Holly couldn't sit down comfortably, was slow and reluctant on walks and hadn't been able to manage stairs for over a year. After just her first session of acupuncture and aquatic treadmill therapy she seemed much happier in herself and her knees were much less swollen. Just three weeks into her program and she was walking up stairs again.

Holly's owner worked hard with her at home following her therapeutic exercise plan and noticed a huge improvement in Holly's willingness to exercise and her stamina whilst out on long walks. Holly continues to attend her sessions at the SMART clinic on a monthly basis to maintain her strength and suppleness.

Holly's owner, Mrs Thomas, has this to say about Holly's treatment:

“Holly had cruciate surgery in both hind legs and following each procedure she underwent rehabilitation at the SMART Clinic. This really made a difference to the way she recovered from the operations and has enabled her to get her mobility back with minimal muscle wastage. I would be happy to recommend the team at the SMART Clinic who are all professional and knowledgeable and their tailored treatment regimes can really help get the best possible outcome after surgery”

Now he fighting fit and back in the show ring where he is complimented on his movement. Toby is a very big boy and is one of the largest dogs we have worked in the treadmill. He stands head and shoulders above the door and strides out looking very regal when he is in there!

Here is what his owners have to say about the treatment Toby received while with us::

“We are indebted to Lowri Davies and her staff for the marvellous treatment given to our Great Dane, Toby, Cenninpedr Oh Boy. He was the most promising puppy to be bred in the small show kennel and his show career started with a Cruft's qualification place at his first Championship show. Unfortunately, at 13 months he tore a cruciate ligament in his right hind leg but recovered fairly quickly and a hopeful return to the ring was cut short at 2 ½ years with the left ligament breaking down.

Two operations followed and he was a very sorry sight when Lowri started to work on a hind leg with less than a third of the normal muscle. With her guidance and strict exercise regime the next few months resulted in a new dog. Not only did he return to the ring winning Best in Show at open shows, he gained a 3rd place in a strong class at Cruft's with a written comment from the judge that ‘he moved rather well'; a fitting accolade for all Lowri's hard work.

Rupture of a cruciate ligament is a fairly common occurrence in dogs and accounts for quite a large percentage of our work. Certain breeds are more likely to suffer from this injury and they include Labradors, Boxers and Pointers. The cruciate ligaments are paired ligaments within the stifle or knee joint and they attach to the femur or thigh bone and the tibia or shin bone.
They cross over in the middle of the joint and are responsible for maintaining the stability of the knee and prevent the tibia from sliding forward relative to the femur. Most often it is the cranial or front ligament of the pair that ruptures and this usually happens as a result of the knee twisting sharply. This injury is quite common in footballers and skiers.

This can be managed without surgery in some small breed dogs where there is no other damage within the joint, or if the ligament has not completely torn. Appropriate exercises and medications can see the problem quickly resolved. In other cases, however, the cranial cruciate ligament ruptures completely, or damage occurs to the menisci in the joint and this requires surgical intervention. The menisci are essentially pads of cartilage within the joint that act as shock absorbers and these can be easily torn or folded over upon themselves leaving the joint very painful. There are various surgical techniques performed but the main aim of surgery is to remove or repair damaged menisci and then re-stabilise the joint, either by means of inserting artificial ligaments or placing implants to support the joint ”

Though Benny's 'bandy-legged' appearance is typical of the breed, it was particularly exaggerated in Benny. He had looseness in his carpi or wrist joints and his front feet were pointing out to the side instead of forward as they should. Benny's owner reported had noticed that he was quiet and subdued. Neither did he play as hard or for as long as his sister did and would sometimes be grumpy with her. He also had problems jumping up onto the sofa and getting down again. As this was Benny's favourite place to curl up, Mrs Gibbons realised something needed to be done.

Mrs Gibbons had taken Benny to an orthopaedic specialist who had told her that surgery was not going to work for Benny and he was then referred to the SMART clinic for treatment to strengthen his joints to allow him to walk as normally as his deformity would allow.

When we first saw him, even though his front legs weren't particularly painful, he did have a lot of pain in his back, neck and shoulders. This was due to the fact that he was compensating for his awkward gait by using muscles that weren't designed to be used for walking. Acupuncture helped to alleviate this pain by stimulating the body to produce its own pain-relieving chemicals. Acupuncture also causes the body to warm up, both locally to the point of insertion and across the body as a whole. This increased temperature coupled with increased blood flow helps to sooth aching muscles in much the same way that a hot water bottle can help with muscle cramps. Benny was worked in the aquatic treadmill and we also used other specialised exercise equipment to help him build up his postural muscles. Developing support for his joints was initially extremely important. Once we had achieved this we then concentrated on increasing the size and endurance of the muscles in his front legs.

Benny's general level of fitness was quite good anyway, and so it wasn't long before he was running in the treadmill and managing quite long sessions in the water. His owners were given an exercise plan to follow and Benny quickly improved. Benny has a deformity that will be with him for life, so it was never our goal to ‘fix' his legs. But now, thanks to the efforts of his owners and the work we have done with him he can lead a normal life, go out for long walks and enjoy playtime with his sister.

Mrs Gibbons says:

“Benny was quite grumpy and snapping at my other dog. After several intense sessions Benny has shown great improvement, he is no longer in pain and his legs are much stronger and he gets on with the other dog great now. He can also run like the wind! I am extremely grateful to the SMART clinic and I would recommend any dog owner who is having problems to get in touch.”