Dogs
All types of dogs can benefit from a McTimoney treatment whether your dog is a pet or is used for agility, working, racing or showing. McTimoney can be used to treat a problem or as a maintenance programme to prevent minor misalignments from becoming more serious and keep your dog working at their best.
It is often difficult for owners who keep their dog as a pet to notice when problems arise as they are not always obvious and a slight change in performance may not be seen. Having your dog regularly checked will help prevent problems becoming more serious.
When does my dog need a McTimoney treatment?
If your dog presents any of the following symptoms:
- Limb dragging
- Stiffness
- Irregular action
- Difficulty getting upstairs and getting into or out of the car
- Pain when stroked
- Reluctance in getting up
- Reluctance to exercise
- Reluctance to play
- Change in behaviour
- Drop in performance
These are just some examples please contact Chloe if your dog is suffering from a problem not listed here.
Older dogs can also benefit from a McTimoney treatment particularly arthritic dogs, or those with conditions such as hip dysplasia, as they are having to adapt their movement to cope with their illness. A change in posture can put added stresses on the animals' musculoskeletal system and therefore cause problems in other areas of the body. The treatment cannot cure a condition such as hip dysplasia however it can help with problems that occur from compensation and to also help improve the mobility of your dog.
What can cause these problems?
- Trauma such as a road traffic accident or a fall
- Landing awkwardly from jumping into and out of the car
- Conformational faults, particularly long backed and short legged breeds
- Demands from your chosen discipline
- Lead work/pulling on the lead
What are the benefits of a treatment?
- Relief from pain and discomfort
- Increased flexibility and joint movement
- Improved co-ordination
- Relaxation and decreased stress levels
- A happier healthier dog
How will my dog respond to treatment?
Each individual animal responds differently to treatment. Many animals feel better straight away, moving freely and pain free. Others however, can feel tired, stiff or sore for a day or two, as the correct muscles have to be used again. All these responses are completely normal after a treatment.
How often does my dog need a treatment?
The amount of treatments needed depends on the dogs' particular problems, conformational faults, previous problems or injuries and what activities the dog carries out. If a problem has been present for a period of time where the animal has had to compensate, more treatment may be needed compared to a sudden problem as the correct muscles will need to be built up. Two to three treatments will usually be sufficient, following which a maintenance program is advised to help prevent problems returning. The number and frequency of treatments required will depend on the individual animal as factors such as age and general health have an influence on how they respond. Animals which are not showing any symptoms may still benefit from a treatment to prevent problems arising and becoming worse which may take longer to correct. As the dog is much more flexible than the horse problems may be likely to occur more frequently, therefore maintenance treatments should be carried out 3 monthly, providing no other problems arise.
Chloe Williams BSc (Hons), PG Dip AM, EBW® - 07709 489840
Email: animalbacks@aol.com