Phoenix Canine Therapies

30/07/2026

Pain Isn’t Always Where the Problem Is

One of the biggest misconceptions about pain is that it always tells you where the problem is.

A recent patient, Monty, is a great example of this.

Monty was referred by his veterinary surgeon following a diagnosis of left shoulder tendinitis. On initial assessment, there was obvious tightness throughout the left shoulder and thoracic sling muscles, along with a mild left forelimb lameness.

But the full assessment revealed much more.

Months of protecting that sore shoulder had changed the way Monty moved. He had developed significant muscle tension and hypertonicity through his right hindlimb, particularly the gracilis muscle, with reduced muscle flexibility and discomfort on palpation. These weren’t primary injuries—they were secondary compensatory changes caused by his altered gait.

This is something I see regularly in dogs with injuries.

If we only focused treatment on Monty’s shoulder, we would have missed the secondary restrictions that had developed elsewhere.

This is why every assessment I perform looks at the whole dog, their posture, gait, movement patterns, muscle tone and fascial restrictions, not just the area where they’re showing pain.

Pain is the symptom.

Understanding why the body has adapted is where meaningful rehabilitation begins.

Monty is now progressing well with a rehabilitation programme designed to address both the original injury and the compensatory changes that developed over time.

22/07/2026

Such a great description of how a spey, and other abdominal surgeries can affect your dog’s fascia.

I now offer myofascial release specifically tailored to post-spey (or other abdominal surgery) for exactly these reasons. Helping get your dog back to fitness as soon as possible, but more importantly trying to avoid problems in the future.

Pop me a message if you’d like to discuss targeted myofascial release for your dog.

🟢How Can a Spay Affect Your Dog’s Fascia?

Spaying (an ovariohysterectomy) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in dogs. Through my work with canine anatomy, movement and fascia, I’m often asked how this type of surgery may affect the body beyond the obvious skin incision.

This post looks at spaying from an anatomical perspective and explores how the body’s fascial system responds during healing.

Before going any further, I want to clarify something.

This is not a post about whether you should or shouldn’t spay your dog. There is ongoing research, discussion and differing opinions around the subject, and every owner will have their own views.

The decision to spay should always be discussed with your veterinary surgeon, taking into account your dog’s age, breed, health and individual circumstances. It is not something I advise on within my own scope of practice.

What I can do is explain how abdominal surgery affects the body’s tissues, particularly the fascia, and why this may sometimes influence movement and comfort during recovery.

🟢What is Fascia?

Fascia is a continuous network of connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels and internal organs. Rather than working as separate structures, the body is connected through this three-dimensional system.

Healthy fascia is strong, adaptable and allows tissues to glide smoothly. When it is affected by injury or surgery, the body repairs it by producing new collagen and forming scar tissue.

Scar tissue is a normal and necessary part of healing, but it does not behave exactly like the original tissue. It is often less elastic and may temporarily alter how forces are transferred through the body as healing progresses.

🟢What Happens During a Spay?

During a routine spay, the veterinary surgeon usually makes an incision through the linea alba—the strong band of connective tissue that runs along the midline of the abdomen.

This approach is commonly used because the linea alba contains very few blood vessels and allows access to the abdominal cavity while minimising disruption to the abdominal muscles.

However, it is still an incision through an important fascial structure.

As healing takes place, the body lays down new collagen and gradually remodels the scar. This process continues for weeks to months, with deeper connective tissues such as fascia often requiring longer to regain their tensile strength and mobility than the skin. Although the incision may appear healed externally after a couple of weeks, deeper tissues continue to remodel for several months.

🟢How Can This Affect the Fascia?

Because fascia forms one connected system throughout the body, changes in one area can sometimes influence movement elsewhere.

As the scar matures, it may not have exactly the same mobility as the surrounding tissue. In many dogs this creates no noticeable issues, while in others it may contribute to:

* Reduced tissue glide around the abdominal wall.
* Increased tension through the underside of the body.
* Temporary changes in posture or movement.
* Altered movement patterns during walking, running or jumping.
* Increased compensation through the back, pelvis or hindlimbs.

The fascia surrounding the abdominal organs is continuous with the connective tissues of the abdominal wall (visceral fascia) Changes in mobility around the surgical site may therefore influence local tissue mechanics, although the degree to which this affects an individual dog varies considerably.

It is also important to remember that dogs are remarkably adaptable. Most recover very well following a routine spay, particularly when they receive appropriate post-operative care and a gradual return to activity.

🟢How Does Scar Tissue Affect the Abdominal Muscles?

A spay incision involves more than just the skin. To access the abdominal cavity, the surgeon opens the linea alba, which lies between the paired abdominal muscles.

The abdominal muscles themselves are generally separated rather than cut. However, they rely on the surrounding fascia to transfer forces efficiently through the trunk and provide stability during movement.

Following surgery, many dogs naturally reduce the use of their abdominal muscles to protect the surgical site. This is a normal response during healing but can temporarily affect posture, core stability and movement patterns.

As healing progresses, most dogs gradually regain normal function. Some, however, may continue to compensate by placing greater demand on other muscle groups, particularly those of the back, hips and shoulders.

This is one reason why a gradual return to exercise and appropriate rehabilitation can be beneficial.

🟢Does This Mean Dogs Shouldn’t Have Surgery?

Absolutely not.

Every surgical procedure causes some degree of tissue trauma—that is simply part of surgery. Veterinary surgeons recommend surgery because they believe the benefits outweigh the risks for the individual patient.

The purpose of this article is not to discourage surgery but to help owners understand that healing involves much more than the skin. The fascial system is also part of the healing process, and supporting normal movement afterwards may help optimise recovery.

🟢Supporting Recovery

Once your veterinary surgeon has confirmed that healing is progressing well, gentle rehabilitation can help restore normal movement and encourage healthy tissue mobility.

@ on the stage of healing, rehabilitation may include controlled lead walking, weight-shifting exercises, gentle mobility work, core strengthening and progressive conditioning to help rebuild strength and confidence.

Hands-on therapies may also play a role. Techniques such as therapeutic massage, myofascial release and osteopathic treatment aim to improve tissue mobility, reduce excessive soft tissue tension and encourage comfortable movement as healing progresses. These treatments should only be carried out once your veterinary surgeon has confirmed that the surgical site has healed sufficiently and should always be tailored to the individual dog.

A qualified canine rehabilitation therapist, veterinary physiotherapist or appropriately trained manual therapist can work alongside your veterinary surgeon to develop a safe rehabilitation programme.

For owners looking for structured guidance, Anna Lee
Canine Conditioning Coach has developed educational resources, including a dedicated Post Spay Programme, designed to help owners safely rebuild strength and movement following surgery.

https://canineconditioningcoach.com/

🟢Working Together

The best outcomes come from a collaborative approach.

Your veterinary surgeon is responsible for the surgery and medical recovery. Therapists roles are to support your dog’s movement, comfort and function as the body adapts during healing.

By working together, we can help dogs return to comfortable, confident movement while respecting the remarkable way their bodies heal.

🟢Note

There are two main surgical techniques used for spaying female dogs: an ovariectomy (OVE), where only the ovaries are removed, and an ovariohysterectomy (OVH), where both the ovaries and uterus are removed. The choice of procedure depends on different factors. Regardless of the technique used, both procedures require an abdominal incision through the body wall, meaning similar fascial tissues are involved in the healing process.
Ovariectomy is a smaller keyhole surgical procedure.

14/07/2026

13/07/2026

Week 29.....Exercising an arthritic dog.

When a dog is diagnosed with osteoarthritis, exercise remains an important part of managing their condition. The key is not to stop activity, but to make it appropriate, gentle, and consistent. The old saying "If you don't use it you will lose it" is very true for arthritic dog....if they do not exercise they will lose muscle mass and muscle is vital for supporting the joints.

Dogs with arthritis generally cope much better with regular, controlled exercise rather than periods of inactivity followed by long, strenuous walks. Consistent movement helps maintain joint mobility, muscle strength, circulation, and overall wellbeing.

Instead of taking your dog on one long walk each day, or being the "weekend warrior" dog owner (myself included) walks should be kept shorter and more consistent. It is lovely to be able to go out for longer walks at the weekend, or a really long walk when we have the time to do so but ultimately this places more strain on the joints and a flare-up is likely to happen as a result. Two 30 minute walks are much better than one 1 hour walk.

If your dog is lame or showing signs of a flare-up then "Pacing" is a good technique to use. If he is normally used to a 40 minute walk but is limping and reluctant to do this length of walk cut it back by half to 20 minutes. Then when, and only when, this limping had subsided you can very slowly start to build him back up. Try increasing by 5 minutes a week and see what happens. If limping starts to creep back in at, say, 30 minutes, then its probable that 20 - 25 minutes is going to be the maximum he can do going forwards.

The type of terrain your dog walks on can also make a significant difference. Level, even surfaces such as well-maintained footpaths, short grass, woodland tracks, and firm (ish) trails are usually easier on arthritic joints. In contrast, uneven, deep, or unstable ground can increase strain and the risk of slips or twists. Try to avoid walking on ploughed fields, deep mud, loose sand, long grass, steep slopes, or heavily rutted paths, particularly during flare-ups.

Remember, every dog is an individual. Watch for signs of limping, fatigue, stiffness, slowing down, or reluctance to continue, and adjust exercise accordingly. A gentle, consistent routine is often one of the best ways to help an arthritic dog stay comfortable and active for longer.

10/07/2026

Ball chasing isn’t harmless exercise 🎾

I don’t often leave a walk feeling genuinely frustrated… but this morning I did.

I know this isn’t the first time I’ve spoken about repetitive ball chasing, and it probably won’t be the last. I’ll always advocate for dogs when I believe we’re asking too much of them.

This morning I watched a larger Labrador repeatedly chasing a ball. What made it even harder to watch was that it was wrong on two counts.

Firstly, although it was early in the morning, it was already far too hot for repetitive, high-intensity exercise. Dogs simply aren’t designed to cope with sprinting backwards and forwards in this kind of heat, particularly those carrying extra weight.

Secondly, the exercise itself was repetitive ball chasing.

When I commented on the temperature, the owner’s response was, “It’s early, it isn’t that hot yet.” Then came the phrase I’ve heard countless times:

“He wouldn’t do it if he didn’t want to.”

Unfortunately, that’s not how dogs work. Many dogs will continue chasing a ball long after their body is telling them to stop because excitement, adrenaline and drive override fatigue and discomfort.

Ball chasing might look like easy exercise, but repetitive ball throwing is hard on the body. It heavily loads the forelimbs, jars the digits, carpi, elbows and shoulders, and places repeated strain through joints, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissues. Add speed, sharp turns and abrupt stopping, and you’ve got a perfect recipe for overload.

Over time, that repeated strain can contribute to microtrauma, inflammation, tissue stress and joint wear, and may play a role in the development or progression of osteoarthritis. You can often spot the regular ball chasers too — misshapen, splayed, knobbly digits are not uncommon.

The risk is even higher when:

* it’s hot
* the dog is overweight or unfit
* the ground is hard, uneven or slippery
* the dog is young, older, or already has joint issues
* the game goes on for far too long

And from a behavioural point of view, I’ll add another unpopular opinion…

If your dog already struggles to switch off, constant ball throwing can be the equivalent of giving caffeine to someone having a panic attack.

Repeated ball chasing doesn’t just create a fitter dog — it can also create a dog that is more adrenalised, more obsessive, more frantic and harder to settle. More ball throwing, more stimulation, more arousal, more chaos. Then people wonder why their dog can’t relax at home, paces the house, screams for the ball, ignores them outside or seems permanently wired.

Physical exercise creates fitter dogs.
Calmness, self-control, decompression and appropriate mental work help create calmer dogs.

Not every dog needs more exercise. Some need less stimulation, more regulation and better guidance.

This doesn’t mean dogs should never have a ball. But it does mean we need a bit more common sense around how we use them — and personally, I’d argue there are often far better ways to exercise and enrich our dogs.

If you do use a ball:

* keep retrieves short
* roll it rather than repeatedly launching it
* avoid endless sprinting and sharp repetitive turns
* and in this weather… just don’t

Because the long-term cost to a dog’s body and sometimes their nervous system is rarely worth a few minutes of “fun”.

I know I’ve written about repetitive ball throwing many times over the years, but if it makes just one owner stop and think, then it’s worth saying again. Please share and spread the word.

References
Rychel JK (2010) Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteoarthritis. Top Companion Anim Med.

Anderson KL et al. (2018) Prevalence and risk factors for osteoarthritis in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. Sci Rep.

Shaffer DM et al. (2004). How Dogs Navigate to Catch Frisbees. Psychological Science.

Marshall WG et al. (2010) Osteoarthritis and obesity in dogs: the role of weight management. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol.

NOTE:-
I could not find any scientific studies directly proving that repetitive ball throwing causes osteoarthritis, we do know from canine biomechanics and osteoarthritis research that repeated high-speed acceleration, deceleration, twisting and impact increase loading through joints and soft tissues.

10/07/2026

Really interesting new study 🤔

08/07/2026

Week 28 - Strains and sprains.

Why Are Strains and Sprains So Common in Dogs with Osteoarthritis?

When we think about osteoarthritis (OA), we often focus on the joints themselves. But as I have previously mentioned many of the aches and pains our dogs experience actually come from the soft tissues – i.e. the muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments.

Osteoarthritis changes the way a dog moves. To avoid discomfort in a particular joint, dogs naturally shift their weight, shorten their stride, or alter their posture. While this helps protect the painful joint in the short term, it places increased strain on muscles, tendons, and ligaments elsewhere in the body.

As an example, one muscle group I frequently see affected in dogs with osteoarthritis is the superficial pectoral muscles.

The superficial pectorals have several functions – they stabilize the forelimb and alongside the shoulder muscles they attach the forelimbs to the body. They help in movement of the forelimbs forwards and backwards and they create adduction movement of the limb – i.e. they move the forelimb in towards the middle of the body.

Thinking about a dog with forelimb osteoarthritis who is struggling to sit up from lying down, the forelimbs repeatedly slide outwards in trying to get up and over time, tenderness, reduced flexibility, discomfort, and strains (tears) occur - making movement even more difficult.

Sprains can also occur as altered weight-bearing places extra stress on ligaments, particularly when a dog slips, twists, or makes a sudden movement. Because the body is already compensating, even a minor incident can result in an injury.

This is one reason why managing osteoarthritis isn't just about the joints. Looking after the muscles and other soft tissues is equally important. Massage is really important for helping to do this. It improves circulation to the tissues, aids mobility, relieves tension, improves flexibility etc through a variety of techniques including facilitated stretching and direct and indirect myofascial release techniques.

If you notice that your dog seems to have developed a new limp, feels unusually tight in a particular area, or is reluctant to move, it may not just be the arthritis itself—it could be a muscle strain or ligament sprain that also need attention.

07/07/2026

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.

28/06/2026

I am absolutely delighted to announce that I now have aircon in my pod, so there’ll be some respite for you and your dogs when the next heatwave hits.

If you are worried about getting your dogs to me, please let me know, and I’ll try to shuffle things so you can have an early morning slot.