Fern

Fern- Physiotherapy Notes 13/11/24 Fern has been off all pain killers 3 weeks and has had no issues reported. She has progressed immensely and was signed off today – if any relapses or issues occur, physiotherapy would be needed to be resumed to aid any issues. Gait  Lateral circumduction of the Right forelimb more than left, the left forelimb is straighter than previously  No knuckling of the limb is seen the left wrist splays mildly on occasion  Mildly reduced weight bearing on the left forelimb but intermittent and very mild. 1/10 Palpation  Mild compensatory muscle tone changes over forelimb retractors  Restriction seen left elbow extension when in retraction – biceps brachii and supraspinatus tendons feel restrictive – hugely improved and up to 85% function is present  Good even muscle mass and tone Function  Able to place foot correctly on an object  No neurological deficit seen in testing  Stability is good Aim: Improve stamina and maintain coordination Advice points  Monitor as the weather gets colder/more damp. This can usually exacerbate limping if there is stiffness in joints. IF this occurs use the heat pack 10 minutes at a time over the affected area.  Continue use of toys or items to grasp, this will increase paw strength  Walk to include varied surfaces and hill work – Ferns forelimbs are weaker and so going downhill will be harder on her muscles as they need to pre-tense ready for body weight impact. She may be best going downhill first then returning home uphill  Adding in hill work may speed up time to fatigue compared to flatter walks so adjust the total walk time by 10 minutes if it will be a harder walk and slowly build up over 5 minutes per week. horsestohoundsphysio@gmail.com www.horsestohoundsphysio.co.uk 07729002162 horsestohoundsphysio@gmail.com www.horsestohoundsphysio.co.uk 07729002162 horsestohoundsphysio@gmail.com www.horsestohoundsphysio.co.uk 07729002162