Lancashire Canine Hydrotherapy

14/12/2025

‼️ Do you want to know what the latest evidence is on cruciate injuries in dogs and why your dog should be referred to physiotherapy early? Carr, Levine and marcellin-Little 2025 have written “best practice in physical rehabilitation after cranial cruciate ligament injury in dogs”

And here is what they found:

🐾 Rehab should be tailored to the patients needs and constantly reassessed and adapted as they progress

🐾 Early rehabilitation in humans and dogs improves patient outcomes

🐾 Acute phase rehabilitation (up to 72 hours post op) aims to reduce pain, swelling and disuse.

🐾 Manual therapy including soft tissue techniques should begin immediately after surgery (some specialist centres have in patient physiotherapy but not all and others send you home with some instructions)

🐾 Therapeutic exercise is the hallmark of cruciate rehabilitation and if included improves outcomes, this includes a home exercise program! This also includes but is not limited to hydrotherapy.

🐾 Return to sport/activity/work requires specific conditioning exercises that replicate the movement and function required for the task. This must be relevant and specific and replicate the task

So how does this impact JW physiotherapy practise?

👉 Well mostly I now have some literature to send to a vet when the owner is enquiring about physiotherapy post surgery or when the vet is delaying physiotherapy intervention.

👉 early referrals can always be made to support you and your dog with this after they return home and it’s never too early. This won’t be exercise based at first but will be aimed at reducing pain, swelling and minimising muscle loss.

👉 I do not use protocols for rehab, I am guided by the healing process, the surgery and the dog infront of me and the outcomes that are expected at each stage of the healing process. This enables me to design a suitable and specific and relevant program for your animal. This also enables me to identify if something is not going well earlier and I can speak to your surgeon to address these concerns.

👉 I use objective measures in my assessment and monitoring process these functional measures can be used as a guide to return to sport/activity/work.

13/12/2025

Milo 💙🐾 New boy on the block is Milo, a 3 and a half year old springer spaniel who has been diagnosed with bilateral medial luxating patellas. This means both of his kneecaps are not tracking correctly in the patella groove. And a common mistake, dogs only have knees in their back legs! And they aren't where alot of people think they are 🤣

Milo is loading through the front of his body, using his forelimbs more than he should, to take the weight away from those hindlimbs. His treadmill sessions will encourage him to establish a more balanced natural gait pattern as the buoyancy of the water enables him to use the full range of motion through his joints meaning his muscles are having to work harder. Building muscle will help to support his knees - there's alot going on in that treadmill tank 💙🐾

Milo is a lovely dog to work with 💙🐾

13/12/2025

Emma has been busy wrapping our shoeboxes for Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary 🐾💙

We have absolutely smashed last year's total, which I'll confirm once we are finished - we are hoping to take them over at the end of next week so any last bits anyone would like to donate please bring to your session before Friday 🐾💙

12/12/2025

12/12/2025

Kye 🌈🐾💙 The most beautiful powdered sugar faced boy has gone to sleep - at the amazing age of about 15, we're not exactly sure as he was a rescue. I have been treating Kye, a Staffie cross, for many years across two Centres and he was one of those dogs who just did so, so well with hydrotherapy. It felt at times like he wasn't ageing at all. His wonderfully dedicated owners kept his sessions going consistently despite welcoming two children into the family. I appreciate how hard it can be to juggle working full time and family life, but they never let Kye miss his "spa days". I will miss them all very much. Sweet dreams Kye 🌈🐾💙

11/12/2025

We recently lost a wonderful owner, taken far too soon. As a gesture a donation was made on behalf of Lancashire Canine Hydrotherapy to the Hospice. They sent a lovely letter back with some seeds to plant, which I will do in our planter outside the Centre when the spring arrives. Sending love to the family 💙🌈🐾

11/12/2025

CEO Oliver has an announcement.... he was 15 years and 10 months old yesterday, so he is now even more important so listen up 🐾💙

His mum (me) has been poorly for the last 3 weeks battling flu and an ear infection. But has shown up for work every day so as not to let anyone down. The diary is fully booked for the next 2 weeks, and extra hours and days are being worked to fit everyone in. What can you do to help?

Turn up! Forgetting your appointment not only costs you (24 hours notice otherwise full session price payable as per T&C's) but it also puts an impossible strain on the diary when you want to rebook. There will be no space to rebook before Christmas if you forget! There is no excuse. You get a reminder email 2 days before. Please read it. If you don't get the email please let me know so I can check I have the correct address on the system 🐾💙

I can't tell you how frustrating it is when I'm turning up to work despite being poorly and owners can't even keep their appointments. We are all busy. Please be organised 📖

Oliver says thank you 🐾💙

07/12/2025

Frank the Staffie would like to introduce a new teeny tiny member of the team. His baby human brother Rueben arrived safely this week 👶

Huge congratulations to the family. I am so privileged to work with my lovely clients through so many life events. And Frank's owner has had a career change, moved house and had a baby whilst I have been treating Frank - first rehabilitation sessions and now maintenance sessions 🐾💙

I can't wait to meet baby Reuben, but I'm better with puppies so will coo from the sidelines 😆🥰

06/12/2025

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06/12/2025

Rudy 🐾❤️ Rudy is a beautiful American Staffordshire Terrier and she has been referred to with a diagnosis of medial coronoid disease following a period of forelimb lameness. Rudy has had a bilateral arthroscopy (both elbows) which is a type of keyhole surgery. A small endoscope is inserted into the joint and provides a detailed view of the surfaces of the joint, and enables the removal of any damaged cartilage or bone fragments 🐾❤️

Rudy is now having hydrotherapy sessions to help her to build her muscles back up to support her elbows, improve her range of motion and hopefully get her back to full fitness very soon 🐾❤️

05/12/2025

FULLY BOOKED!

The diary is now full for the remaining few weeks before LCH closes for the Christmas break, however I am running a cancellation for existing clients 🐾💙

We will be closed from lunchtime on Christmas Eve, and I'm working extra days and hours to fit everyone in before I have a much needed 2 week break. Please please please can all of my wonderful clients;

🐾 Be on time - Bury gets very busy during the run up to Christmas with shopppers so the roads will be more congested than usual

🐾 Give 24 hours notice to cancel an appointment - this means I can rearrange the diary to make my workload/time more efficient (less than 24 hours notice will incurr the full session cost being payable as per T&C's)

🐾 Be patient if a session runs over - I know alot of the dogs are keen to come in and see me, but if the door to the treadmill room is closed please wait for me to call you in - I need a few minutes between appointments to prepare

I work on my own most of the time, and when the diary is so busy it's blooming hard work! 🐾💙

PRESENT IDEAS - Coffee and Radox bubble bath 🤣🤣🤣

Photo of Derek looking utterly adorable to get your attention 🐾💙

04/12/2025

Thursday 💙🐾 And what a lovely day it has been so far, with three of my beautiful Rottweilers in for sessions. All of these amazing boys weigh between 45kg to 55kg and are gentle, kind and loving in temperament. Never be afraid of a big dog, take the time to chat to the owner and be introduced to the dog correctly 💙🐾

Conditions being treated include TPLO surgery rehabilitation, osteoarthritis and elbow dysplasia 💙🐾

Moose 💙
Parker 💙
Reggie 💙