Poorlypaws Veterinary Chartered Physiotherapist

Poorlypaws Veterinary Chartered Physiotherapist I’m a Chartered Physiotherapist, (ACPAT) specialising in the treatment of cats & dogs.

Having worked at Fitzpatrick Referrals (The Supervet) for 8 yrs, I have extensive knowledge & experience of treating small animals with a range of conditions.

Two days later and the legs are finally starting to forgive me! 😅On Sunday, I took on the Dartmoor Marathon—the first ti...
14/04/2026

Two days later and the legs are finally starting to forgive me! 😅
On Sunday, I took on the Dartmoor Marathon—the first time this race has been run in 40 years. It was 26.2 miles of incredible views, brutal hills, and a lot of heart. 🏔️🏃‍♂️
I ran this for two causes very close to home: Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) and Brain Tumour Research, in memory of our dear colleague, Jane. Knowing that every mile was helping to fund life-saving research and support our local rescue volunteers kept me moving when those hills got tough.16 of us started and 16 of us finished and 10 of us had never done a marathon before.
A massive thank you to everyone who cheered, volunteered, and donated. We are so close to our fundraising goal! If you’d like to support, there is still time to donate here: https://gvwhl.com/AHDYN 🎗️❤️

@

Q: Can you spot the injured leg?Did you know 38% of dogs will be affected by arthritis?For dogs over 8 years it’s estima...
05/08/2025

Q: Can you spot the injured leg?
Did you know 38% of dogs will be affected by arthritis?
For dogs over 8 years it’s estimated that 80% of dogs have arthritis

Dogs are clever! They can appear to run on an injured or arthritic leg by compensating with their other limbs and shifting their weight from their sore leg.
This might involve holding the injured leg slightly off the ground, using a shorter stride, or favouring other limbs for support. It's important to remember that this behaviour doesn't mean the dog isn't in pain; they are simply compensating to the injury or arthritis.

By the time your dog starts to limp because of arthritis, they probably have had the condition for months if not years. You want to catch the disease as early as possible and make a note if you spot any of these signs:

1. Trouble sleeping or fidgeting and can’t quite get comfortable,
2. Less playful with you or other animals,
3. Looking stiff when they get up,
4. Not jumping in or out of cars or onto sofas or climbing stairs liked they used to,
5. Limping after exercise,
6. More sensitive or more vocal being touched or more irritable

A trip to your vet to find out what’s wrong, rest and pain relief medication usually does the trick and your dog will feel better. But the compensatory mechanisms that your dog has adopted over the months/years can still be there. This results in the injured leg getting even weaker even if they’re not in pain and put a strain on their other joints and the spine.
I have treated so many dogs that have been diagnosed with arthritis and have been given pain relief medication and the owners have started them on joint supplements but very few are referred to physio. This is such a shame as we can address the early compensatory mechanism and rebalance your dog’s movement and reach their full potential whatever their age. And ultimately give your dog a better quality and pain free life.
Arthritis management is complex, weight, diet, the right type of exercise, including hydrotherapy or underwater treadmill; avoiding certain activities and making minor home adjustments such as raising their food bowls can make such a difference. Every dog is unique and they have their own set of symptoms.
Sometimes all it takes is one visit to a physio to have an assessment, advice and a bespoke exercise programme is all that’s needed.

A: He has injured his right leg and the left leg is taking more weight

Thank you for reading.

Q: Can you spot the injured leg?Did you know 38% of dogs will be affected by arthritis?For dogs over 8 years it’s estim...
05/08/2025

Q: Can you spot the injured leg?
Did you know 38% of dogs will be affected by arthritis?
For dogs over 8 years it’s estimated that 80% of dogs have arthritis
Dogs are clever! They can appear to run on an injured or arthritic leg by compensating with their other limbs and shifting their weight from their sore leg.
This might involve holding the injured leg slightly off the ground, using a shorter stride, or favouring other limbs for support. It's important to remember that this behaviour doesn't mean the dog isn't in pain; they are simply compensating to the injury or arthritis.
By the time your dog starts to limp because of arthritis, they probably have had the condition for months if not years. You want to catch the disease as early as possible and make a note if you spot any of these signs:

1. Trouble sleeping or fidgeting and can’t quite get comfortable,
2. Less playful with you or other animals,
3. Looking stiff when they get up,
4. Not jumping in or out of cars or onto sofas or climbing stairs liked they used to,
5. Limping after exercise,
6. More sensitive or more vocal being touched or more irritable

A trip to your vet to find out what’s wrong, rest and pain relief medication usually does the trick and your dog will feel better. But the compensatory mechanisms that your dog has adopted over the months/years can still be there. This results in the injured leg getting even weaker even if they’re not in pain and put a strain on their other joints and the spine.
I have treated so many dogs that have been diagnosed with arthritis and have been given pain relief medication and the owners have started them on joint supplements but very few are referred to physio. This is such a shame as we can address the early compensatory mechanism and rebalance your dog’s movement and reach their full potential whatever their age. And ultimately give your dog a better quality and pain free life.
Arthritis management is complex, weight, diet, the right type of exercise, including hydrotherapy or underwater treadmill; avoiding certain activities and making minor home adjustments such as raising their food bowls can make such a difference. Every dog is unique and they have their own set of symptoms.
Sometimes all it takes is one visit to a physio to have an assessment, advice and a bespoke exercise programme is all that’s needed.

A: He's injured his right leg and the left leg is taking more of the weight
Thank you for reading

Did you know 38% of dogs will be affected by arthritis?For dogs over 8 years it’s estimated that 80% of dogs have arthri...
05/08/2025

Did you know 38% of dogs will be affected by arthritis?
For dogs over 8 years it’s estimated that 80% of dogs have arthritis
Dogs are clever! They can appear to run on an injured or arthritic leg by compensating with their other limbs and shifting their weight from their sore leg.
This might involve holding the injured leg slightly off the ground, using a shorter stride, or favouring other limbs for support. It's important to remember that this behaviour doesn't mean the dog isn't in pain; they are simply compensating to the injury or arthritis.

By the time your dog starts to limp because of arthritis, they probably have had the condition for months if not years. You want to catch the disease as early as possible and make a note if you spot any of these signs:

1. Trouble sleeping or fidgeting and can’t quite get comfortable,
2. Less playful with you or other animals,
3. Looking stiff when they get up,
4. Not jumping in or out of cars or onto sofas or climbing stairs liked they used to,
5. Limping after exercise,
6. More sensitive or more vocal being touched or more irritable

A trip to your vet to find out what’s wrong, rest and pain relief medication usually does the trick and your dog will feel better. But the compensatory mechanisms that your dog has adopted over the months/years can still be there. This results in the injured leg getting even weaker even if they’re not in pain and put a strain on their other joints and the spine.
I have treated so many dogs that have been diagnosed with arthritis and have been given pain relief medication and the owners have started them on joint supplements but very few are referred to physio. This is such a shame as we can address the early compensatory mechanism and rebalance your dog’s movement and reach their full potential whatever their age. And ultimately give your dog a better quality and pain free life.
Arthritis management is complex, weight, diet, the right type of exercise, including hydrotherapy or underwater treadmill; avoiding certain activities and making minor home adjustments such as raising their food bowls can make such a difference. Every dog is unique and they have their own set of symptoms.
Sometimes all it takes is one visit to a physio to have an assessment, advice and a bespoke exercise programme is all that’s needed.
Thank you for reading.

Can you spot which is the injured leg?

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Broad Park, Coryton
Okehampton
EX204AA

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