Apollo Animal Physiotherapy & Hydrotherapy

31/07/2026

We recently had a staff training day where the focus was on this exactly. All of our treatment plans are based around specific tissue healing timelines, with consideration to the individual animal's other signalment. This helps to create a custom plan with goals based on their unique case ❤️

TISSUE HEALING⁣
⁣Great post by Dr. Stacie Barber | Physio + Strength + Mobility:
"🤕When an individual sustains an injury, one of the first questions asked is, “How long will it take until I am back to normal?” The difficult part of injuries is that there are certain components of them we are unable to control, such as our age, the type of tissue that was injured, blood supply to a specific tissue, and the extent of damage that was done.⁣
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🙌However, what we can control is enhancing our understanding of tissue healing, and how to optimize healing times by avoiding factors that could slow the normal healing process.⁣
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As our bodies go through the healing process we go through 3 key phases of recovery, here is a quick breakdown:

1️⃣ Inflammatory Phase (0-7 days): The body’s immediate response to injury: swelling, redness, & sometimes pain.

2️⃣ Proliferative Phase (7-21 days): New tissue begins to form. Movement & direct tissue loading is key during these next two phases.

3️⃣ Remodeling Phase (3 weeks to 12 months): The new tissue strengthens & matures. Gradual return to full activity is important to prevent re-injury. 🏋️‍♀️

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‼️It’s important to note that different tissues heal at different rates! And more importantly, the severity of the injury also impacts the length of recovery. You’ll notice that the range of healing times is quite large! So please - respect that you may recover faster or slower than your friend with the “same injury”.

There are so many factors that go into recovery - but a good understand of tissue healing timelines is definitely the place to start for both clinicians & patients."

30/07/2026

Misty in for her special birthday physio session yesterday ! With a badge, a rosette, a medal, AND a party hat she really knows how to get all the attention

27/07/2026

Bentley dressed the part after his first hydrotherapy session!

Bentley is currently attending hydrotherapy sessions alongside his physiotherapy plan to soothe his arthritic joints and improve his flexibility and strength while using the water properties of thermotherapy, buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure (gentle water compression) to support him, feel relaxed and comfortable.

21/07/2026

Merlin wins the award for waggiest tail 🐶

Regular physiotherapy and hydrotherapy have helped Merlin build strength, improve mobility and flexibility, and boost his body confidence, awareness, and muscle mass. Having reached his goals, he's now reducing his sessions to manage his condition long-term.

18/07/2026

For many years, decompressive surgery has been considered the treatment of choice for non-ambulatory dogs with thoracolumbar IVDD.

But is that truly the case?

A prospective cohort study from the University of Cambridge suggests that the question of conservative vs surgical management for IVDD isn't quite as straightforward as we may have thought.

Researchers followed 72 small, non-brachycephalic dogs that were managed conservatively after acute thoracolumbar disc extrusion.

Their findings are exciting:
• 96% of dogs that still had deep pain sensation regained the ability to walk within 12 weeks.
• 48% of dogs that had lost deep pain sensation also regained ambulation in 12 weeks.
• Recovery occurred even in some dogs with severe spinal cord compression, and was not dependent on complete resolution of the compression seen on MRI.

This doesn't mean surgery is no longer indicated. Surgery remains an important treatment option and may still be the best choice for many patients.

What this study does suggest is that conservative management should not automatically be viewed as a poor alternative when surgery isn't possible because of financial, geographic or medical constraints. For many dogs, it represents a realistic treatment pathway with the potential for positive outcomes.

As always, treatment decisions should be made on an individual basis, considering the dog's neurological status, imaging findings, overall health and the goals of the family.

Reference:
Khan S, Jeffery ND, Freeman P. Recovery of ambulation in small, nonbrachycephalic dogs after conservative management of acute thoracolumbar disk extrusion. J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2603-2611. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17149. Epub 2024 Jul 25. PMID: 39051966; PMCID: PMC11423491.

July is IVDD Awareness Month - be sure to tag us in your success stories, educational posts and more so that we can share them on!!


Paw Prosper Walkin' Pets Help Em Up Harness FitPaws

17/07/2026

✅ Our therapists are registered with IRVAP, ICH, RAMP + NAVP 🙏
✅ All dogs who come to us will have veterinary consent. We communicate our findings with the vet team and work closely with each vet practice.
✅ We are members of the dog welfare alliance - which means we are a force-free practice.
✅ Every dog has a thorough assessment and tailor made treatment programme that is focused our their pathology, presentation, functional limitations, and the end goals for you as their owner.
✅ Our practice is physiotherapist-led, meaning each dog has a neuro- musculoskeletal expert directing your dog's care.

If you want to find out more, pop us a message or visit apolloanimalphysio.com

⚕️🐩♥️🤲🐕‍🦺

13/07/2026

13/07/2026

Myth: "Integrative therapies like hydrotherapy or clinical massage are just optional 'luxury spa treatments' for dogs."

THE FACT: They are essential, evidence-backed medical interventions. Arthritis may begin in a single joint, but it quickly becomes a whole-body disease. Because dogs naturally alter their posture and movement patterns to shift weight away from chronic pain, they develop severe secondary muscle soreness, tension, and joint stiffness elsewhere.

The Takeaway: Physical therapies don't just pamper a companion; they actively manage this compensatory pain, improve lubricating joint fluid movement, and safely preserve functional range of motion to slow down structural declines.