Many of the pooches that attend clinic can sometimes struggle to allow new people into their trusted circle. Yaz is very honoured to be part of this circle, but alas Canine Massage is just one component of the team. Multimodal management and collaborating with other Veterinary professionals is a great way to make the most of a Pain Management plan. Charlotte, registered Veterinary Physiotherapist and joining the YPT team is a way to expand this team of professionals, without having to leave the comfort of your home! Who is YPT Online Veterinary Physiotherapy for? This service is exclusive to YPT in-clinic customers, Yaz and Charlotte will collaborate on individual cases combining knowledge to create a bespoke plan for your pooch. Your dog must have been seen within the last 6 months in clinic to be eligible for this service. Which service do I pick? Initial Assessment - £75 Charlotte will deep dive your dogs current Pain Management plan and identify areas of focus. Your dog’s bespoke Remedial Exercise Plan will be emailed to you with 7WD, containing specific exercises, and guidance for the next 4 weeks. Follow up Session - £55 Charlotte will review how you have progressed through your 4 Remedial Exercise Plan. You will then receive an updated Remedial Exercise Plan for your next 6 weeks. What to expect from your YPT Online Veterinary Physiotherapy session Appointments are held over Google Meet video call, you will receive a link for this 1WD prior to you scheduled appointment. YPT Online Veterinary Physiotherapy Checklist - Ask your Vet to complete the Veterinary Physiotherapy Consent Form That’s it! Once we have this additional paperwork Yaz and Charlotte will sort the rest!

Charlotte is a Veterinary Physiotherapist at Raybrook Veterinary Physiotherapy specialising in canine rehabilitation with a keen interest in holistic care. Charlotte focuses on providing a consent based approach to her work, with remedial exercise programmes tailored to each individual dog. Charlotte works in partnership with Yorkshire Pooches Therapies as the resident Online Veterinary Physiotherapist to bring together a multi-modal team of canine professionals. Having experience and knowledge of orthopaedic, neurological and soft tissue cases, Charlotte has brought together her knowledge and expertise to help better musculoskeletal health and improve quality of life. Dogs of all shapes, sizes, breeds, ages, capabilities and temperaments are all welcomed with the same enthusiasm and dedication when planning individual exercise programmes. Charlotte prides herself on delivering a thorough assessment to ensure all dogs receive care specific to their needs, ensuring the best outcome for your dog. Learning is a continual and important skill as a Veterinary Physiotherapist, alongside her postgraduate qualification in Veterinary Physiotherapy, Charlotte has continued her study of: - Joint supplements - Kinesiology taping - Stem Cells - Natural and fresh feeding - Canine Conditioning - Force Free training and Practices - Canine Behaviour - Current and Ethical Pharmaceuticals Charlotte is a member of the National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists and fully insured. This ensures that services provided are of the highest standard and are in accordance with current legislation. Charlotte has a dog of her own, a rescue Samoyed named Kiba. Kiba’s own rehabilitation process fuelled her passion for physiotherapy and patient centred care. Charlotte is a strong believer in age not being a disease and has a soft spot for her golden oldies. Are you an in clinic YPT customer, click here to book in with the wonderful Charlotte!

Fish is well known for its health properties, and it is full of wonderful Omega fatty acids that can support an abundance of different body systems. These Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) can be further divided into Omega-3 and Omega-6. OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS This group of PUFA are best known for their role in reducing inflammation from chronic diseases such as arthritis. Other benefits range from heart, brain and skin health. OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS This group of PUFA seriously get a bad rep, even though they are essential for overall health! They serve as an energy source for the body, stimulate growth and help support the immune system. However, excess consumption can lead to excess production of pro-inflammatory biochemicals. TYPE OF FISH Feeding whole fish will always be my ideal, but this sometimes isn’t achievable so tinned fish is a great option. You guessed it, I have an opinion on the type of tinned fish we can offer our dogs. We should be aiming for smaller fish, such as sardines or mackerel. The reason for this is that larger fish such as tuna and salmon have a higher rate of metal toxins. WHICH PRESERVATIVE? Preservatives are necessary for a perishable item, but which is the best health-wise? OIL Usually, the oil that is chosen is Sunflower Oil. Fat is fat soluble, meaning all the good Omega-3’s from the fish will drain into the Omega-6’s found in sunflower oil. Remember Omega-6 can lead to an increase of pro-inflammatory biochemicals, which kind of defeats the point of feeding fish for its anti-inflammatory properties. BRINE Essentially this is just salt water. Very effective at preserving and yes we need salt in our dog's diet. However, unless you are feeding an exclusively fresh food diet (such as raw) your dog will already be getting enough salt from their diet. For raw fed dogs who aren’t eating processed food (this includes treats and the odd tit bit) they can benefit from a pinch of salt, but my preference would be pink himalayan salt, not brine water. This tends to be the cheapest option so a good rinse to remove excess salt is a good shout. SPRING WATER This is exactly what it says on the tin, just water. This tends to be more expensive but we don’t have the worry of excess salt or fish sliding around in pro-inflammatory oil. For me, spring water is the WINNER! Keep it clean and simple. Adding ANY fish is better than no fish, but making these small changes in the type of tinned fish we are buying for our dogs can make a difference in the ongoing battle against management of inflammation. Want to know my thoughts on fish oil and the latest research? Check out my Online Training, To Supplement or Not To Supplement! For readers keen to GET YA NERD ON, check out this research paper. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308533/

HAVE QUESTIONS AND CONFLICTING ANSWERS? - Where do I source good quality food from? - What is the difference between 80.10.10 and complete? - How can I supercharge my dog's food bowl? - Who can I ask for help? ASK YAZ! Having worked in the Natural Canine Sector for many years, I have extensive knowledge of the current products available on the UK market and there is always something to suit every budget. Hands-on experience is only one aspect, I also have studied and achieved an OFQUAL Level 3 in Canine Nutrition, TCM Food Energetics and studying towards a BSc in Natural Science (Biology). If raw feeding isn’t for you, that is fine. If you can’t stomach tripe, that is also fine. These sessions are about finding practical solutions to feeding your dog, whatever works best for you both! WHAT'S INCLUDED? - 30-minute phone call to discuss your dogs current nutrition and any required problem solving. - Within 10 working days a report will land in your inbox with everything we discussed and a plan of recommendations. WHAT DO CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY? "I had a telephone appointment with Yaz regarding my 6 month golden retriever's dietary issues. I was spending a fortune on different supplements to try and sort out his digestive issues. Yaz looked at everything I'm feeding and is now writing a diet plan for my pooch. Yaz is incredibly knowledgeable and explains things in terms that make it so easy to understand. I cannot thank Yaz enough for her time and help. She is wonderful." Nina & Gulliver WELLNESS SESSION CHECKLIST 1. Complete a New Customer Form This will give Yaz an overview of your dog and a chance to highlight what part of your dog's nutrition you're wanting to work on. 2. Book your session Using our online booking services, pick your appointment slot and you’re good to go. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Sometimes all you need is a nudge in the right direction, that bit of confidence to take the leap into fresh feeding for your dog. Each session is accepted on an individual basis, should your dog have preexisting medical conditions a Wellness Session may not be the service for you. Should this be the case Yaz will email you to advise. Please note any advice given does not constitute or replace Veterinary Advice.

Take a scroll on social media, it won’t take you long to find a video of a dog doing competition heelwork, you know the type. Head arched up towards the handler, dancing forelimbs, snappy editing with inspiring audio playing over the top “Never lose sight of who you are, show up every day” I paraphrase, but you get the gist. Now this is no hate to the people who make these videos, hats off to you. You clearly have dedicated a lot of time to your dog, crafting that positioning and is it a flex? Well yeah, it looks cool and it's nice to see that connection between dog and handler. The same principle can be applied to gundogs retrieving over tricky terrain and flyball dogs thundering over hurdles. All of these dogs are at the top of their game, athletes if you will. Watching dogs compete is rewarding for handlers and spectators, but most of all the dogs love it! WHY ISN'T PAIN SEXY? Pain is emotive, the very word PAIN can cause upset, offence or straight-up denial. Perhaps it’s because we don’t want to address potential issues, a scuff on that polished image of a winner? Sometimes people aren’t ready to ask the questions, because they’re not going to like the answer. It’s personal, people may feel it is a reflection of the care they provide their dog. It could be a mix of all of the above, no matter where you sit know that if you want to get to grips with your dog's pain management my door is always open (during opening hours) but you get what I mean. LET'S MAKE PAIN MANAGEMENT SEXY! I’m on a mission, to make pain management sexy , well maybe not sexy but just get people interested in the topic. Want to know the flexes I love the most, - My dog can now get out of bed without being stiff - My dog has started climbing on the sofa again - The Vet is really happy with how my dog is progressing - Pain medication has made a difference to my dog's behaviour - The hydrotherapist said my dog worked really well today If you’re a Canine Professional looking to level up your pain knowledge or a Pet Parent hungry for more information check out my online training courses, in particular You Can’t Train Away Pain Love Yaz, Lily, Rodney & Peggy x

If you’ve found this blog you will know by now that I’m a Canine Vet Rehabber. I want to bring together my experience with this drug, what the research is telling us and what leading experts in Veterinary Rehabilitation have to say. My opinion is just that, an opinion. I’m not here to tell you what to do, just share my thoughts on this drug to help Pet Parents make informed decisions when it comes to OA pain management. One of the most hotly debated topics in Veterinary Rehabilitation, is Librela THE answer to our pain management prayers? Is it too good to be true or do I need to stop being so cynical? What is Librela? Librela is a medicine designed to alleviate the pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs. This solution is injected under the skin, and dosage is dependent on your dog's weight. This injection is usually administered once a month on a recurring basis. How does it work? Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a naturally occurring protein that is involved in many biological activities in the body from pain signalling to regulation of growth. Librela’s active ingredient, Bedinvetmab, is designed to bind with canine NGF and prevent communication with its receptors. In Librela’s case the aim is to interrupt pain signals, relieving the dog's sensation of pain. What are the benefits? - EFFECTIVE at relieving pain! - Vet’s don’t have to worry about treatment compliance because they are the only ones who can administer this medication. - Monthly treatments, also mean monthly checkups with your Vet on treatment progress. - Results anecdotally seen quickly, research says around a month. What are the risks? Side effects are a risk with everything we do in life, and it can be difficult to pinpoint if particular symptoms can be attributed to Librela. Usually, the demographic for dogs who are a candidate for this treatment will also have other pathologies as well as OA. Some of the side effects that have been reported, - Swelling at the injection site - Systematic disorders: lack of efficacy, polydipsia, death, lethargy, anorexia - Renal and urinary tract disorders: poluria, urinary incontinence - Digestive tract disorders: diarrhoea, vomiting - Neurological disorders: ataxia, seizures Another side effect that I have seen and heard of is itching. I am yet to find any official reports of this. If your dog is on Librela or indeed any drug, any negatives should be reported to your Vet in order for them to relay this back to the manufacturer. My thoughts Librela came to the UK market in 2020 and in the USA 2023, so we are yet to understand the long-term effects of this drug. What we do have are current side effects, well the ones that have been reported. This in no way detracts from those who have suffered a devastating loss following Librela treatment, if this happened to my dog I too would be shouting from the rooftops. We need to keep listening to ALL experiences, the good and the bad. Although my listed benefits are significantly shorter than the risks involved, please don’t let this distract away from how amazing Librela is for incredibly painful dogs. Relieving a dog from osteoarthritic pain is phenomenal and it can be life-changing for certain pain management cases. What does a leading Holistic Vet have to say? Well you can blame Dr Edward Bassingthwaighte for kick starting my obsession with silent pain. He has a fabulous free lecture on this topic, which I would thoroughly recommend. In his write up on Librela he says, Stage four for me is when we throw the kitchen sink at the dog because we are only focused on quality of life, and keeping him going in as much comfort as possible for as long as possible. I’d include opiate drugs and Librela in this stage. I might also consider Librela in late stage 3 if all other options have been exhausted." (Bassingthwaighte, 2023) What does the ‘Godfather of Vet Rehab’ have to say? Any rehabber will know the legend Darryl Millis, I had the opportunity to speak to him but chickened out! Side note, ask for the selfie next time! Anyway, he concludes in his lengthy write-up on Librela, “My concerns are that other available treatments may be more effective, treatment of early osteoarthritis may result in reduction of joint position awareness, potentially increasing the progression of osteoarthritis, and there is the possibility of neurologic side effects.” (Millis, 2023) Is there a human equivalent to Librela? Nope, there isn't. NOAH, is a public access website containing current data sheets for licensed Veterinary medicine. They state, "In clinical trials in humans, rapidly progressive osteoarthritis has been reported in patients receiving humanised anti-NGF monoclonal antibody therapy. The incidence of these events increased with high doses and in those human patients that received long-term (more than 90 days) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) concomitantly with an anti-NGF monoclonal antibody. Dogs have no reported equivalent of human rapidly progressive osteoarthritis." (NOAH, 2024) We are the same on a cellular level, a lot of human medicine crosses over into Vet medicine. Not the 'joint trashing' though... I mean I don't want to get my tin foil hat out on this one, but I have one for you too if you would like to borrow it. Conclusion In conclusion, does Librela have its place in a pain management plan? For me, it absolutely does… in certain circumstances. - All other pain medication options have been explored and suitable ones trialled. Librela shouldn’t be (IMO) the first port of call when starting a pain management journey. If and when the efficacy dips, what else do we have to fall back on? - Things that a Pet Parent can manage such as weight control, lifestyle changes and exercise should all be fine-tuned before considering It is far too easy to make bold sweeping statements of I will NEVER use Librela, I for one can’t say I will never consider it. I think in fairness we need to consider what this drug is actually doing on the front line of veterinary medicine and rehabilitation. I’ve seen dogs have the last 6 months of their life changed for the better with Librela, something we never could have achieved even with the cocktail of pain medications, physical therapy, nutrition, supplements and lifestyle management. When we’re considering quality of life, surely we want whatever time we have left for them to be comfortable? I would have to be REALLY pushed to use this with my own dogs last-chance saloon sort of scenario with end-stage OA. Anything that is referred to as a ‘wonder drug’ proceed with caution. This opinion may change, given time for more research… I doubt it but never say never. Love Yaz, Lily, Rodney & Peggy Resources https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326241/ https://www.mylamedog.com/post/what-about-librela-anti-nerve-growth-factor-antibody-treatment https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/librela-berensa-wonder-drug-or-disaster-in-the-making/

If you’re anything like me, you’re a canine therapist HUNGRY for knowledge! Always on the hunt for the latest CPD, striving to be the best for our canine companions. I’m a Yorkshire lass, (don’t know if you can tell) I like my tea strong and value for money! So let's take a look at my latest CPD, The Blue Paw Award. Who are VOA? VOA, the Veterinary Osteoarthritis Alliance. On their website, they state that, "The primary effor t and purpose of the Veterinary Osteoarthritis Alliance (VOA) is the creation of a platform to advance the management of osteoarthritis by developing theoretical and practical training opportunities, by providing access to the latest research, evidence and technologies and by the facilitation of a multi-professional collaboration to address and improve the results of disease management." This mission is so important to me as a Canine Paraprofessional, we all need to work together more efficiently and this is one of the first steps towards this. What is The Blue Paw Award? This award is given to those who have completed the VOA Blue Paw Award course, demonstrating that, “Members who have received the Blue Paw Award should wear their badges with pride, as they now have the sufficient knowledge to improve OA care in their veterinary practice.” Although I don’t have a veterinary practice, this course is open to Canine Paraprofessionals. What is the course content? The course is split into 8 modules, Section 1: Aetiology, Pathophysiology Section 2: Diagnostics Section 3: Pathophysiology of Pain, Pain Management, Future Therapies Section 4: Intra-Articular Injections Section 5: Nutrition & Weight Management, Nutraceuticals Section 6: Complementary Therapies Section 7: Surgery Section 8: Monitoring Each module has further sections, lots of reading and video demonstrations to watch. How are you assessed? The assessment takes place via the online portal, a multiple-choice quiz of 45 questions from the course content. You can only access this once you have completed all your previous modules. What is the investment? The investment amount for this course is £50 for individuals via an annual membership. For practice memberships for up to 5 members, the investment is £250 annually. Was the CPD value for money? 100%, I would have happily paid much more for this CPD! What were my favourite parts? It was great to refresh and deepen my understanding of the pathophysiology of OA and Pain. I enjoyed the section on X-ray interpretation, although I’m not a Vet I do see a lot of X-rays and this knowledge can help explain a diagnosis to a Pet Parent. The thorough breakdown of different pharmaceuticals was very insightful, not that I do any prescribing but can help with Pet Parents' understanding of why their dog has been prescribed a particular drug. Throughout this course there are plenty of research references, these not only support the content but are a valuable resource for further learning. Where could there be improvements? At the end of this course, there is space for you to submit feedback, as I imagine this course will continue to evolve its content. - One section contains video footage of a cadaver dog. Although their face is covered, for those of the industry who aren't accustomed to seeing this a little note to say ‘This next module contains a cadaver’ would have just made it a touch more user-friendly. - It would be nice to contain a section on the emotional aspect of OA management, for both the dog and caregiver. Plus a video on how to get the most out of an OA exam through cooperative care. Again this could just be me but another component I feel is important in OA management. - The nutrition section could be more thorough, although it was nice for the content to remain impartial to food type and discuss on a calorie basis. We all know how political it can get talking about feeding dogs! Maybe this is just me but I’m obsessed with the relationship between the microbiome, nutrition and pain. I did mention this in my feedback. These three points are only small personal drawbacks, but the actual content of this course outweighs these points. Where can I sign up? All of this information can be found on the VOA Website . All in all, I enjoyed how thorough this course was, the layout and learning platform is super user-friendly and you get to study at your own pace. This is just module 1 and I’m hoping this is followed up with module 2! An absolute must for anyone working in Vet Rehab. References - https://vet-oa.com/blue-paw/

I have an extensive book collection on a huge range of subjects, but of course mainly all about dogs. It’s not uncommon for my in clinic customers to be sent home with a book to read! Here are some of my favourites, keep checking back regularly as I will keep updating this list! Anatomy & Behaviour - The Wild Canids: Their Systematics, Behavioural Ecology and Evolution. Michael W Fox - Dog Anatomy: A Pictorial Approach to Canine Structure. Peter Goody - The Dog Anatomy Workbook: A Guide to the Canine Body A Gardiner & M Raynor - Dog Anatomy: A Coloring Atlas. Robert Kainer and Thomas McCracken - Dogs in Motion. Professor Martin Fischer - The Book Your Dog Wishes You Would Read. Louise Glazebrook - The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Bessel Van Der Kolk Nutrition & Herbal Health - Food Pets Die For, Shocking Facts about Pet Food. Ann Martin - Honey’s Natural Feeding Handbook for Dogs. Jonathan Self - Feeding Dogs: The Science Behind the Dry Versus Raw Debate. Dr Conor Brady - Raw Meaty Bones: Promote Health. Dr Tom Lonsdale - Multi-Billion-Dollar Pet Food Fraud: Hiding in Plain Sight. Dr Tom Lonsdale - Yin & Yang Nutrition for Dogs: Maximizing Health with Whole Foods, Not Drugs. Dr Judy Morgan - Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet's Life. M Wulff & G Tilford - Animal Self-Medication: How Animals Heal Themselves. Caroline Ingraham Canine Health - The Complete Book of Cat and Dog Health. Lise Hansen - The Forever Dog. Rodney Habib and Karen Becker - Your Dog’s Pain Diary, A Blueprint For Monitoring a Pain Trial. Yaz Porritt

Technically known as Acute Caudal Myopathy, this condition goes by many names… - Swimmers Tail - Limber Tail - Frozen Tail All mean the same thing, a funky looking tail! What is Swimmers Tail? Swimmers tails can be characterised by the sudden onset of a limp and painful tail. This can occur at the very base or further along the length of the tail. It can prevent your dog from holding their tail carriage high, sitting and or wagging comfortably. There are some schools of thought that believe a sudden onset of blood vessel constriction caused by cold water. This may be the case but doesn’t totally explain all of the instances Swimmers Tail that can occur. What causes Swimmers Tail? There are no straightforward answers to what can cause a flare up but here are some scenarios that I have come across which may cause an episode of Swimmers Tail. - Walking in heavy rain with no coat - Swimming in cold water - Swimming for too long - Washing in cold water - Wagging their tail too much - Excess time in a crate - Excessive exercise in an unfit dog What breeds are prone to Swimmers Tail? We don’t yet understand exactly why certain breeds are more commonly affected by Swimmers Tail, but it is more commonly seen in hunting breeds such as, - Beagles - Spaniels - Labradors - Pointers - Vizlas