14/03/2026
GUARDIAN COMMITMENT
We, at PeRiHab, are a mobile rehabilitation service, meaning we do home visits for our treatments. That way, we get to see the pet we treat, in his/her own home environment, in a more relaxed state compared to how they would be at a vet practice, in general. We love spending time with our patients, and their guardians, in their own home, to get a full idea of what they do, where they live, how they act and also to see the lay-out of the house and garden, as this often makes a difference to what we advise, especially if patients are less able, in some way.
We are often amazed at what guardians do for their beloved pets and nowhere is this more obvious than in cases where pets are injured, in pain, or less able to cope with ‘normal life’. We have, over the years, seen many small or large adaptations in and around the home, specifically to help the dog or cat have a better quality of life, or to assist them in their day-to-day life. And we often advise, in our reports after our initial visit, to instigate certain adaptations too.
Some of the things we have seen are relatively minimal adaptations, such as an extra rug, carpet or runner, or the placement of a ‘baby gate’. Others are more extensive. We have seen pouffes, soft and hard steps, raised food- and water bowls, strategically placed soft cushions, small and big ramps and more. One guardian has a special utility room and washing machine, just for the dog! Another guardian bought a buggy, just to take their little dog out for walks.
However, recently, we did a visit to a lovely lady with an older dog with extensive arthritis and she had made an adaptation which overshadowed all the above! She had a stair lift installed in her home, with a platform instead of a chair, on top of which was a dog crate placed, to help her go up and down the stairs. That way, they could still sleep together upstairs without having to carry the dog up the stairs. We felt that this was such a beautiful commitment to helping her dog (and her own back, of course!)
We could not be more pleased with the enormous commitment that all our clients have towards their pets’ quality of life. It makes our life, as vets and rehabilitation therapists, so much easier and more satisfying! We love our job and we love to work with our lovely patients and their guardians!