Testimonials to Kate and Newland Physiotherapy

Heidi, a Pembroke corgi, first started to see Kate after she was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy in March 2011.  Heidi started to drag her rear foot in February and I knew something was seriously wrong and took her to the vet. Within days seeing the vet, her mobility rapidly got worse and her gait changed, almost as if shesometimes had no awareness of where her rear legs were.
 
Kate immedaitely got on the case when she met Heidi.  After completing an assessment Kate used a muscle stimulating electrotherapy machine on her leg, and also worked on Heidi'd back. Kate was able to recommend purchasing some equipment to use at home, such as a wobble cushion and a muscle stimulating machine and it didn't cost an arm and a leg.

Heidi and I left her first session with a clear and simple home exercise programme consisting of 10 minutes' work on a daily basis to promote nerve and muscle growth in her legs.
 
Heidi's disease was so aggressive that I expecting her to be in a wheelchair by the end of 2011, but  today I am pleased to say she is running around with bags of energy and mobility.  I am 100% sure this is due to the work Kate does, advice I follow from Kate and hydrotherapy she has. I have been very impressed with Kate's confidence and professionalism at all times.
 

Barney initially met Kate to help with a luxating patella in his rear left leg.  Having had a course of Metacam from the vet and some rest it had improved but it was not a long term solution.  He continued to carry his weight on his other leg which resulted in muscle loss in his left.  Barney is a very nervous little dog and finds it hard to trust anyone but Kate put him at ease with her gentle kind manner and we soon had him offering his bad leg to her for treatment.  Kate was fabulous, a combination of physio from her and us doing various exercises with him soon had him up and running.

When Barney started to limp on his front right leg we immediatelycalled Kate who diagnosed tendinitis, again through treatment we have managed to give Barney back his quality of life. Initially we could do no more than let him out for toilet breaks, but now he can walk good distances and runs like a puppy - despite being 9 years old!  Kate is an absolute natural and has such an empathy with Barney.  She is extremely knowledgeable in her field and has a good support network of vets, holistic healers and other professionals to help with the healing of your animal.  We totally trust Kate with Barney and we would have no hesitation in recommending Kate - we have so much thank her for.
 

Benjie is a miniature apricot poodle who was diagnosed with a rare nerve root inflammation known as polyradiculoneuritis, which led rapidly to total paralysis.  His recovery is explained by his owners:

“We learnt that the only thing which could be done was careful nursing and intensive physiotherapy, so our vet called in veterinary physiotherapist Kate Fisher.  Kate devised a physiotherapy programme initially to try and maintain his muscle bulk, his limb range of movement and prevent the development of pressure sores.  These exercises were carried out by the nursing team every few hours. 
Over the next month Benjie's physio programme was adjusted according to his progress and augmented with a muscle stimulation machine, whereby his fur was clipped back to the skin in eight places on his body and limbs, to facilitate better electro stimulation to the muscles.  On returning home, Niall constructed Benjie's 'chariot', a walking frame that helped Benjie practise walking once he had mastered the standing phase.
Benjie was a quadraplegic for nearly three months and at one time we never thought we would have him with us again but now we often look at him in amazement at what he has achieved in a relatively short time.  It is, we are sure, down to the care and nursing he received at the Damory Veterinary Clinic, the expertise of the Royal Veterinary College and our physiotherapist Kate Fisher.”
 

Fort Sumter, AKA Sums, had a budding racing career until it was ended through an unfortunate accident involving the ramp of a horse box and his front right tendon.  18 months after the accident, following several months of box rest and over a year of not being ridden, I become the very proud owner of Sums in January 2003.

Sums and I were first introduced to Kate around a year after he came to me and he’s continued to be treated by her ever since…  Kate is always very astute in her assessment of Sums or, rather, telling me off for not going to see my Osteopath - my bad back triggering Sums’ bad back and vice-versa! Being an ex-racer, Sums can be quite a handful and still thinks he’s 4, but when Kate’s treating him you’d think he was the most docile animal going!  The treatment Kate gives definitely relieves tension - he positively skips to his field after Kate’s been!  The carrot stretches he’s been taught help his on-going niggles with his back and provide constant amusement at the yard – anyone with the slightest whiff of treats on them will see Sums putting his head between his legs in expectation of a reward!  Maybe my back would be eased if I started doing carrot stretches….

Lazarus is my 2 year old Border Collie, who trains and competes in agility.  Just over a year ago Laz decided he could walk along a log but slipped, and since then has had intermittent lameness and missed alot of his first agility season due to injury.  Although several X-rays had appeared fine, the problem kept reocurring so we went to see Kate.  
 
Kate immediately diagnosed the problem and I am glad to say Laz is now fully recovered. As a competing dog he still sees Kate from time to time to keep him balanced and fit for his job.  Laz is a typical collie - he thinks about things alot and can sometimes be a bit suspicious, but Laz absolutely loves his sessions with Kate and becomes more of a Ragdoll cat than a collie.
 
Two of my other dogs are also seen by Kate.  Spoony is an 11 year old Jack Russell Terrier who when younger ruptured both cruciate ligaments so has trouble with his back.  He too loves sessions wtih Kate and her treatments are keeping him in top order.  He is very fit for his age and I am sure this is attributed to his regular physiotherapy treatments.
 
Chess is a 9 year old Springer x Collie with arthritis in her front toe.  Chess is a very neurotic dog and does not cope well with new situations, but Chess adores Kate and the treatments she gives her.  To see a very highly strung, nervous dog asleep on the floor while Kate treats her says it all to me.  With the treatment that Kate provides neither Chess nor any of the others have had to be on pain relief.