Paddy’s Story – Osteoarthritis
Written by Paddy’s amazing owner, Amelia
Paddy is a 12 year old lurched. He’s had arthritis for the last 2/3 years.
When did you first notice something was wrong?
I noticed that Paddy had an issue in January 2020. He had a sore on one of his toes.
What did you do?
We spoke with our vet to rule out anything nasty. It turned out his weakness in his back end was causing his gait to change which in turn caused his foot to twist and that’s how the sore developed.
How has physiotherapy helped?
Physio has helped to strengthen Paddy’s back end and corrected his gait issue. He never gets a sore on his toe now. It’s also helped with his stamina.
How is he doing now?
He’s doing great! He’s had no further issues since our sessions.
What advice would you give to other owners going through something similar?
I would say that it is always worth seeing a professional especially as dogs age. Keeping them mobile is so important for them and in my experience it’s easier than you think to correct.
The physiotherapist says…
Paddy is such a gentleman and is a very clever boy. His mum called me after he started getting a little weak and unsteady in his back legs. He was previously being treated by a canine chiropractor for a slight back problem and continued to have frequent check ins with her alongside the physiotherapy. Weekly appointments to get on top of his discomfort quickly progressed to fortnightly strengthening sessions as Paddy and his mum absolutely smashed the home treatment plan. Now he is doing great and is loving his new lease of life.
How does physiotherapy help with osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a hugely underestimated condition in our pets affecting 4 out of 5 older dogs. The cause of osteoarthritis is widely unknown, but can affect any joint that has been damaged due to general wear and tear, injury, trauma, or surgery. Osteoarthritis is degenerative, meaning that sadly there is no cure, instead it slowly gets worse over time. Osteoarthritis is extremely painful, but physiotherapy can help ease their pain and discomfort and increase and maintain their strength, balance and coordination to keep them active for as long as possible.