Anna Pearce Animal Physiotherapy

17/05/2024

Hello social media world - it has been a minute!

When work and life are both busy, my Instagram and pages are often on the bottom of priority list. But my renewed aim is to post and share much more on here when it comes to my practice, whether it be case studies, research or anything interesting and relevant to the Animal Physiotherapy profession.

Whilst I continue working as a part-time human physiotherapist within Rehab at Flinders Medical Centre, I am still taking on new animal clients on Fridays. Please get in touch if you have questions regarding my service/what I do and how this could potentially benefit your four-legged family member ❤️

12/08/2021

Such an informative and evidence-based summary about cooling horses, which was especially apparent at the recent Tokyo Olympics 🙌🏻

COOLING HOT HORSES - THE STATE OF THE ART (UPDATED)

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As there has been a lot of discussion on this topic around the cooling of horses at the Tokyo Olympics I have added some more explanation and I'm reposting.

WHY DO WE NEED TO COOL HORSES AFTER EXERCISE OR IF THEY GET TOO HOT?
-Horses produce heat 3-5 times faster on a per kg basis than we do
-Although horses are 6-7 times heavier, they only have 2 to 2.5 times as much surface area
-The majority of heat (~85%) is lost at the body surface
-Heat loss is also impaired in horses because they are covered in hair
-Horses can sweat faster than any other animal
-Sweating is efficient but slow
-Cooling with cold water is fast
-When horses compete in hot climates they can struggle to cool down after
-We cool them down with cold water (less than 15°C/60°F) to reduce the risk of heat illness and because there is no advantage to them being hot and uncomfortable after exercising. The quicker they cool, the quicker they drink, eat and recover.
-The methods to cool them are now well understood.

Since Atlanta 1996 we have known that using continuous application of cold water (less than 15°C/60°F) all over the horses body without scraping is the most effective way to cool down horses that are moderately to severely hyperthermic (re**al temperature in excess of ~40°C/104°F), especially in hot or hot/humid conditions.

The sources for this evidence are:

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLISHED PAPERS
1) Williamson, L.S., White, S., Maykuth, P., Andrews, F., Sommerdahl, C. and Green, E. Comparison between two post exercise cooling methods. Equine Vet J., 27(S18), 337-340.
https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/7MBUJJWJZPVWQKTNIJWN?target=10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb04948.x

2) Marlin, D. J., Scott, C. M., Roberts, C. A., Casas, I., Holah, G., & Schroter, R. C. (1998). Post exercise changes in compartmental body temperature accompanying intermittent cold water cooling in the hyperthermic horse. Equine veterinary journal, 30(1), 28–34.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9458396/

3) Kohn, C.W., Hinchcliff, K.W. and McKeever, K.H. (1999) Evaluation of washing with cold water to facilitate heat dissipation in horses exercised in hot, humid conditions. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 01 Mar 1999, 60(3):299-305. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10188810/

4) Takahashi, Y., Ohmura, H., Mukai, K., Shiose, T., & Takahashi, T. (2020). A Comparison of Five Cooling Methods in Hot and Humid Environments in Thoroughbred Horses. Journal of equine veterinary science, 91, 103130.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32684268/

5) Kang, H., Zsoldos, R.R., Skinner, J.E., Gaughan, J.B. and Guitart, A.S. (2021) Comparison of post-exercise cooling methods in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 100 (2021) 103485
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103485

DATA COLLECTED & ANALYSED AT
a) Atlanta 1995 Olympic Test Event
b) Atlanta 1996 Olympics
c) Athens 2003 Olympic Test Event
d) Athens 2004 Olympics
e) Beijing 2007 Olympic Test Event
f) Beijing 2008 Olympics
g) Tryon 2018 World Equestrian Games
h) Tokyo 2019 Olympic Test Event
i) Tokyo 2020(1) Olympic Games Dressage and Eventing

Cooling hot horses with cold water DOES NOT
1) cause muscle damage
2) cause laminitis
3) induce shock
4) give horses heart attacks
5) prevent them from cooling by constriction of skin blood flow

Water left on horses DOES NOT
1) insulate and prevent heat loss
2) cause them to overheat

It is NOT MORE EFFECTIVE TO
1) start at the feet and work up
2) scrape water off whilst cooling (it causes them to warm up)
3) focus on large blood vessels
4) cover the horse with wet towels
5) place ice on large blood vessels near the surface such as the jugular veins or femoral arteries
6) put ice in the re**um
7) rely on misting fans

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12/08/2021

Always a joy to see this one!
Winter is a mature GSD who gets regular ‘maintenance’ physiotherapy to keep her moving comfortably and enjoying life with her family, which includes horses, cats and a new sister pup.
This photo was taken as I arrived in the home, with Maui and Merlot inspecting the space before the session started 🤣🐈

15/04/2021

🐴 Equine Sacroiliac Pain 🐴
Pain in the Sacroiliac (SI) region can manifest in different ways; have a look at the images to read the common signs your horse may show when there could be an SI problem.

14/04/2021

Introducing Luke 😍
This handsome black Labrador has regular physiotherapy treatment sessions to keep him comfortable and moving well.
Whilst physiotherapy is often recognised for specific post-surgery and post-injury rehabilitation, there are also numerous benefits for physiotherapy in the treatment of chronic (‘older’ underlying) conditions or as a maintenance therapy for your beloved dog.
Get in touch if you ever want to find out how physiotherapy input could benefit your animal!

18/02/2021

This article from the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) highlights what a registered human and animal physiotherapist is and what sets us apart in terms of our qualification route and standards of clinical practice.

I'm passionate about my profession and love that as a fully qualified physiotherapist I am able to apply my knowledge, experience and skillset to both my human and animal clients.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is aware of many instances where practitioners claiming to perform physiotherapy on animals have no such qualification or skill.

14/02/2021

How incredible is animal physiotherapy?!

I’ve heard from colleagues about their involvement with ‘other animals’ (compared to our more usual horses, dogs and cats), including the physio treatment of a zebra, a llama, a Komodo dragon and even an ostrich!

So wonderful to see how physiotherapy input and creative rehabilitation has helped this beautiful cheetah 🐆

11/02/2021

The animal health industry is currently inundated with so many animal therapists and different types of therapies that sometimes it can be confusing in choosing who (and what type of therapy) is best to meet your animal’s healthcare and performance needs.
My advice would be to always reach out to the animal therapist and have an open conversation about what they do and their specific qualifications, as well as who they are regulated by in terms of a professional body or group. Also chat about the evidence and research behind the therapy/treatment modalities that they offer.
As a physiotherapist in animal therapy, I have completed a 4-year Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physiotherapy to qualify as a human physiotherapist. Registered with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), I adhere to strict codes of clinical practice and maintain continuing professional development as part of my registration. I have then completed further postgraduate training in animal physiotherapy in the UK. Completing the gold standard qualification route, I can confidently apply my knowledge, skills and experience to both humans and animals.
I work under veterinary referral/veterinary consent, working in partnership with the veterinary team, thus ensuring your animal gets the best holistic care. As a physiotherapist, I only practise within my scope and am fully insured to treat both humans and animals.
It’s very important to note that physiotherapy is not a procedure or type of treatment, but a process of assessment, clinical reasoning and selecting the appropriate treatment modality/technique for a presenting dysfunction. All assessments and treatments are guided and selected by the most current and up-to-date evidence.
Within my practice I use a combination of treatment techniques, including manual therapies, electrotherapy (including LASER, TENS and NMES) and exercise therapy/prescription and rehab, as well as ongoing education and partnership with the animal owner.
I am passionate about my ‘job’ because I can use my knowledge and skillset to help restore function and quality of life in both my human and animal clients. I have learnt and seen that physiotherapists within animal healthcare can significantly enhance the results achieved by veterinary medicine.
If you have any questions about what animal physiotherapists do please reach out!

06/02/2021

One of my star clients at the moment. Introducing Henry, the gorgeous brown Burmese cat, who is soon to celebrate his 19th birthday!
I’ve been seeing Henry for regular physiotherapy input, with treatments aimed at maintaining comfort and mobility.
I always look forward to seeing this gentle soul!

04/02/2021

04/02/2021

I was fortunate enough to complete some of my small animal clinical placement hours under the amazing Nicky Grant & Associates when I was completing my animal physiotherapy training in the UK. She’s written a very informative article about ball throwing for your dog and the potential harm and injuries associated. Very much worth a read!

On nearly every walk I take my dogs on I see other dogs and dog walkers and at this time of year they all look pretty similar. Buried in a wooly hat and scarf, wellies, waterproofs, carrying a ball launcher. If I could educate people on one thing about owning a dog , repetitive ball chasing would be...

25/12/2020

Merry Christmas! 🎄❤️
Wishing everyone a blessed and good festive season with their loved ones.
I’m indescribably grateful to all my 4-legged clients (and their owners / families) this year. I’ve had the privilege of being involved in the recovery and rehabilitation of horses, dogs, cats, and even a koala, in these first few months of my animal physiotherapy practice opening here in Adelaide.
Looking forward to many more positive physio outcomes and progress stories in 2021 🐶🐱🐴🐨