Recharge Veterinary Physiotherapy

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Recharge Veterinary Physiotherapy

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Lana Charge
MVetPhys, CCBW, Cat Friendly Professional
Essex📍
RAMP accredited✅
Specialising in small animal post operative /injury rehabilitation🐕🐈‍⬛
Meeting both physical and mental needs for happy pets❤️
Veterinary experience🩺🐶
Lecturer at ARU👩‍🎓 Accredited by the National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists (NAVP) and the Register of Musculoskeletal Animal Practitioners (RAMP), assuring the highest standards of physiotherapy.

17/02/2026

A glimpse of Spring between endless rain showers! We don’t know about you but a little bit of sunshine, spring flowers in bloom and birds singing has us ready for the Spring season🌷🌿🌼

14/02/2026

Happy Valentine’s Day!❤️

What is your dog’s love language? Holly’s is definitely gift giving, but she’s also keen on words of affirmation and very helpful acts of service too🐾

Let us know what your dog or cat’s love language is in the comments!🫶🏼

11/02/2026

Sensory enrichment is all about tapping into the way our animals perceive the world. By intentionally stimulating the five senses—Smell, Sight, Sound, Taste, and Touch—we can reduce boredom, lower stress, and make their daily lives much more vibrant.

🐶 Dogs experience the world primarily through their noses, but their other senses are just as keen.

🐈Cats are finely tuned to detect the slightest movement or scent, making sensory enrichment vital for their predatory drive.

🐴As prey animals, horses are incredibly sensitive to their environment. Sensory enrichment helps them feel safe and engaged.

Here are some ways to engage the five senses for dogs, cats and horses.

09/02/2026

Social enrichment is all about the power of connection. For our animals, being "social" isn't just about playing—it’s about feeling safe within a group, communicating effectively, and building trust with both their own kind and their human companions.

🐶Dogs are famously social, but enrichment should focus on quality of interaction over quantity.

🐈Cats are often misunderstood as "loners," but they are actually very socially nuanced.

🐴For a horse, social interaction is a biological necessity. Isolation is one of their biggest stressors.

Here are some ways to foster better social connections for dogs, cats and horses.

06/02/2026

Environmental enrichment focuses on the physical space your animal lives in. The goal is to move beyond basic needs and create a functional area that encourages natural movement and exploration. By improving their surroundings, we help our pets feel more secure and give them the freedom to behave as they would in nature.

🐶A dog's environment should offer a mix of high-comfort "den" spaces and sensory-rich exploration zones.

🐈For cats, the floor is the least interesting part of the room. They live in a 3D world and need to climb to feel safe.

🐴Horses are designed to travel miles a day. Environmental enrichment for them is about breaking the "square paddock" monotony.

Here are some ways to improve the physical surroundings for dogs, cats, and horses.

04/02/2026

Mental enrichment is like a workout for the brain—it tires them out way more effectively than a long walk ever could! By combining cognitive (problem-solving) and occupational (having a "job") enrichment, we give our pets a sense of purpose and a chance to use their natural intelligence.

🐶Dogs thrive when they have a task to complete. It taps into their working heritage.

🐈Cats are ambush predators; their "job" is usually centred around the hunt and territory management.

🐴Horses are incredibly observant and benefit from tasks that break up the monotony of the field or stable.

Here are some ways to get those gears turning for dogs, cats and horses.

02/02/2026

What does the word enrichment mean to you?

Enrichment is a word used a lot when talking about the wellbeing of our pets. But what does it actually mean, and why is it important?

Put simply, enrichment encompasses the idea of adding value to something. How can we add value to our animals' lives to make them infinitely better? This goes beyond food games and puzzle feeders. Done correctly, enrichment can transform our pets daily lives to enhance welfare, encourage natural behaviors and give them choice and control within their environment.

Over the next few days we will explore different types of enrichment and how you can make small changes at home to add huge value for your pets.

29/01/2026

If animals could talk, what would they say?...💭

26/01/2026

Are injuries accidents?

As vet physios we see a lot of injuries ranging in severity within our practice. Often, these are described as being very sudden in nature eg.

“We were out for a walk and he was running around, then all of a sudden he yelped and couldn’t put his leg to the ground”

Or

“He jumped off the sofa when the doorbell rang as he always does, then just like that he couldn't use his back legs anymore”

However, when we start to speak with the owner about what happened, they often tell us that they had noticed some little signs well before the traumatic injury took place, that they either thought nothing of at the time, or didn't want to acknowledge:

“Well I had noticed him being a bit slower and stiffer to rise in the morning, but I just put it down to getting older”

“A couple of months ago he was a bit wobbly on the way home from our walk, but I thought he was just tired”

Now the question we will never know the answer to for sure is had we acted sooner could we have prevented the traumatic injury occurring altogether. But what we do know is that very rarely does an injury just happen out of the blue. More commonly, what started as a little imbalance or weakness somewhere, alters posture and movement, putting pressure on other structures whilst strength is lost in the unused tissues. Over time, something has to give, and when the last straw does, what do we see? A sudden, traumatic injury.

Do you have any experience with this? Let us know your thoughts!

23/01/2026

We are proud to say we have raised £265 For in our Christmas fundraiser this year!

This will enable StreetVet’s fantastic veterinary professionals to provide life changing care to homeless dogs in need of their help this year.

Thank you everyone for your kind donations - we, the lovely dogs and people living on the streets are so grateful💛

Our donation page will remain open until 31st January, linked here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/lana-charge-1?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

20/01/2026

Last up is Standing & Giving Paw (Bird Dog)!

This exercise is a brilliant way to work on your dog’s balance and "proprioception" (their body's awareness of where it is in space). By asking your dog to lift one paw while standing, you are forcing them to stabilise their weight on the remaining legs.

The Muscles Worked:

💪Core (Obliques & Abdominals): These engage to prevent the torso from tilting or wobbling while the paw is lifted.

💪Shoulder Stabilisers: The muscles of the supporting front leg work overtime to keep the shoulder joint secure.

💪Hip Abductors: These engage on the back legs to prevent the hips from swaying to the side.

💪Biceps & Brachialis: These muscles in the lifted arm work to flex the elbow and hold the paw up.

The Joints Involved:

🦴Supporting Shoulder & Elbow: These joints manage the increased weight shift, building strength in the surrounding ligaments.

🦴The Carpus (Wrist): The wrist of the supporting leg acts as a steady pillar, improving joint stability.

🦴Hips: The hip joints on the ground must remain steady to counterbalance the movement in the front.

⚠️ Safety First:

Surface Matters: Always perform these exercises on a non-slip surface, such as a yoga mat or a sturdy rug. Doing exercises on hardwood or tile floors can cause your dog’s paws to slide out, which leads to muscle strains rather than muscle gains!

Get Checked Out: If your dog is currently lame, stiff, or recovering from an injury, please consult with your vet before trying these exercises. Safety is our top priority!

18/01/2026

Next up are Tricep Dips!

This exercise is specifically designed to target the front assembly. Since dogs carry the majority of their weight on their front legs, building strong "push-off" power in the shoulders and elbows is essential for overall mobility.

The Muscles Worked:

💪Triceps Brachii: Located on the back of the upper arm, these are the primary muscles responsible for straightening the elbow and supporting the body's weight.

💪Shoulder Stabilisers: These muscles (including the supraspinatus) wrap around the shoulder joint to keep it secure and steady during the "dip."

💪Pectorals: These chest muscles work to keep the front legs tucked in and prevent the elbows from flaring out.

💪Serratus Ventralis: This acts as a muscular "sling," supporting the trunk of the body between the two front shoulder blades.

The Joints Involved:

🦴Elbows: The star of this exercise! The elbows move through a controlled range of motion to build strength in the surrounding tendons.

🦴Shoulders: This joint must remain stable and centered as the dog's center of gravity shifts downward.

🦴Carpus (Wrists): These maintain a strong, fixed position to provide a solid base of support for the front end.

⚠️ Safety First:

Surface Matters: Always perform these exercises on a non-slip surface, such as a yoga mat or a sturdy rug. Doing exercises on hardwood or tile floors can cause your dog’s paws to slide out, which leads to muscle strains rather than muscle gains!

Get Checked Out: If your dog is currently lame, stiff, or recovering from an injury, please consult with your vet before trying these exercises. Safety is our top priority!

Address

Braintree

Telephone

+447511806412

Website

http://www.rechargeveterinaryphysiotherapy.co.uk/

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