Canine Physiotherapy

Does your dog need some help? I can help dogs recover from injury, surgery and ongoing  musculoskeletal conditions. 

Canine Physiotherapy involves treating the dog holistically using tools to help the musculoskeletal system. Modalities used are Massage, Manual Techniques, Cold Laser, Ultrasound, Electrical Stimulation and Exercise Prescription. 

Please remember - Only Vets can legally diagnose conditions.  My job is to feel what is going on in the tissues and assess the movement and then build a plan from there. 

I tend to treat the whole dog with emphasis on the source of dysfunction. Dogs can either be referred from your vet or I can ask for the referral for you.  I am happy to share my findings with your vet so we can work as a team to help your dog.  You can download a Form for your vet to fill out here Veterinary Consent Form  

Please note, if a dog currently has a condition that it is receiving treatment for by a vet or is in pain, veterinary consent will be required for me to treat them. If the dog has no issues, then veterinary consent is not required. 

I will not able to treat if consent has not been sought. 

I can treat dogs at my own clinic or in their own home - I recommend choosing wherever they feel most comfortable. Sessions tend to last around 45 mins to an hour. 

Common Conditions that I Treat

Physiotherapy Session using cold laser with a dog with OsteoArthritis with Emily Catford Therapies

Insurance - if you have cover for physiotherapy on your policy, you should be able to reclaim the cost of treatment if your vet has advised for physiotherapy to take place. Please double check your policy to make sure. 

In most cases you will need to pay for the treatment and then reclaim back from the insurers 

I aim to soothe areas of pain and then use exercises for you to do at home to prevent issues from rising again or to help maintain more chronic conditions.

Small changes to their environment and exercise regime can make massive improvements to their health. 

I have discounts for multi dog bookings and also if you would like to have a treatment before or after your dog. 

I like working with the dog... some will lay down and go to sleep and others need to be on the move. Sometimes when dogs release pain they need to fidget or move, I am quite happy for them to do this and work around them.  

What Happens at an Appointment?

Firstly veterinary permission is sought either by the owner or myself (if required). I also like to obtain any relevant medical history to help plan the session. 

On arrival, While the dog settles in, I will double check details and ask some more questions about the issue. I will also explain what physio will consist of for the particular condition. 

I will then assess the dog moving and statically, palpating different muscles and looking at how the joints move. Sometimes I like to assess and treat as I go, I find this allows the dog to relax. 

After treatment, I will suggest some exercises, modifications and the plan for the future. 

Testimonials 

“I can't thank Emily enough for helping my springer spaniel with a bicep injury. My dogs mean the world to me and Emily's patience coupled with her knowledge are a winning combination. Fingers crossed he heals fully and we won't be back for a while but I'm glad to have found this service and wouldn't hesitate to recommend and return.” 


“I twisted my knee a few months ago, and found myself in a lot of pain, which didn’t respond to pain relief or anti inflammatories. Thankfully on a friends recommendation I contacted Emily. After one treatment I was able to walk pretty much pain free, and after two more, my knee was back to normal again. I was so impressed that I asked Emily to look at my huntaway. Jasper has arthritis in his shoulder, elbow and back, and I was becoming increasingly worried about his mobility. Supplements and pain relief were not working. He started treatment on a weekly basis, and the improvement was amazing. Emily now comes once a fortnight, and Jasper is enjoying his farm life again. Emily is a true professional, she has never cancelled or changed an appointment. Not sure how she manages it but she has never been neither late or early, I could set my watch by her.”


"My dog (German Shepherd) became relaxed with Emily very quickly & allowed her to work on her to ease tension in her back & hind legs. She also followed Emily's requests to sit & stand on command. My dog & I will now explore some specific strengthening exercises recommended by Emily for fore & hind legs & report back."


"The treatment room was modern and clean and was well adapted to the needs of my dog. There was no pressure on him to settle in one place; he was encouraged to feel at home. This relieved his anxiety. Emily explained her findings as the treatment progressed. Woody looked thoroughly relaxed at the end of the treatment and was moving more freely."


"Our first visit to Emily went very well. My little dog - who had had major surgery - was super relaxed and very happy to be there. We were sent home with a good plan to work with and we are looking forward to our next visit."


"I wasn't sure what to expect from this appointment for my dog as we had not been to a physio before. Emily was absolutely brilliant! She put my dog at ease and was really patient when he was not sitting still. She talked me through the whole process. We now have exercises to do at home to continue his care, and I know if I need any help I can call her. Highly recommend! Thank you Emily!"


"It’s a joy to bring my dog. He loves the attention and Emily understands his quirky behaviour."


 "Vinnie is recovering from IVDD and Emily was recommended to me. This was our first visit and I was worried as Vinnie can be quite a handful. I could see Vinnie was happy being treated by Emily and that’s the biggest key. He was comfortable and she understood his quirky behaviour. She explained the treatment very well and loaned me equipment to help Vinnie till we get our own. I can see already that the treatment plan will give Vinnie a better quality of life." 


"Emily is great with my dogs. My older dog now greets her with a smile and  happily gets her treatment lying on her back wagging her tail. My younger dog is sensitive and she spent time on his first, recent visit making sure he was at ease and in a calm professional manner enabled him to get his treatment."


"My old dog, Billie, immediately responded positively to Emily.  Billie relaxed and allowed Emily to work her magic.  Billie is nearly 12 and a half but the physio treatment Emily performs leaves her more comfortable and moving more easily.  I'd thoroughly recommend Emily to other owners of old dogs suffering with osteo-arthritis."