Faye's 4 Paws Animal Physiotherapy

16/10/2026

Today I do orthopaedics! 🦴🐾

One of the things I feel most passionate about is how my role as a veterinary nurse complements my work in physiotherapy.

For me, understanding rehabilitation starts long before a patient takes their first steps after surgery. Being involved in the surgical process and understanding what has been done are such important parts of providing the best possible rehabilitation.

So, what did my role look like today? 👇

🩺 Medication preparation and administration
💉 Anaesthesia monitoring throughout surgery
🩻 Taking X-rays
🧼 Surgical preparation of the patient
🔧 Preparing surgical instruments and equipment
❤️‍🩹 Monitoring recovery from anaesthesia, ensuring the patient is comfortable, safe and has everything they need.

But it doesn’t stop there!

With my additional qualifications in physiotherapy, I can also support the rehabilitation journey beyond the operating theatre.

I believe that combining my nursing experience with my physiotherapy knowledge allows me to better understand each patient’s needs and provide the most appropriate rehabilitation for their recovery. 🤍🐾

01/10/2026

I read something recently that really hit me:

“As dogs age, and as arthritis takes hold, their world can become smaller and smaller.”

If you have an elderly dog or a dog with arthritis, I think this will ring true.

The long walks they once loved become shorter and slower. Running, exploring and playing with their favourite ball may no longer be possible. Getting onto the sofa to lie beside you becomes too difficult, so they find a comfy spot on the floor instead.

They sleep more, exercise less, and even the meal they’ve looked forward to all day may have to be reduced because they’re burning fewer calories.

Stairs become harder, getting into the car is a struggle, and they may not be able to play with their friends like they once did.

Then there’s their hearing. The voice they’ve known all their life can become something they can no longer hear. They may not hear you calling them, may startle when you touch them, or look around because they can no longer follow the sound of your voice.

Their world can become quieter, smaller and more limited.

But we can help make it bigger again. ❤️

Sit on the floor beside them. Bring the toys to them. Find gentle games they can still enjoy. Give them comfortable places to rest and make things easier to reach.

And let them sniff.

To a dog, sniffing is like reading the news — finding out who’s been there, what’s happened and what’s changed. A short walk full of smells can be just as enriching as the long walks they once had.

We can slow down for them. Sit somewhere peaceful and let them watch the world. Give them more time, more patience, more touch, more choice and, most importantly, more of us.

Because their need for companionship doesn’t become smaller just because their bodies have.

They may not be able to run beside us anymore, but we can walk beside them.

They may not hear our voices, but we can make sure they still feel our presence.

Their world may have changed, but it doesn’t have to disappear.

……here’s my little old lady, who every day I try to keep her world as big as it can be. ❤️🐾

01/10/2026

Patient of the Week goes to Arlo…… 🐾❤️

Three weeks ago, Arlo arrived for his first physiotherapy appointment unable to use his back legs and unable to control his urination, meaning he had an indwelling urinary catheter.

Fast forward 3 weeks, and he walked (with a little support) up the path and into my physiotherapy room! 🥹 His catheter has also now been removed. He still has a way to go, but I was absolutely delighted to see him back on his feet. ❤️

Arlo came to me following surgery for IVDD (intervertebral disc disease) - a condition where a spinal disc degenerates or ruptures and puts pressure on the spinal cord. Surgery removes the material compressing the spinal cord, giving the nerves the best possible opportunity to recover.

His rehabilitation so far has included:

🔸 PEMF - to support healing and help manage pain and inflammation
🔸 Laser therapy - to support tissue healing and reduce inflammation
🔸 Massage - to maintain soft tissue mobility and provide sensory input
🔸 Exercise prescription - to encourage appropriate movement, maintain strength and support neurological recovery
🔸 Home exercises - which his owner has been fantastic with! 👏

The aims of physiotherapy following IVDD surgery are to support healing, manage pain, maintain muscle and joint health, prevent secondary complications and encourage the safest possible return of movement and function.

Arlo still has a journey ahead of him, but seeing him walking into his appointment this week was a pretty special milestone. 🐾❤️

Keep going, Arlo! 🥰

26/09/2026

✨ A brilliant session with Dax this morning! ✨

Can you believe Dax is 11 years old!? 🥰

We recently ramped up Dax’s physiotherapy after noticing some subtle weakness in her hindlimbs. As part of her updated plan, we asked a little more from her dedicated owners too, incorporating heat therapy and prescribed exercises into her routine at home.

And they absolutely stepped up to the mark! 👏🏻 They’ve been completing two 30-minute sessions at home, and the difference it has made has been fantastic.

Dax came in smiling today and thoroughly enjoyed her session.

Today’s session was all about getting Dax ready to live her best life and enjoy her upcoming adventures travelling the country on holiday! 🚐🐾❤️

A huge well done to Dax and her wonderful owners for all their hard work — teamwork really does make the difference! 💪🏻✨

24/09/2026

Tea break with Acey ☕️🐾

16/09/2026

Super excited to be back in theatre with Dimitris Mitrakos this week ☺️

Introducing Dimitris Mitrakos, PGCertSAS, MRCVS 🩺

We are delighted to announce that Dimitris Mitrakos is returning to our team, and we are excited to offer his orthopaedic expertise to our referring veterinary practices.

Dimitris will be joining us twice a month to provide orthopaedic consultations and perform orthopaedic surgery, giving our referral partners the opportunity to refer cases directly to us for assessment, surgical planning and treatment.

Orthopaedic procedures offered include:

* TPLO (Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy) – a surgical procedure used to treat cranial cruciate ligament disease, stabilising the knee by changing the angle of the tibial plateau.
* CCWO (Cranial Closing Wedge Osteotomy) – an alternative technique for treating cranial cruciate ligament disease by removing a wedge of bone from the tibia to stabilise the stifle.
* Fracture repair – surgical management of a range of fractures, including fracture assessment, fixation and post-operative care.
* Shoulder instability surgery – assessment and surgical treatment of cases of shoulder instability.

Dimitris has previously worked with us at Park Vet Group, performing a range of orthopaedic procedures. He subsequently continued to develop his surgical expertise, becoming an orthopaedic and soft-tissue clinician at West Midlands Referrals.

Dimitris graduated in 2011 in Greece, where he worked for two years before moving to the UK. He gained his BSAVA Small Animal Certificate in 2014, followed by an internship at University College Dublin in 2015 and a surgical internship in Manchester in 2017.

We are thrilled to have Dimitris back and look forward to working with our referring practices to provide a high-quality, accessible orthopaedic service for their patients.

Referrals for orthopaedic consultations and surgery are now welcome.

03/09/2026

🐾 Meet Frank! 🐾

I LOVED meeting Frank during my evening session! 💙

At a whopping 58kg, Frank is definitely a big boy, and his owner wanted to have him checked over to make sure everything is in order. With his size, there’s naturally a lot of weight and stress going through his joints - especially when he’s enthusiastically goofing around with his ball! 🎾😂

Large dogs can be more prone to joint problems, including conditions such as cruciate ligament disease, so it’s fantastic that Frank’s owner is aware of these risks and is being proactive about looking after his mobility and joint health.

Frank was an absolute gentle giant throughout his examination. ❤️ We found a few areas that could benefit from some attention, and he was more than happy to have his treatment - in fact, he seemed to enjoy it so much that he decided the best place to finish the session was sitting on my knee! 🥰

A gorgeous boy with a gorgeous temperament - it was such a pleasure to meet you, Frank! 🐶💙

29/08/2026

20/08/2026

New uniform! 😃

19/08/2026

✨ NEW: Optimus Lumina Red Light Therapy – Now Available to Take Home! ✨

I’m really excited to share that I now have another Optimus Lumina red light therapy device available for clients to borrow and use at home when continued treatment is recommended. 🐾❤️

Some of you may have already seen me using the Optimus Lumina during your pet’s treatment, and now I can offer the opportunity to continue that support between appointments in the comfort of your own home.

🔴 So, what does red light therapy actually do?

Red and near-infrared light can pe*****te into tissues and stimulate cellular activity, helping to support the body’s natural repair and recovery processes.

It can be particularly useful as part of a wider treatment plan to support:

✨ Healing & tissue repair - encouraging cellular activity and circulation to support the body’s natural healing processes.

💪 Muscles - helping to support muscle recovery, relaxation and circulation, making it useful for muscular tension, soreness and recovery.

🦴 Osteoarthritis & joint health - red light therapy can help support circulation around affected areas and can be used to help manage discomfort, stiffness and mobility alongside other appropriate treatments.

The beauty of having a device available to borrow is that, where appropriate, we can continue the treatment at home between sessions, helping to keep that consistency going rather than relying solely on appointment-based treatment.

Of course, every pet is different, so I’ll advise you on whether home use is appropriate, which areas to treat and how it should be incorporated into their individual treatment plan. ❤️

If you think your pet could benefit from red light therapy, please feel free to ask me about the Optimus Lumina home-loan option at your next appointment. 🐶🐱