks.You are looking to be able to ride a square, slightly o the track away from the fence using your outside rein and leg for turning and steering. With every half halt and application of the leg you should be able to ask for ‘a step.’ You are looking for three/four steps in each 90 degree turn and for your horses shoulders to move, not for the hindleg to step out.In the rst year or so, this is mainly done in walk and trot and the concept is carried through to the canter. As Max’s balance improves, with less reliance on the rein, and his rider to help with the liing of the forehand, the tightness of the true can be increased in the canter. In the early stages it will feel like you're doing a curved 90 degree turn as opposed to a right angled 90 degree turn. AE
40Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16THOROUGHBRED DRESSAGEHow to develop as your horses training progresses;• In the canter you can use this exercise to be able to lengthen and shorten your horses stride, working towards the collection of the canter. By increasing the collection of the canter through the turn we are encouraging the sit and taking of weight behind. This can cause huge strain on the low back muscles and must be done slowly and building up over time. It will increase lift of the shoulder, which is positive. • Add 10 metre circle in every corner of your square. This will help increase and develop softness and throughess in your turns rather than horse horse stiening through them. • You can leg yield your horse away from your inside leg between each turn. The half halts used on the turn will help you control the step a bit more and encourage your horse to run less when on a straight line. • To start teaching the changes you can come out of a turn, ride straight, ask for a change and then turn in the opposite direction. This will be benecial for jumping when having to change leads without your horse running away and coming o the hindleg• This is a good way to introduce the working towards walk pirouettes and ultimately canter pirouettes. It will help with tighter turns when jumping. “Leg yield o the wall’ e objectivity of this exercise is to move the shoulders on a dierent line to that of the hindlegs, create lateral suppleness and to be able to begin to ride gear changes without the horse becoming at and running. is exercise also helps you be able to teach your ex races the dierence between using one or both legs.We start o by taking a bit of outside exion through the corner and think about riding a diagonal line from the corner to the centre line towards either A or C. Once the front legs Fare on that line with your outside leg slowly ask the hindlegs to step over. It may only be for a stride or two before your ex racer becomes at and running. Once you've straightened your ex racer (from your inside legs and a half halt on the outside rein) then ride a 15-ish metre circle to the inside of the arena. You use the turn of the circle to help maintain or regain the rhythm and balance. When your ex racer is on a straight line they can ‘revert’ back to their own conformational ways of falling at on their shoulder and getting a bit quick in the rhythm. is can then be shown as strength down the rein and or non acceptance of the leg.How to develop as your horses training progresses:• Make the angle of the leg yield steeper. • Leg yield in to the quarter line, ride straight for a few strides and then leg yield back to the track. Keep an eye on the change over of direction and the balance of your horse. Does he nd one way easier, or does the shoulder get lost or the neck/head/poll begin to twist?• At the end of the leg yield begin to make the circle smaller• Start to introduce transitions at the end of the leg yield to stop your ex racer running on, or becoming at. • You can ride gear changes in all of the paces whilst leg yield. In the trot this can help open up and release the shoulder more. It also allows us a riders to be able to ride the trot forward without our ex racers ‘reverting back to type’ and running and becoming at. In the canter it can help improve the quality of the canter by encouraging the break of the hindleg as they move over, which will increase the softness of the back as the horse becomes more through. A circle at the end of the leg yield is very important after gear changes to encourage the horse back without pulling/restricting the front end.
41 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Photo B is of Max two years down the line (2016). The most notable dierences are; • The covering over his mid section. This is due to improved condition, but also greater strength from Max’s core. His stomach has lifted up and his back muscles have developed and become stronger.• Less of a pronounced dierence between the height of his wither and his back muscular covering • Although his neck is still slight, there is less pronounced muscle on the underside of his neck. it is common for the neck to be the ‘late developer’ in your ex racehorse as it is used as their balancer until they feel they are capable of using their back and hindlegs to support. We as retrainers need to be careful of changing too much too soon and slowly developing and working the horse in a correct, yet sympathetic way. Due to Max’s height extra consideration needs to be taken, especially with the foot imbalance issues that he had. In 2017 Max started jumping under saddle. As can be seen in Photo F the canter is still slightly downhill, but far less so than the top photo in Photo G. e hindleg has a better reach forward and Aimee is being able to sit up more. Max is still slightly reliant on the rein and slightly Aimee’s hands for balance. In terms of his jumping technique, he is quite at and appearers that he is pulling himself forwards over the fence from his front end. His neck hasn't dropped forward and he isn't capable of stretching over his back to achieve the bascule shape for jumping. His hindlegs are quite far apart to help stabilise himself for the take o. All of this would inform me as a retrainer that Max is still weak behind the back of the saddle and needs to develop a bit more; sit and push to allow greater freedom through the shoulder and wither area. ere comes a point with most of our ex racers when we are asking them to work against their conformation and to do a job that is so opposite to their previous years of training. Some, like Max, show signs of ‘struggle’ without ever being lame. As with any horse in training/retraining a constant communication between; owner, trainer, physio, vet and farrier is key. At the end of 2018 the height and technicality of the fences was increasing and it was noted that Max was slightly reverting back to his old habits of pulling down on the forehand and becoming less reluctant to move forwards again. e soreness behind the back of the saddle was increasing and veterinary advice was sought aer. In December 2018 Max’s SI was injected with two weeks o work and then bought slowly back into work. Since the SI injection he has returned back to work with a lot more ease is willing to move forwards and is jumping better than before. Max’s physio has also commented that the soreness behind the back of the saddle is becoming less and his quarters are becoming less asymmetrical. e bottom photograph of Photo G and Photo H show how Max is in 2019. e atwork picture shows the hindleg coming into a supportive role, the stomach toned and lied, with a strong lower back which in turn allows Aimee to be able to sit up. e wither is higher than that of the croup and his neck is so at the base. Max is more in self carriage and less dependant on the rein and Aimees hands to balance. From a jumping perspective Max (although the photograph shows a dierent phase of the jumping technique compared to Photo F) you can see that Max hasn't required his neck or shoulders to li himself up as they're reaching forward and so. Aimee is able to stay more in the middle of him and in better balance as he has pushed forward from behind the shoulder is open and as a direct result he will land in better balance and be ready for the next fence/be ready to move on across the ground. Although it has taken six years to get to this point, it has been six years worth waiting for. Aimee and Max are now in a position to keep on growing and developing with ‘maintaining’ Max through regular physio, training, veterinary and farrier care rather than having to ‘carefully manage.’ As with any ex racer, there is still work to be done and areas to improve, but as the foundations were achieved from the start, the journey is easier to develop.GHB
42Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16If men are from Mars and women from Venus, then geldings are a milky cup of tea and mares are a strong black coee.I’m playing into generalisation that many of you know of. In many people’s experience, a gelding can be a more reliable sex of horse to handle and train, whereas, mares have a reputation of being less consistent in temperament.Hurrah for science …The more we research the reproductive cycle and how organs aect a mare, the more understanding we have in how to manage what is widely believed to be discomfort and hormonal imbalances that can aect performance and trainability. From experience, owners tend to believe a season mainly aects the horses mood, however, it is also believed that those who’s ovaries become signicantly inamed during a season do feel discomfort behind the saddle area and as such can resent pressure and weight on their back. In general, the ovaries sit just in front of the lumbar sacral junction, fairly deep under the latter lumbar vertebra, however, speaking to vets I soon learnt that their position can vary with some sitting more forward than others and as such more likely to make the surrounding area more sensitive.Over time, I’ve noticed a far more empathetic approach to mares being ‘tricky’ or ‘stubborn’ at certain times of the year. Coupled with that, most sporting federations have moved with the times to allow the use of certain supplements which manage the oestrus cycle and prevents mares from entering oestrus.My approach to mares who are handled and ridden during the height of their season is an understanding one. A mare that can be of reliable mind and body at other stages of her cycle can suddenly tighten through her body, resist the leg, seat and contact, and generally act aggressively or defensively to human contact. No two mares will behave the same whilst in season but there can be some classic signs that ones mare is telling you she isn’t at her most comfortable.Now being male, I can’t say I fully understand and relate but growing up in a house with older sisters I learnt from a young age to tread carefully!If you’re mare does change character during her season then easing o the work load can help reduce stress for both horse, rider, owner and trainer at that time. The saying ‘pick your battles’ is so tting here! If you own a mare who becomes very unhappy and shows signs of discomfort, she is living in the right decade with all the science and continuously developing knowledge that is available to her (if the owner is understanding). Chat to your vet if you are having problems as there are so many options to make life more harmonious.Levi’s BlogLife’s a . . . mare!LEVI HUNTLevi regularly runs clinics up and down the country. If you would like an opportunity to experience his expertise, wit and charm rst hand you can contact him via his facebook page - Levi Hunt Equestrian or through his long suering PA - Nicky on 07771 610027Levi Hunt - Grand Prix International Rider for Great Britain, British Dressage Young Professional of the year 2016, Regional British Dressage Team Trainer, UKCC3 Coach
43 Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 16Animal wound protection Does your pet hate the ‘cone of shame’? Try the DogEase bamboo medical pet suit alternativeDogEase is a wearable suit and leg sleeve made from super-soft bamboo fabric and is an alternative to the hard plastic buster collar.DogEase creates a fabric barrier to help stop pets from licking or biting stitches. The bamboo fabric has many natural properties as follows:• Breathable• Has 4-way stretch• Anti-bacterial• Anti-fungal• Hypoallergenic• Thermal qualitiesDogEase is open at the back to reduce the need for removal when toileting which helps to not agitate the wound. You simply cut a hole out for the boys underneath; the bamboo material does not fray. The suits and leg sleeves have no heavy, noisy or ddly fasteners and the snug t helps to keep animals calm. DogEase can help with skin issues and the suits have been used on dogs, cats and rabbits. The suits come in 6 sizes XS-XXL and the leg sleeves, which are on release in December 2018, come in 4 sizes XS, S, M/L, XL/XXL.DogEase has been designed to oer our pets comfort after surgery.lisa@dogeaseuk.com www.dogeaseuk.comNo FasteningsSuper Soft Bamboo FabricWashableShort-legSuitLegSleeve
44Animal Therapy Magazine | ISSUE 167-8 JUNE 2019 LOSELEY PARK SURREYVETERINARY EDUCATION TOMORROWFEATURED IN OUR WELLNESS HUBOrthopaedics - Pelvic Limb • Neurology & Neurosurgery Oncology • Nursing • Internal Medicine Feline Medicine • Exotics & Behaviour • Rehabilitation Wellness & Practice Development Orthopaedics - Thoracic Limb • Cardiopulmonary Pain Management & Critical Care • Soft Tissue SurgeryBook now www.vetfestival.co.ukOver 100+hours of world-class CPD13 streams covering KEY topics15% DISCOUNTUSE CODE ATM15VETFestival19 - ATM15 - Feb OP 03.indd 1 21/03/2019 17:187-8 JUNE 2019 LOSELEY PARK SURREYVETERINARY EDUCATION TOMORROWFEATURED IN OUR WELLNESS HUBOrthopaedics - Pelvic Limb • Neurology & Neurosurgery Oncology • Nursing • Internal Medicine Feline Medicine • Exotics & Behaviour • Rehabilitation Wellness & Practice Development Orthopaedics - Thoracic Limb • Cardiopulmonary Pain Management & Critical Care • Soft Tissue SurgeryBook now www.vetfestival.co.ukOver 100+hours of world-class CPD13 streams covering KEY topics15% DISCOUNTUSE CODE ATM15VETFestival19 - ATM15 - Feb OP 03.indd 1 21/03/2019 17:187-8 JUNE 2019 LOSELEY PARK SURREYVETERINARY EDUCATION TOMORROWFEATURED IN OUR WELLNESS HUBOrthopaedics - Pelvic Limb • Neurology & Neurosurgery Oncology • Nursing • Internal Medicine Feline Medicine • Exotics & Behaviour • Rehabilitation Wellness & Practice Development Orthopaedics - Thoracic Limb • Cardiopulmonary Pain Management & Critical Care • Soft Tissue SurgeryBook now www.vetfestival.co.ukOver 100+hours of world-class CPD13 streams covering KEY topics15% DISCOUNTUSE CODE ATM15VETFestival19 - ATM15 - Feb OP 03.indd 1 21/03/2019 17:18