Avonside Canine Hydrotherapy, Stratford-on-Avon

09/09/2026

New addition to the family Flinn came with his big brother Dino today.
Great new environments and experiences for a young puppy.
He was making sure I did Dinos laser therapy properly 😀🐶💙🐾

31/08/2026

🌟🌟Please please read 💙🧡❤️🌟🌟

❌ MYTH: "Prescription pain relief will destroy my dog's liver and kidneys, so it’s safer to avoid medication and stick to natural alternatives."

✅ FACT: When prescribed and monitored under veterinary supervision, modern pain medications are safe, highly effective, and life-changing. Unmanaged chronic pain is far more dangerous to your dog’s welfare and longevity than properly managed medication.

While every pharmaceutical carries potential side effects, modern veterinary analgesics (such as NSAIDs and targeted monoclonal antibodies) undergo rigorous safety testing. Routine monitoring - such as baseline blood and urine panels every 6 to 12 months - allows your vet team to ensure medications are being metabolised safely and catch any subtle changes well before they become clinical issues.

Leaving joint pain unmanaged out of fear carries massive, hidden risks: severe muscle atrophy, persistent neuroplastic pain ("wind-up"), mobility loss, anxiety, and ultimately a drastically reduced quality of life.

High-quality supplements and lifestyle changes are fantastic supportive tools, but they cannot replace the targeted anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving power of prescription medication when chronic joint disease is present.

31/08/2026

15/08/2026

🌟🌟Puppy spam!!🌟🌟
Who doesn’t love a puppy on a Saturday?
I’ve said it before, but swimming is so useful for young dogs.

Little Raffy is only five months old, but today he experienced being handled by somebody else and swimming for the first time. He’s going on holiday to the Lake District, lucky boy, and his sensible Mum and Dad wanted him to experience being in Water before he went on holiday.
I started off playing some Scentwork games with him to build a connection and positive relationship with me before he experienced getting in the swimming pool. Once lifted into the pool, he stood confidently on the platform in the water which he knew was his safe space. He’s a lovely little swimmer and took to it naturally jumping in for the tennis ball by the end.
He’ll be back again to gain more confidence as well as to help strengthen his young joints and mentally stimulate him. 💙🐶💙

12/08/2026

🌟🚨 HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT & MAJOR UPDATE FOR PET PARENTS ACROSS THE UK! 🚨🌟

We are DELIGHTED to share some incredible news

Late yesterday afternoon, The Petitions Committee at the House of Commons has officially confirmed that with a few small wording adjustments in order that we meet parliamentary standards — our request for a Government petition has been ACCEPTED! 🎉🐾

This is a huge step forward for pet parents, responsible pet‑care professionals, and everyone who wants safer, clearer, stronger standards across the entire pet‑care industry.

🐶📜 What the petition will call for
In the coming days, we will share the full petition for signature and distribution, but the essence of the request is a call on the Government to introduce The Pet Care Regulations Bill, which would require:

Greater education and awareness for pet owners - be it via vets and other professionals.
Mandatory licensing for all pet sitters dog walkers, groomers for example
Welfare training for anyone caring for pets - including Canine First Aid.
DBS/Enhanced DBS checks/Renewals DBS
Public liability insurance
A central public register of ALL licensed pet care professionals

In the bill, we are also asking that pet sitting apps and platforms are also held to account to ensure verifications etc take place.

PLUS (subject to parliamentary approval):
A register for individuals prosecuted for animal cruelty, similar in principle to existing offender registers

This is about protecting pets, reassuring owners, and supporting responsible professionals who are already do things properly either be it new to the pet care world or for those that have been doing it for years

🐾💛 Why this matters
Right now, ANYONE can offer pet sitting or dog walking for example, without:
Training
Insurance
ID checks
Background checks
Licensing
Oversight

Further, those that have been convicted of animal cruelty can then start a dog walking business for example, without any checks and balances in place.

This leaves animals vulnerable and pet parents exposed and allows unsafe, even underage operators to slip through unregulated platforms.

Since submitting the petition request on 24th July 2026, it became clear that the issues in pet care are far wider than originally thought. This Bill would be a vital step toward meaningful, long‑overdue change.

📣✨ We would be SO grateful if you could help us spread the word and if you support safer standards for pets and peace of mind for families, we’d be incredibly grateful if you could:

Share our page 💛
Share the steps being taken to drive change
Help amplify the petition when it goes live
Every share helps reach another pet parent, another responsible professional, another person who cares.

🙏💬 And yes… we are well aware that a minority won’t like this but meaningful change rarely does. We’re here for the pets, the families, and the professionals who want a safer, stronger, more transparent industry.

📝📢 Next steps - Once the final wording is approved, we will share the full petition for signature and distribution.
This is real progress and we are genuinely grateful for every single person supporting this movement.

03/08/2026

❌ MYTH: "If my dog is on daily pain medication for osteoarthritis, it will mask their symptoms and cause them to overexert themselves, leading to more joint damage."

FACT:
Pain management is essential for breaking the cycle of chronic pain and inflammation. When a dog's pain is unmanaged, they tend to move less, leading to muscle wasting (atrophy) and stiffness. Unmanaged pain can also cause central sensitisation- where the nervous system becomes hypersensitive to pain signals over time.

Properly managed pain allows dogs to comfortably engage in controlled, low-impact exercise (like gentle walking or hydrotherapy), which builds supporting muscle tissue and preserves joint mobility. Rather than masking a problem, targeted pain relief helps maintain physical health and improves quality of life.

16/07/2026

I am fully NARCH registered (find us on their website) and insured.

There is a big difference between “fun” swimming (which is great for fit and healthy dogs) and therapy.

A dog that is older, injured, recovering from injury or even just swum “wrong” can be at risk of exhaustion, further injury, panic, increased pain and even secondary drowning.

Give me a call on 07974748961 to talk through hydrotherapy for your dog and how we can help 💙🐾💙