Animal Physiotherapy

What is Canine Physiotherapy?

Canine physiotherapy aims to reduce pain while improving your dog's mobility, function and overall quality of life. Treatment focuses on increasing joint range of movement, improving flexibility and strength, and restoring normal movement patterns to help your dog move more comfortably and confidently.

Your dog's treatment plan will be tailored to their individual needs and may include manual therapy, massage, therapeutic exercises, electrotherapy, and a personalised home exercise programme to support their recovery.

Our Physiotherapists

Our therapists at All Seasons Animal Rehab are Chartered Physiotherapists and members of ACPAT (the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy). This means they have completed a minimum of six years of university and postgraduate training, enabling them to provide the highest standard of care for your dog.

As veterinary physiotherapist is not a protected or regulated title in the UK, it is important to choose a therapist who is appropriately qualified, professionally regulated, fully insured, and committed to regular continuing professional development (CPD). This helps ensure your dog receives safe, evidence-based treatment of the highest standard.

The Booking Process

Does Your Dog Need Physiotherapy?

Dogs can experience pain and reduced mobility for many different reasons, and they don't always show obvious signs. If your dog is slowing down, struggling to get up, becoming reluctant to jump or climb stairs, or seems stiff after exercise or rest, physiotherapy may help.

At All Seasons Animal Rehab, we assess and treat a wide range of conditions, including long-term orthopaedic problems such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and osteoarthritis. There is a growing body of research supporting the role of physiotherapy in helping dogs with osteoarthritis by reducing pain, improving mobility and maintaining muscle strength.

We also provide rehabilitation for dogs recovering from injury or surgery, including post-operative care following orthopaedic procedures, and support dogs with neurological conditions such as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Physiotherapy can play an important role in restoring strength, improving movement patterns and helping dogs return to their normal activities.

We also work closely with veterinary behaviourists, as pain can sometimes contribute to behavioural changes, including reactivity, noise sensitivity, reluctance to be handled, or changes in temperament. Identifying and addressing underlying pain can be an important part of supporting your dog's overall wellbeing.

Veterinary Consent for Physiotherapy

Before starting physiotherapy, we require veterinary consent to ensure your dog receives safe and appropriate care. Working alongside your veterinary team allows us to understand your dog's medical history, diagnosis and any relevant investigations, helping us create the most effective rehabilitation plan.

Physiotherapy is most beneficial when it forms part of a collaborative approach between your vet, veterinary professionals and rehabilitation therapist. We work closely with your vet to support recovery, manage long-term conditions and ensure treatment is appropriate for your dog's individual needs.

If your dog has been referred for physiotherapy following surgery, injury, or a diagnosed condition, we will liaise with your veterinary practice to obtain the necessary information before beginning treatment.!

Initial Assessment

Every new client at All Seasons Animal Rehab will undergo an initial physiotherapy assessment lasting up to one hour. This allows us the time to get to know your dog, understand their individual needs and carry out a comprehensive assessment before creating an appropriate treatment plan.

Following the assessment, we will provide a detailed report to your dog’s veterinary team outlining our findings, rehabilitation recommendations and proposed treatment plan. Working collaboratively with your vet helps ensure your dog receives the most appropriate and effective care.

Below is an outline of what a typical physiotherapy assessment may involve.

Your Dog’s Initial Physiotherapy Assessment

Understanding Your Dog’s History

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

During the initial assessment, we will take an in-depth history of your dog's condition, including their current symptoms, previous medical history, exercise routine, walking habits and home environment. We will also discuss any medication your dog is taking and review previous investigations, such as X-rays or other diagnostic findings, to ensure we have a complete understanding of their health and rehabilitation needs.

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Assessing your dog’s gait and functional movement is a key part of the physiotherapy process. By observing how your dog walks, trots, sits, stands, turns and performs everyday movements, we can identify changes in mobility, weakness, compensation patterns or areas of discomfort.

Many dogs adapt the way they move to avoid pain or compensate for an injury, which can place additional strain on other muscles and joints. A detailed gait and functional assessment allows us to understand how your dog is moving as a whole, identify areas that may need support, and develop a targeted rehabilitation plan to improve comfort, strength and overall function.

Stance Analysis Assessment

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

At All Seasons Animal Rehab, we use a state-of-the-art stance analyser to provide objective measurements of your dog’s weight distribution. This force plate technology measures the amount of pressure your dog places through each paw while standing.

This allows us to identify whether your dog is offloading weight from a painful limb or compensating by placing more weight through another area. These measurements provide valuable information to support our clinical assessment and help us develop a targeted rehabilitation plan.

Stance analysis is also a useful tool for monitoring progress over time, including tracking flare-ups, assessing recovery following surgery and objectively measuring improvements throughout your dog’s rehabilitation journey.

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Assessing your dog’s range of movement and performing careful palpation are important parts of a physiotherapy assessment. By gently moving each joint through its normal range of motion, we can identify any areas of stiffness, reduced mobility, discomfort or restriction that may be affecting your dog’s movement.

Palpation allows us to assess the muscles and soft tissues, identifying areas of tension, weakness, swelling or sensitivity. This hands-on assessment helps us understand how your dog’s muscles and joints are functioning and whether there are areas of pain or compensation that may be contributing to changes in their gait or behaviour.

Home Exercise Programme

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Additional Treatment Modalities

All dogs will be provided with a personalised home exercise programme as part of their rehabilitation plan. Exercises will be individually tailored to suit your dog’s specific condition, abilities and rehabilitation goals.

During your physiotherapy sessions, we will demonstrate each exercise and ensure both you and your dog are comfortable performing them safely and effectively at home. This helps provide confidence that the exercises are being completed correctly and allows us to adjust them as your dog progresses.

A consistent home exercise programme is an important part of rehabilitation, helping to build strength, improve mobility and maintain progress between physiotherapy sessions.

Additional Treatment Modalities

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Additional Treatment Modalities

Depending on your dog’s individual needs and condition, additional treatments may be incorporated into their physiotherapy sessions.

Massage therapy can be used to help reduce muscle tension, improve circulation and promote relaxation of tight or painful muscles. Laser therapy may also be recommended to help reduce inflammation, support tissue healing and provide pain relief.

Other treatment modalities, such as electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), may be appropriate in certain cases to support muscle activation, strength and recovery. All treatments are carefully selected based on your dog’s assessment findings and rehabilitation goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at info@allseasonsanimalrehab.co.uk if you cannot find an answer to your question.

My dog is nervous at the vets. Will they cope with physiotherapy?

Many dogs find visits to the veterinary practice stressful, and some may need additional support or medication to help them cope with appointments. We understand that every dog is different and take a calm, patient approach to help them feel comfortable.

At All Seasons Animal Rehab, many dogs who are initially worried about new environments quickly learn that physiotherapy is a positive experience. Sessions often involve plenty of encouragement, rewards and activities that feel like fun rather than a medical appointment.

We have a large, spacious treatment room so dogs do not feel confined or trapped, and we allow plenty of time for them to settle at their own pace. Owners are encouraged to be involved as much as possible, helping their dog feel secure while learning exercises they can continue at home.

Our aim is to create a relaxed environment where your dog feels safe, builds confidence and can benefit from physiotherapy without unnecessary stress.

My dog is reactive. Can they still have physiotherapy?

Yes. At All Seasons Animal Rehab, we have extensive experience working with reactive and sensitive dogs, and they make up a significant part of our caseload.

Many dogs display reactive behaviours because they are experiencing pain, discomfort or a loss of confidence. We understand that these dogs require a patient, individualised approach and we always prioritise their emotional wellbeing alongside their physical rehabilitation.

Not every dog needs to be handled to benefit from physiotherapy. For dogs who are uncomfortable with touch, we can assess them functionally through methods such as gait analysis, stance analysis, movement assessments and exercises completed with the owner. This allows us to gather valuable information and support their rehabilitation while respecting their boundaries.

Before your appointment, we will discuss your dog's needs and how you would like us to approach the session. We work at your dog's pace, allowing them time to build trust and confidence within the environment.

It is incredibly rewarding to see how many dogs who initially find handling difficult begin to enjoy their visits over time. With patience and positive experiences, some dogs become comfortable enough to allow hands-on physiotherapy or hydrotherapy as part of their rehabilitation journey.

My dog doesn’t seem that bad. Would they still benefit from physiotherapy?

Yes. In fact, early intervention is often the ideal time to start physiotherapy. Addressing small changes in movement, strength or mobility before they develop into bigger problems can help prevent conditions from progressing and support your dog’s long-term health.

Even if your dog appears to have recovered from an injury or episode of lameness, there may still be underlying weakness, reduced flexibility or altered movement patterns that are not obvious at home. These changes can place additional strain on other muscles and joints, increasing the risk of the problem returning.

Physiotherapy can help identify these areas and provide targeted exercises to rebuild strength, improve movement and reduce the chance of future injury. Supporting your dog’s body early can help them stay active, comfortable and mobile throughout their life.

Animal Physiotherapy

What is Canine Physiotherapy?

Our Physiotherapists

The Booking Process

Does Your Dog Need Physiotherapy?

Veterinary Consent for Physiotherapy

Initial Assessment

Your Dog’s Initial Physiotherapy Assessment

Understanding Your Dog’s History

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Stance Analysis Assessment

Gait Assessment and Functional Movements

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Home Exercise Programme

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Additional Treatment Modalities

Additional Treatment Modalities

Palpation and Range of Movement Testing

Additional Treatment Modalities

Frequently Asked Questions

"She is now running around happily again, having been walking on three legs and in a lot of pain and it is just fantastic the difference they made."

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