Supporting Working & Sporting Dogs and Horses with Physiotherapy
Optimising Performance. Preventing Injury. Promoting Recovery.
Working animals and sporting companions give their all – These high-performance athletes put significant strain on their bodies. Just like human athletes, they benefit greatly from targeted, professional physiotherapy.
At SVS Veterinary Physiotherapy, we specialise in supporting the health, performance, and recovery of dogs and horses involved in competitive sports and working roles.
Why Performance Animals Need Physiotherapy
Injury Prevention
Routine physiotherapy helps detect early signs of strain, muscular imbalance, or stiffness before they escalate into injury. Maintaining mobility, flexibility, and muscle balance is key to long-term soundness.
Improved Performance
Physiotherapy can enhance stride length, core strength, coordination, and recovery times — helping your dog or horse perform at their best, whether in the ring, on the field, or in competition.
Faster Recovery
When recovering from injury or surgery, physiotherapy helps restore movement, rebuild strength, and speed up tissue repair, reducing downtime and helping animals return to work safely.
Our Approach at SVS
Each treatment plan is tailored to your animal’s specific needs, discipline, and level of activity.
Services may include:
- Manual therapies (massage, stretching, joint mobilisations)
- Individualised exercise plans
- Modalities such as laser therapy or TENS
- Post-event recovery sessions
Who Can Benefit?
- Agility, flyball & canicross dogs
- Herding, assistance, or working dogs
- Eventing, dressage, and showjumping horses
- Racing and endurance horses
Why Choose SVS?
As a qualified veterinary physiotherapist with additional training in sports massage, I bring a comprehensive, performance-focused approach to each case. I work closely with owners, trainers, and vets to deliver the best possible results for your animal.
Interested in optimising your animal’s performance and well-being?
Get in touch today to book an assessment or to discuss how physiotherapy can support your sporting or working companion.
Canine Physiotherapy
A notable study by the University of Winchester, in collaboration with the Canine Massage Guild, examined the effects of clinical canine massage therapy on 527 dogs with musculoskeletal conditions. The findings revealed that pain severity significantly decreased after just one massage session, with continued improvement observed over subsequent treatments.Additionally, practitioners noted enhancements in the dogs’ mobility and overall quality of life. k9-massageguild.co.uk+1Veterinary Practice+1Veterinary Practice
Equine Physiotherapy
In the equine field, a study published in Animals journal investigated the impact of physiotherapy interventions on horses’ thoracolumbar posture. The research demonstrated significant short-term improvements in spinal flexion following dynamic mobilisation exercises, suggesting that such physiotherapy techniques can positively influence posture and potentially enhance performance. PMC
Additionally, a scoping review of equine rehabilitation literature highlighted the frequent use of physiotherapeutic techniques—such as exercise, electrotherapy, and hydrotherapy—in treating athletic horses. These methods have been employed to address locomotor injuries and restore full athletic performance, underscoring the role of physiotherapy in equine rehabilitation. PubMed+1PMC+1
These studies underscore the value of physiotherapy in enhancing the well-being and performance of working animals. If you’re interested in learning more or discussing how physiotherapy could benefit your animal, feel free to reach out.