Pre-Visit Checklist for Owners

Before your vet visit, make sure to gather the following:

• List of Questions: Prepare any questions or concerns you have about your pet’s health or behavior.
• List of Medications: Bring along a list of any medications your pet is currently taking.
• Muzzle (if needed): Consider muzzle training if your pet may require a muzzle during the visit. Guide to muzzle training.
• Short Lead: Use a short lead instead of a retractable one for better control.
• Blanket or Familiar Item: Bring a blanket or something familiar that your pet often uses or lays on.
• Food or Treats: If applicable, bring your pet’s favorite treats or food.
• Photos or Videos: Provide any photos or videos of your pet displaying symptoms, if available.

How to Prepare for the Visit:

• Stay Calm: Remember, your pet can pick up on your feelings too, so try to remain calm to help keep them at ease.
• Safe Transportation: Ensure your pet is safely transported to the vet and is accustomed to the mode of transportation.
• Stay in the Car if Preferred: If your pet is more comfortable waiting in the car, please notify us upon arrival. We’ll come out to you when ready, reducing stress, especially in busy waiting rooms. This also helps maintain a calm environment for other pets if your dog tends to vocalize.
• Handling Preparation: Handling plays a significant role in examining your pet, so please get your pet used to being handled in areas such as paws, tail, ears, face, and body. Guide on handling your dog.

There was a buzz about the practice apparently there was a client talk about Mctimoney chiropractic techniques with two human guest speakers one for us blessed with four legs and one for those that have to manage on two.

Mum said they were looking for a volunteer for it annoyingly Pedro spoke up first! For those that have met me if there was one thing I can do well its be pushy so after a little tantrum I got to have a little go too!

So for anyone not familliar with what a chiropractor does it is aligning and balancing the animals musculoskeletal system.  They say they do these by making subtle adjustments throughout the body paying special attention to the spine and pelvis. A Mctimoney practitioner believes in doing it with gentle principles. The McTimoney Chiropractic Association (MCA) is the only chiropractic association to have a specific group of chiropractors qualified and trained to treat animals.  All members of the MCA Animal Group are registered chiropractors, who have completed their initial 5 year’s chiropractic training and have gone on to a further postgraduate qualification in animal chiropractic techniques so I had high hopes for meeting Amy.

Amy as a chiropractor will ask for a full history of your animal at your initial appointment to ascertain; what is normal behaviour for your animal, its performance level, its fitness level, age and any past or present problems.  Legally she also can only work with the permission of my vet and as thats my mum and she was egging me on in the background I think I was ok.  Anyway I got a full clinical exam, apparently I have a narrowed tilty pelvis so my mum’s just being mean when she says I am part lab part baked potato – its all in the genes Darling!

Anyway apart from the fact I had to stand up for thirty minutes my session was fablous as it was just all over attention.

I did feel a bit mean hogging the attention because it turns out because Pedro has metal in his front legs he walks around with a lot of tension in his shoulders and once this was identified he had a lovely manipulation that left him feeling very relaxed.  Apparently Mctimoney can help with a number of things …

• Lameness or limb dragging
• Reluctance to exercise
• Uneven gait
• Changes or deterioration in performance, behaviour or temperament
• Stiffness or pain after exercise
• Uneven muscle development
• Signs of discomfort when their back is touched
• Absence of resolution using conventional methods

Once Amy had finished with me and Pedro she had to do her presentation but from all accounts she was very good at that too! And the crowd really enjoyed it. Anthony from Ansun Chropratic which is based upstairs from us was also very good and my dad is going to see him for his poor posture.  Unlike me he doesn’t need a referral and can just go by himself.

Mum was saying as well that she hopes to do more work with Ansun and offer human and veterinary appointments around the same time so people can utilise their time better and only make one journey here. They also want to reward client that use both facilities so watch this space.

Anyway big licks Bert xxx