Our swimmers of the month for last 12 months - click on a month below
- June - 2023 - Tommy
Lovely little Tommy has racked up a total of 96 sessions since first getting his paws wet here in June 2018, a whole five years. To top that, it’s his birthday month too and sweet Tommy will be 14 years young on the 11th June!
Since he is blessed with the adorable short legs of being a staffy, Tommy can normally be found perched on our ramp rather than the resting station. Whilst he loves to follow one of our toys around during his swim, nothing would trump the day his mum brought his favourite yellow toy from home. We love seeing Tommy each time he comes swimming and hope he continues to enjoy it as much as we enjoy having him at Aquavet.
WELL DONE TOMMY!!
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- May - 2023 - Daisy
Presenting the darling little Daisy (admittedly with some very soggy ears!), a King Charles Spaniel who has been attending Aquavet since she was just a pup at 10 months old. She loves to announce her arrival to all that may hear as she is so excited to get her paws wet with us. Unfortunately, Daisy was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at a young age but frequent hydrotherapy across the years has maintained Daisy’s hindlimb muscle mass in order to support her hips. Maintaining this muscle is vital to keeping Daisy as comfortable as possible.
Beginning in 2015, Daisy has attended a grand total of 115 sessions! Even after all those sessions, she is demanding as ever for cuddles on rest breaks and we are more than happy to supply them. In 2022, Daisy was also identified as having a Grade 2 heart murmur, a condition that is sadly common in Daisy’s breed. These murmurs are graded from one (mild) to six (severe) but fortunately it doesn’t stop the fun for Daisy. We closely monitor Daisy while swimming to ensure her heart isn’t stressed and we can keep Daisy as happy as possible at hydrotherapy.
WELL DONE DAISY,
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- April - 2023 - Koda
SWIMMER OF THE MONTH
April 2023
Koda
Koda came to meet us in December 2022 and started his hydrotherapy in the New Year. He was unfortunate enough to have dislocated his hip in the summer of 2022 and the repair sadly failed. Koda underwent a second surgery called a femoral head and neck excision, this involves removing the ‘ball’ of the hip and allows the body to form a false joint from fibrous material. It is really quite amazing what the body can do.
However, Koda was not very sure post-surgery about the idea of him putting his paw down and as a result the muscle wasted and left Koda with a rather thin little leg. After several sessions in the swimming pool to rebuild muscle without Koda needing to put his foot down, as well as working hard with his physiotherapy, Koda is now much happier about walking on all four paws. With Koda happier, we have returned Koda to the underwater treadmill – which was certainly his preference at hydrotherapy! – where Koda has made great progress in improving his gait and further muscle development.
WELL DONE KODA!!
- March - 2023 - Daisy
Presenting the darling little Daisy (admittedly with some very soggy ears!), a King Charles Spaniel who has been attending Aquavet since she was just a pup at 10 months old. She loves to announce her arrival to all that may hear as she is so excited to get her paws wet with us. Unfortunately, Daisy was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at a young age but frequent hydrotherapy across the years has maintained Daisy’s hindlimb muscle mass in order to support her hips. Maintaining this muscle is vital to keeping Daisy as comfortable as possible.
Beginning in 2015, Daisy has attended a grand total of 115 sessions! Even after all those sessions, she is demanding as ever for cuddles on rest breaks and we are more than happy to supply them. In 2022, Daisy was also identified as having a Grade 2 heart murmur, a condition that is sadly common in Daisy’s breed. These murmurs are graded from one (mild) to six (severe) but fortunately it doesn’t stop the fun for Daisy. We closely monitor Daisy while swimming to ensure her heart isn’t stressed and we can keep Daisy as happy as possible at hydrotherapy.
WELL DONE DAISY,
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- February - 2023 - Boo
Boo
Boo is definitely our biggest Labrador to get his paws wet at Aquavet. He began with us in March 2022 to support him following a diagnosis of hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a common condition in Labradors which often affects both hips and is strongly influenced by genetics. It often leads to discomfort and if not managed may result in muscle wastage.
Boo is a dog of many skills and alternates between the pool and underwater treadmill to maintain muscle mass, range of motion and correct his gait where needed. A piece of sprat can go a long way to enticing Boo to put 110% effort into his work, particularly in the swimming pool. At the grand age of 12 (and a face of a 3-year-old!), Boo has been working very hard recently so we are very proud to have Boo as our swimmer of the month.
WELL DONE BOO,
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- January - 2023 - Flynn
Kicking off 2023 with a big smile is the handsome Flynn, one of Aquavet’s fluffiest clients.
In June 2022, Flynn was unfortunate enough to experience what is known as a fibrocartilaginous embolism or ‘FCE’. Usually an FCE will follow a traumatic event, such as slipping or jumping for a frisbee. This condition occurs when a piece of a spinal disc breaks off and blocks a nearby blood vessel supplying the spinal cord. However, unlike other spinal problems, an FCE usually will see a full return to normality within a very short period of time and does not require surgery.
In addition, Flynn’s mum happens to also have veterinary nurse experience. With her commitment to Flynn’s physiotherapy at home and the addition of hydrotherapy to Flynn’s rehabilitation, Flynn has made an excellent recovery and the team are very pleased with him.
WELL DONE FLYNN,
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- December - 2022 - Moo and Unicorn
We have been saving this darling duo for a December double act. This little pair are Unicorn (left) and Moo (right) and have been coming to Aquavet for some time now.
Unicorn sadly tore a cruciate ligament in his knee during the summer of 2021. He joined the team for his rehabilitation after surgery and has since recovered really well. The frequencies of Unicorn’s sessions on the underwater treadmill have now reduced as he has made so much progress. Unicorn now finds himself looking forward to coming as moral support for his sister Moo as normally there are a few free sprats involved!
Moo began her treatment earlier this year after her owner noticed she had begun to slow down and was not quite as strong as she had been previously on her hindlimbs. Using the underwater treadmill, the team is working to maintain Moo’s awareness of her paws and a good gait for as long as she is able. Her committed owner has also been treating her further at home with massage to improve her general wellbeing.
WELL DONE UNICORN & MOO,
KEEP THOSE TAILS WAGGING!!
- November - 2022 - Bonnie
Bonnie is a cheeky girl who arrived at Aquavet this year following spinal surgery. Pride Veterinary Centre operated on Bonnie for a prolapsed disc that left Bonnie unable to correctly use her hindlimbs. Apparently unaware, Bonnie has bounded into hydrotherapy each week regardless of whether her little legs could keep up with her.
Her owners have been incredibly committed to Bonnie’s treatment and have been bringing her twice a week to give their girl the best chance they could. Bonnie has come on leaps and bounds since beginning her treatment and is now able to move without dragging her paws all over the floor and leaving them in awkward positions. She still has a little way to go but the team are thrilled with her progress so far.
Bonnie has now begun attending physiotherapy to further rehabilitative exercises provided by Pride Veterinary Centre to better suit her recovery stage.
WELL DONE BONNIE,
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- October - 2022 - Vader
Now here is a handsome chap that is a relatively new boy on the block. Despite a rather cool name that may suggest otherwise, Vader definitely fits into the ‘good boy’ category.
Vader has been attending Aquavet since June this year following a diagnosis of elbow dysplasia in both forelimbs and hip dysplasia in both hindlimbs. These conditions so often cause discomfort and so Vader is keeping his strength up to support his elbows and hips with the use of swimming.
Vader has also received a rather cool and regenerative medicine to help with his hip and elbow dysplasia called Stem Cell treatment. Stem cells are highly valuable to the body with the ability to change themselves into a specific cell type according to the body’s needs at the time, these cells are obtained from harvesting fat or bone marrow. Stem Cell treatment often increases the patient’s quality of life by making them more comfortable, allowing them greater opportunity to exercise and in some a decrease in pain medication.
We love to see Vader each time he comes to Aquavet and love his enthusiasm for swimming even more.
- September - 2022 - Ayla Morgan
On the 28th September, Ayla has officially been swimming at Aquavet for a whole year, however for this little girl, it has been just a step in what has been quite the journey.
Ayla only has one eye and was rescued at four years old from Romanian, where previously she had been injured in a road traffic accident. The repairs left her with a shorter right hind leg and severe limb deformities, however that did not stop her from being lucky enough to fall into the hands of her loving family here in the UK.
In 2021, Ayla was already quite the survivor when a dog attack left her needing a visit to the emergency vet. This time, not everything could be repaired and her right hind leg was amputated. X-rays revealed fractures to her left hip and so the ball of her hip was removed, leaving scar tissue to hold her leg and pelvis together. This surgery is known as a femoral head and neck osteotomy. With the correct muscular support from swimming, Ayla can move about like she never even needed the ball of her hip.
Despite all this girl has been through, there is no dog that demands cuddles quite like Ayla. Sitting on the ramp during her rest break, Ayla loves nothing more than to rest her chin on your shoulder and enjoy a snuggle. With two hydrotherapists inside the pool with her, we are just glad there are enough cuddles to go around for everyone!
WELL DONE AYLA,
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- August - 2022 - Ginny
Ginny has just celebrated her birthday making her 11 years old. As you can see by the photo’s Ginny looks much younger and is still super keen to retrieve her ball when swimming.
Ginny is one of the smallest working Spaniel’s we have seen making her extra cute. We have had the pleasure of treating Ginny since 2015, when she joined us following surgery to prevent both of her knee caps from moving around, known as a luxating patella. Ginny was initially treated on our underwater treadmill until the muscle had built up enough to provide support to her knee’s. At this point Ginny was transferred to the pool because she also suffers with Hip Dysplasia.
Unfortunately in May 2016 Ginny had to return to the underwater treadmill following two further operations on her right knee. However this set-back did not stop her tail from wagging every session, and the muscle soon came back, enabling her to return to the pool.
Ginny is happiest in the pool because she is allowed to retrieve a tennis ball, something she can no longer do on land due to the damage it may cause to her joints.
WELL DONE GINNY,
KEEP THAT TAIL WAGGING!!
- July - 2022 - Ariel
Ariel is a beautiful 12 year old Boxer who unfortunately has lots of joint problems along with advanced Osteoarthritis of her hips, elbow dysplasia and spondylosis of her spine.
We first had the pleasure of meeting Ariel on the 17th March this year, when she came to us to help increase muscle on her hind-limbs so she could gain more mobility.
Ariel has been having Physiotherapy alongside weekly hydrotherapy sessions and we are very happy with Ariel’s progress. Due to Ariel’s spondylosis her hydrotherapy treatment plans have been performed on our underwater treadmill, which she has taken too very well. At the beginning Ariel was very nervous and needed lots of encouragement plus help placing her hind-feet. Just nine session’s in and we no longer needed to help her know where her feet were and the support given was minimal. At session 14 the muscle on both her hind-limbs has grown equally and her mobility has improved greatly. Only last week Ariel surprised us all by how well she did in the treadmill.
The only downside is that Ariel feels she is a puppy again and can run around after the ball with her younger siblings. This has resulted in a few little set-backs but she amazes us by how quickly she recovers.
WELL DONE ARIEL, YOU STAR!!