Avonside Canine Hydrotherapy, Stratford-on-Avon

23/08/2025

You are not alone ❤️❤️❤️💔

Anticipatory grief is something I didn't truly understand until I started to notice my feelings around seeing Nero begin to age. It’s the grief that shows up before the inevitable goodbye. An ache that creeps in when you see your dog’s body start to slow, when the jumps they once made so easily now take effort, when you catch yourself holding your breath when they stumble.

It’s such a complicated mix of sadness, quiet regret, overwhelming love, and so much gratitude. I find myself replaying all the moments I could have done better, even though I was always doing the best I could with what I knew at the time. That’s the thing about guardianship you walk beside your dog through every stage of their life without a roadmap. You learn as you go, you make mistakes, you adjust, and through it all, you keep showing up for them. Holding it together the best you can.

What strikes me most is how this kind of grief makes every moment feel full of meaning.

His playful smile as he comes running in from the yard after barking at the neighbor dogs.

His frustrated double foot stomps in the morning when I haven't gotten up to give him food quick enough.

The way he looks so peaceful when he sleeps sprawled out on the couch. Taking up far too much space for his medium size body.

His breathy nose boops as he shoves my hand expecting it to only touch him, instead of typing this post.

Each little moment becomes something I am so desperate to hold onto.

I tried to rationalize with myself telling my brain to just enjoy the moments, but it also flashes to a time when I will no longer have them.

Everything that seemed important... feels less significant. The only thing I wish for now is just more time.

I don't care how many tricks he can do.
I don't care if he pulls on the leash.
I don't care if he doesn't immediately respond to my recall.

All that matters is that we're together.

"Dogs lives are too short. Their only fault really." ~ Agnes Sligh Turnbull is one of my favorite quotes because of its accuracy.

If you’re walking this path with your own dog, please know you’re not alone.

Anticipatory grief is the price of love but it’s also proof of it.

❤️

09/08/2025

**Wilma**
4year old Staffy Wilma was rescued by Lauren in a dreadful state 😢 because of what happened when she was younger she now had spondylosis in her lower back causing front limb lameness.
Swimming helps strengthen all the back muscles making it more stable and less painful the red light laser also helps with pain management. Stabilising the lower back will also help with her front end lameness and aquatic massage helps compensation issues.
This little dog is so sweet and trusting considering all she’s been through. Well done Lauren what a great dog mum! ❤️🐶❤️

31/07/2025

If suitable for your dog we include laser therapy in the cost of a hydrotherapy session here at Avonside, £35 for swim and laser therapy.

Class 3B Cold Laser Therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses low-level lasers (often in the 600–1000 nm range) to stimulate healing and reduce pain in tissues. This type of therapy has been gaining popularity in veterinary medicine, especially for treating injuries in horses and dogs.

Here are 10 benefits of using Class 3B cold laser therapy for injuries:

1. Pain Relief

Cold laser therapy helps reduce inflammation and promotes the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. This results in a significant reduction in pain, allowing dogs to recover more comfortably from injuries like sprains, strains, and joint pain.

2. Accelerates Healing Process

By stimulating cellular activity, cold laser therapy promotes tissue repair and speeds up the healing of damaged muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. It helps increase circulation to the injured area, enhancing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues.

3. Reduces Inflammation

Laser therapy helps reduce inflammation by improving blood flow and lymphatic drainage, leading to less swelling around the injury site. This can be particularly helpful in treating acute injuries, where swelling is a concern.

4. Improves Range of Motion

For horses with joint or soft tissue injuries, laser therapy can help improve mobility and range of motion. By reducing stiffness and encouraging tissue repair, it helps the dog regain normal function more quickly.

5. Non-invasive Treatment

Cold laser therapy is completely non-invasive, meaning there’s no need for surgery or drugs that could have side effects. This makes it a safer option for dogs, especially for those who may not be able to tolerate more aggressive treatments.

6. Reduces Scar Tissue Formation

The therapy can help prevent excessive scar tissue from forming during the healing process, particularly in soft tissues. This is essential for ensuring that the dog can regain full mobility without restrictions caused by fibrous tissue.

7. Enhances Blood Circulation

Laser therapy increases microcirculation, promoting blood flow to the injured area. This helps in delivering oxygen and nutrients essential for cell regeneration and removal of waste products, speeding up recovery.

8. Helps With Tendon and Ligament Injuries

Class 3B cold lasers are particularly effective for treating injuries to tendons and ligaments, which are often slow to heal. By stimulating fibroblasts (cells responsible for collagen production), it accelerates the formation of healthy tissue and collagen fibers.

9. Reduces Muscle Spasms

Cold laser therapy helps relieve muscle spasms and tightness, which often occur as a result of an injury. By encouraging muscle relaxation and improving local circulation, it can provide significant relief from muscle stiffness.

10. Improves Overall Tissue Repair

In addition to promoting cellular regeneration and collagen production, cold laser therapy also accelerates the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which fuels cells’ repair processes. This leads to more efficient healing of both superficial and deep tissue injuries.

Summary: Class 3B Cold Laser Therapy provides numerous benefits for treating horse injuries, ranging from pain relief and inflammation reduction to faster healing and improved range of motion. It is a safe, non-invasive option that supports the recovery process by promoting cellular regeneration and circulation.

Source: vet laser therapy page.

13/07/2025

🌟Please think carefully when swimming your dog🌟

💦Hydrotherapy uses WARM water to allow dogs to mobilise their joints, strengthen muscles and stimulate proprioceptive systems.
💦A skilled and TRAINED therapist uses treatment techniques in the water to work on identified problems for the individual dog.
💦A pool environment is a potentially dangerous and stressful environment for dogs.
💦Dogs can be OVER WORKED, INGEST WATER leading to secondary drowning and be a breeding ground for bacteria if not sanitised properly. Injury’s can be made worse and older dogs can easily be over swim and exhausted if not swum properly.
If not properly controlled dogs can INJURE themselves getting in and out the pool.
🌟🌟A MINUTES swim can be the equivalent of a MILE run🌟🌟, a qualified therapist will monitor your dog closely throughout the session ensuring adequate rest breaks

- information from Canine Arthritis Management “red flags for hydrotherapy”.

Debbie has 8 years experience and is fully qualified level 3 in small animal hydrotherapy. She is also NARCH registered ensuring top level care and ongoing qualifications for your animals.
She works closely with local vets, other professionals and CAM to ensure best quality and experience of care.

For more info or a chat please contact Debbie by txt or WhatsApp 07974748961 or [email protected]

23/06/2025

🌟🌟My Dog Hates Water!!🌟🌟
Hydrotherapy is completely different to rain, streams, rivers the sea or baths!
Firstly it’s nice and warm (29-31’) secondly it’s clean and most importantly it’s controlled swimming so there is always someone in the pool with them reassuring and supporting.

Our intro session is Tailored for nervous dogs, we allocate pleanty of time so they feel comfortable in the centre and with the hydrotherapist (pleanty of treats and fuss), once in the pool the dogs are placed on the platform straight away so they know where their ‘safe resting space’ is. We then start with a good masssge to warm up the muscles and relax the dog before some short swims comming back to the resting pnstform each time. After a controlled exit the dogs have a nice warm shower and more treats!

Non weigh bearing resistance excercise in the warm water can help with many conditions from rehab after injury or surgery, OAPs with arthritis, sport dogs for fitness, water confidence, young dog conditioning……..

If you would like more information please messsge Debbie on 07974748961 and I will give you a call back (signal is bad at the centre messsges will get through but phone calls often don’t) 🐾🐶🐾

20/06/2025

We are fully NARCH (National Association of Registered Canine Hydrotherapists) registered.

Unfortunately Hydrotherapy is an unregulated industry meaning anyone can open and run a pool.

It is REALY important when your looking for a hydrotherapy pool to swim your dog to make sure they are registered with one of the governing bodies NARCH, CHA or IVAMP.

This ensures:
Everyone treating your dog is qualified to a minimum standard.
*They are fully insured.
*Centres are designed and run in accordance with their regulations.
*All chemical and bacteria testing is regularly carried out and are within acceptable parameters.
*A minimum amount of CPD is completed
*Correct equipment is used at all times
*They have an up to date animal first aid qualification
*vet permission to swim forms are completed before dogs are swim
*And more…(see governing bodies websites for more details)

If you are unsure CAM (canine arthritis management)has utube videos and fact sheets giving details about what you should look for when taking your dog swimming.

🌟Being NARCH registered means you can claim back the cost of some of your sessions (depending on individual policy and condition)
Through your pet insurance🌟

While most dogs will swim some will find the experience scary or will initially not be strong enough to swim “properly” creating splashing and panic. A register and qualified hydrotherapist will have the knowledge to make your dogs experience safe and reassure them.

Swimming is great for all dogs, for fun, fitness and rehab but it is important that it is carried out in a safe manor as injurys can easily happen or be made worse or dogs can easily be overswum. It is important that for the safety and health of your dog to ensure they are taken to a hydro centre that has the knowledge and skills to get the best out of your dogs hydrotherapy experience.

For more info please get in touch
[email protected]
07974748961 🐾🐾

17/06/2025

🌟Rail Live is on at Meon Vale tomorrow and Thursday which will make the main road to Clifford/ Mickleton and surrounding very busy. Please leave extra time to get to appointments ❤️🌟

12/06/2025

**Swimming OAPs**
Swimming is great for older dogs! But it has to be done right 💦
Simply, because it is harder to move through water than air swimming helps build up muscles and joint structures making older dogs stronger and more comfortable in a non weight bearing environment that is kind on sore and arthritic joints.

🌟 A minutes swim can be the equivalent of a miles run🌟

Whilst swimming in rivers is fine for young fit dogs please think carefully about swimming older dogs especially in cold water where muscles can contract and cause damage because of the cold, arthritic joints can flair up and dogs can easily be over swum causing damage and exhaustion.

Please think carefully where and how long you are going to swim older dogs now the weather is getting warmer.

At Avonside we offer a heated pool, aquatic massage, laser therapy and qualified hydrotherapist to make swimming as effective and pleasurable and fun for all our clients.

Sessions are £35 for 45 mins, dogs are only swim on one to one bases, price includes red light laser therapy if required (red light is a holistic therapy that can help relive painful muscles or joints caused by OA or injury).

💦Arther and his OAPs think it’s great 🐶💙

If you would like more info give me a call
[email protected]
07974748961

19/05/2025

Last chance to book a physio session with RA Therapy & Training just £45 THIS Friday 23rd (you need to be an existing Avonside client) let me know via txt or WhatsApp asap 07974748961

06/05/2025

Useful for everyone would you know what to do if your dog got stung, bitten, had a deep wound, collapsed on a walk.,……?

27/04/2025

🌟Todays job..,, a whole day of CPD on chronic pain in dogs, lectures on how to help your pets with medications, excercise, stem cell and prp, therapies and more🌟

25/04/2025

🌟It is a legal and ethical responsibility as therapists we work within our “scope of practice” - we cannot advice or diagnose if we have not had proper level of qualified training.🌟
Because of this it is important to have a good Multi deciplinary team to help with the care of pets working closely with the primary vet.

At Avonside we have monthly clinics with RA Therapy & Training, Robyn has 16 years of experience is a fully qualified Vet physio and Bowen practitioner. She can fully asses, manually or electronically treat your pet to help with rehab and pain management and advice home exercises to help with your pets rehabilitation.

Please ask in the centre for more details…

We are happy to work with any MDT member to help with your pets care,
We highly recommend:
Charlotte Goodall Veterinary Physiotherapy