JJ is a 5 year old female border collie. Successfully rehabilitated over many months due to her dedicated owner, after multiple pelvic and limb fractures, and a herniated bladder sustained when she was hit by a truck. JJ had surgery to repair her abdominal trauma, and pelvic fractures, and an external fixator was placed on the left tibia. Physiotherapy commenced 8 days after surgery, but put on hold, when further surgery was required to the abdominal wall. She also required a femoral head excision of the right hip which had failed to heal.

She recommenced physiotherapy six days later. JJ had great difficulty walking, with some nerve damage and cellulitis to the right hind limb and an external fixator still in place on the left. Physiotherapy included massage and stretches for both hind limbs, gentle strengthening exercises on land and in the underwater treadmill, re-education of her walking both on land and in the underwater treadmill. Her owner completed massage, stretches, strenghenign exercises and walking several times daily.

Five months later, and after the external fixator was removed, she started swimming and has continued swimming twice weekly for almost 2 years now, to continue to build fitness and strength as well as maintain mobility in her limbs. She swims 100 laps in the pool per session. She has regular check-ups with the physiotherapist to check for muscle soreness and any stiffness. JJ has continued to improve as the months go on, even battling osteomyelitis in the right hip, 13 months after the initial injury. Through dedication and hard work from both JJ and her owner, she is the happy soul she always used to be and back to her old tricks!

Nicky is a 6 year old female Doberman, who was quadriplegic following a disc prolapse in her neck. She had neck surgery to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord, and made a slow recovery following surgery. Nicky commenced physiotherapy 3 weeks after surgery. At this time she had some movement in all her limbs, but was too weak to turn herself over, sit up, stand or walk. She could lift up her head for a few seconds only. Her prognosis was guarded. Nicky received intensive physiotherapy at the centre, 4-7 days a week.

Treatment included lots of massage and stretching of the limbs while she couldn't move, turning every 3 hours, electrical muscle stimulation, re-education of sitting, standing and walking, underwater treadmill therapy where she was assisted to walk, and swimming. She made slow but sure improvements, and started walking approximately 5 months after surgery, but was still shaky on her feet.

With continued swimming and underwater treadmill therapy, Nicky eventually became very steady on her feet and was discharged from physiotherapy, 7 months after surgery. She can now run at the park, climb stairs and play with her toys! She still continues to swim regularly to maintain her mobility. The love, devotion and perseverance with physiotherapy by her owners, really paid off for Nicky.

Maddison is an 8 year old female Great Dane, who came for physiotherapy with a history of chronic back pain, weakness in the hind limbs, and intermittent spasm in the right hind limb causing her to lift the leg up. She could still manage a 30 minute walk daily but had slowed down a great deal. Radiographs of her spine showed bony spurs throughout. When Maddison came to physiotherapy, our aims were to reduce her back pain and the spasm in the right hind limb, improve her limb strength, and general endurance.

Treatment consisted of one session of spinal mobilization and massage, then twice weekly underwater treadmill sessions for strengthening. In one month, Maddison has made remarkable improvements, with no spasm in her right leg, improved muscle mass, she is now very playful and bounds through the house, and is much faster on her walks. She will continue weekly underwater treadmill and 6 weekly physiotherapy check-ups to continue to build her strength, endurance, and treat any spinal pain. And her owners thought she was just suffering from old age!