Many of our therapy patients are older animals with musculoskeletal ailments and it's not always easy to see if your companion may be suffering in silence since dogs are experts at hiding pain!
Some signs that your dog may be experiencing pain or discomfort are:
Follow the progress of one of my doggy clients, Kelly (13 year old) Kelpie. Kelly was a rescue dog so her age is an approximation. Kelly had a long standing injury to her hind quarters that conventional veterinary treatment had not been able to help. Her owner was starting to think the kindest thing might be to put her to sleep to end her suffering.
The video shows her before Bowen therapy commenced in January 2019 and then the progress after each of her bowen therapy sessions.
Kelly had 3 treatments 1 week apart and then a 12 day break before her 4th treatment to allow her body time to heal and respond.
The difference is amazing and her owner loves that she now has a new dog!
Update: Kelly is still going strong over 4 years later and still comes to see me for tuneups as needed.
Bonnie is an 8 year old English Pointer who had an acute spinal injury 3 weeks before I saw her, which left her partially paralysed in her hindquarters with very poor proprioception.
She likely had some contributing degeneration in her lumbar/back area prior to the injury.
She’d been to the vet where spinal surgery was discussed but her owner had opted for a holistic plan as she understands how much body work therapies can achieve due to her own past experiences with injuries.
Bonnie had 3 sessions of Bowen and Emmett therapy with me to help her recovery along and she also had some chiropractic treatments as well.
She was like a new girl at her 3rd appointment. She was much more stable and able to stand quite easily and squarely with much improved mobility along with a steadier gait. Her proprioception had improved out of sight too!
With a combination of Bowen therapy, cold laser therapy and chiropractic treatment she has regained full use of her hindquarters. She has a treatment with me every now and then to keep everything working as it should be, including cold laser therapy. Bonnie is now doing so well that she goes for daily 5 klm runs with her mum and is very steady on her feet.
Layla is a 13 year old little Pugalier who is struggling with arthritis, muscle wastage/weakness and weak shaky back legs. She also suffers from Addison's Disease which is known as the "great pretender" because its clinical signs can mimic those of many other ailments, so poor little Layla has a lot going on!
Layla has had many positive changes after beginning treatments!
After just one session she was much brighter and able to walk better and wasn’t miserable anymore.
After 2 treatments Layla began to play with her toys again after months and months of zero playfulness.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀After her 3rd session she was able to get up on the couch and climb up on the headrest as well which she had stopped being able to do quite some time ago.
Her coat is looking and feeling better, her ears aren’t as gunky and smelly as before and her loose patella is staying in position as the soft tissue structures surrounding her patella are strengthening.
She’s also not eating poop as much as she was which is something that her owners are thrilled about!
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Needless to say that darling Layla is much happier and so is her family!!
Tori was a very sweet 14 year old Rotweiler mix. Tori had been unable to get herself up for weeks and she had been extremely lame with some disc deterioration and inflammation affecting her mobility along with arthritis and an old injury hindering movement in her hindquarters.
She had her first treatment laying down, while I needed help to turn her over as she is a large girl, to allow me to work on each side of her body.
I received a lovely message from her owner the next morning reporting a marked improvement with her now being able to get herself upright and walking much better.
She’s gone from not being able to get herself up at all and needing to be hoisted up and carried, barely able to hobble around, to being able to get herself up and go for little walks around the garden, she even walked over to say hello to the post man the other day! She greeted me excitedly at the door when I arrived for her treatments and followed me around. Tori had regular treatments with me until her passing from old age. The improvement in her quality of life and her mobility were remarkable and very rewarding. Her owners were thrilled with her progress.
