Starkie Vet Physio

07/08/2026

When you find the right spot

When horses relax they show physical signs of release:

🐴Licking and chewing: the nervous system is moving into a relaxed state
🐴Yawning or dropping the head: Tension is leaving the body.
🐴Sighing or stretching: Affirms that the horse is responding positively to the touch.

06/08/2026

Sybil has officially been signed off!

Despite xrays showing nothing to be concerned about, her owners knew something wasn't right and persevered. I found she was very sore in her back and hindlimb musculature and suggesting speaking to the vet about pain relief. We then worked on a stretching and strengthening program which in a few sessions improved the way Sybil was using her body and allowed her to feel more comfortable. Now she is off the pain relief and maintaining her comfort levels. With continued at home exercises to maintain her current condition, combined with environmental adaptations to reduce risk of injury or muscle strain, she is in a great place to be signed off (with the option for a re check anytime 😊).

I am always sad to see dogs like Sybil go, but equally so pleased they are feeling so much better.

Our baby Sybil has officially been signed off! 🙈

Words can’t describe how grateful we are to Kate for helping Sybil through her sore hips/knees!

I love supporting other businesses and I can’t recommend Starkie Vet Physio enough! Kate’s knowledge is unmatched and Sybil’s progress has been amazing! She is your woman if you ever need pet physio 😍

05/08/2026

Physio time with Millie-Mae 😍🐾

03/08/2026

People can be reluctant to medicate dogs with arthritis for all kinds of reasons, but a holistic approach should always include pain management as a priority.

❌ MYTH: "If my dog is on daily pain medication for osteoarthritis, it will mask their symptoms and cause them to overexert themselves, leading to more joint damage."

FACT:
Pain management is essential for breaking the cycle of chronic pain and inflammation. When a dog's pain is unmanaged, they tend to move less, leading to muscle wasting (atrophy) and stiffness. Unmanaged pain can also cause central sensitisation- where the nervous system becomes hypersensitive to pain signals over time.

Properly managed pain allows dogs to comfortably engage in controlled, low-impact exercise (like gentle walking or hydrotherapy), which builds supporting muscle tissue and preserves joint mobility. Rather than masking a problem, targeted pain relief helps maintain physical health and improves quality of life.

31/07/2026

Working with cats often means having creative solutions. Pickle's owner knows she loves watching squirrel videos so we use this to our advantage when we needher to keep still for her infrared LASER therapy.

28/07/2026

Another happy customer 👌😴

Leo can be a bit tense when we start our physio sessions but the LASER has a relaxing effect on him. Leo is having physiotherapy as he is an agility dog who needed some help rebalancing and strengthening his body. This reduces the risk of injury and can increase performance.

Companion Animal Health

24/07/2026

The look of relaxation...

Ted enjoyed his therapeutic massage during his session today. Ted is being conservatively managed for cruciate ligament damage and this means that he needs a holistic approach as the rest of his body compensates and balances.

Ted has a combination of infrared LASER therapy, therapeutic massage and targeted exercises for homework, but the massage is definitely his favorute part.

20/07/2026

⚠️Equine consumption of Ragwort causes irreversible, cumulative liver damage. ⚠️ I have worked with horses who had to be euthanised due to ragwort ingestion. ⚠️

Common Misrepresentations by eco/conservation groups on ragwort
“Ragwort is only mildly poisonous / not a serious risk to horses”

Some groups describe it as “mildly poisonous” and say horses avoid it due to bitterness.
Reality: It contains potent pyrrolizidine alkaloids causing irreversible, cumulative liver damage. Horses can eat it (especially wilted/dried in hay), and poisoning is a recognised issue in equine veterinary practice. Symptoms often appear late, after significant damage.

I have worked with rescue horses who have been euthanised due to organ damage resulting from grazing on poor pasture containing ragwort. These horses started to eat this plant when no other food was available and developed a taste for it. Over months they ate this plant and were poisoned over time.

Ragwort cannot be tolerated on grazing land for horses or cattle and should never be present in hay, haylage or silage.

Equestrians do not want blanket eradication, but will rightly become frustrated if neighbouring land results in reseeding of cleared land.

⚠️Be safe - control ragwort - protect your horses.⚠️

🌼 Ragwort misinformation is doing the rounds again — and it needs challenging.

Horse owners are not demanding that every ragwort plant be eradicated. They are asking for responsible, targeted control where it could spread into grazing land, hay fields or forage.

Fresh ragwort may often be avoided, but the risk changes when the plant is wilted, dried or hidden in hay. Its toxins remain active and can cause cumulative, irreversible liver damage, with symptoms sometimes appearing only when it is too late. 🐴

🌍Ragwort has ecological value, particularly for the Cinnabar moth and other invertebrates, but conservation and animal welfare should not be presented as opposing choices.

🔎So, what does the evidence actually say, and which familiar claims seriously misrepresent the risk?

Read Dr David Marlin’s full article on Animalweb. 👇
🔗https://askanimalweb.com/ragwort-misinformation-madness/

17/07/2026

Always ensure your chosen canine practitioner is qualified, insured, and legal.

12/07/2026

Once Pickle gets into the swing of things with some encouragement and treats she is able to work really hard with her exercises.

We have been able to work up to having a small wobble cushion under her hind limb which is really helping to engage her stabilising muscles and core. 🐾 Good work Pickle!