Mend Veterinary Rehabilitation

06/09/2026

🤍 What does pain actually look like in dogs and cats? 🤍

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, so I thought it was a good opportunity to talk about something we see all the time in rehabilitation: pain that isn't particularly obvious.

When we think about a painful animal, we tend to look for a limp, a cry, or an obvious reluctance to move. But it doesn't always look like that.

Dogs and cats are very good at adapting, particularly when pain has come on gradually. Instead, we might notice small changes that are easy to put down to getting older, being a bit lazy, or even a behaviour problem.

Things to keep an eye out for include:

🐾 Changes in the way they walk, run or jump
🐾 Taking longer to get up, particularly after resting
🐾 Becoming reluctant to use stairs, jump into the car or onto furniture
🐾 Avoiding slippery floors or certain surfaces
🐾 Changes in posture, or the way they sit or lie down
🐾 Less interest in exercise, play or activities they used to enjoy
🐾 Becoming less tolerant of being handled or touched
🐾 Irritability, frustration or unexpected changes in behaviour
🐾 Becoming more anxious, withdrawn or clingy
🐾 Changes in sleeping, grooming or toileting habits

And sometimes the changes are really quite specific. A dog might still be desperate to chase a ball, but suddenly refuse to jump into the car. A cat might still be eating and behaving normally, but stop jumping onto their favourite windowsill. An active dog might still run happily, but start taking wider turns or landing differently when jumping.

None of these things automatically mean that an animal is painful, but they are worth noticing. Especially if they're a change from what is normal for that individual animal.

In my experience, one of the most useful things owners can do is simply pay attention to those small changes. You know your pet's normal better than anyone, and that information can be incredibly helpful when we're trying to work out whether something is wrong.

Pain doesn't always look like pain. Sometimes you just have to look a little more closely. 🤍

30/08/2026

✨Meet Mink ✨

Did you know that we treat cats? 😻

Mink is a very special wee girl who sadly was hit by a car and fractured her pelvis. After her pelvic fracture was repaired by the wonderful team at Animal Orthopaedics Wellington, it became apparent that Mink had also suffered trauma to her sciatic nerve during the accident.

The sciatic nerve supplies several of the muscles responsible for movement of the hindlimb, including—and in Mink's case, particularly—the hamstrings. In Mink's case, the nerve injury resulted in significant weakness and neurogenic muscle wastage to her hamstrings, as well as a very distinctive way of walking.

Mink was referred to Mend to see what we could do to help slow down her muscle loss, maintain as much strength and function as possible, and support her recovery while we waited to see how much nerve function would return. Her rehabilitation wasn't simply about trying to build the hamstring muscles back up, we also needed to maintain the flexibility and health of the tissues, keep the joints moving normally, provide appropriate stimulation and exercise, and gradually encourage the limb to make use of any returning function as the nerve healed.

And her owners were so committed to helping her! Mink was largely a very compliant patient for them, although she was certainly not afraid to make her opinions known when she wasn't enjoying something 😂 Check out the last video to see what she thinks about having her hamstrings stretched (🔊sound on!).

The first two videos were taken about six weeks apart. Just look at that difference! 🤍

We're also very happy to report that Mink's owners say she's now "up to her old hijinx climbing trees and running around outside again (though she stays a lot closer to home now!)"

We love being able to share our patients' journeys with you — and Mink's is a particularly lovely example of just how much progress can happen with time, rehabilitation and some very dedicated owners. 🤍

07/08/2026

It's been a great privilege to head over to the Gold Coast for the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) Science Week. It was also a nice excuse to swap Wellington's winter for a few days of sunshine! ☀️🌡

One of the things I love most about working in veterinary medicine is that we're constantly learning. Research is evolving all the time, and every conference is a chance to come home with new ideas, challenge old ones, and ultimately provide better care for my patients.

I spent the week immersed in lectures covering rehabilitation, sports medicine, pain management, behaviour, neurology and orthopaedics, alongside some fantastic discussions with colleagues from Australia and New Zealand. It was incredibly inspiring to hear from leaders in the field and to see just how much our profession continues to grow.

I'm looking forward to incorporating what I've learnt into my rehabilitation programmes over the coming months. As always, my goal is to make sure the dogs and cats I work with are receiving care that reflects current evidence, while still being practical and achievable for owners at home.

A huge thank you to to my wonderful clients for your patience while I caught up on emails and appointments this week 🤍

It's great to be back—and I'm excited to put some of these new ideas into practice!

03/07/2026

This beautiful trio are some of our most dearly beloved patients ❤️🩷💙

When they needed something a little bit extra, we had to think outside of the (local) box...Shockwave is a highly effective treatment, but sadly it's not currently available in Wellington. Fortunately, Renate at The Rehab Vet was happy to help! Based in sunny Hawkes Bay, it did mean a bit of a drive for this family. Luckily for us, their wonderful owners are super dedicated and didn't mind travelling 🚗

If your pet ever needs treatment we can't offer, rest assured we'll figure out a way to source it for them 🤔

09/06/2026

❤️ We love collaborating with our veterinary colleagues. ❤️

Jeremy was one of the sweetest boys you'll ever meet, and it was such a privilege to be part of his rehabilitation journey. Thank you to the team at Animal Orthopaedics Wellington for trusting us with his care, and to his wonderful family for all of their hard work and dedication along the way. We couldn't be happier to see him doing so well.

Helping patients like Jeremy achieve the best possible outcome is why we value collaboration so highly. Rehabilitation is a team effort, and we're always grateful for the opportunity to work alongside referring veterinarians to support their patients.

Meet gentle Jeremy 🐾

Jeremy came to us in November for assessment of a suspected common calcaneal "achilles" tendon injury.

After a thorough evaluation, Dr Andrew Worth performed a tendon repair and screw fixation of his hock or "ankle" to take the load off the tendon and allow it to heal.

Jeremy's recovery involved numerous bandage changes, rechecks, and careful monitoring to ensure the best possible outcome.

Two months later, the screw was removed, and he was fitted with a Pawthotic brace to allow some gradual loading of the tendon. At this time he started physiotherapy with Lauren at MEND Vet Rehab.

Throughout his treatment, Jeremy was an absolute superstar, and his owner showed incredible dedication every step of the way.

We're delighted to report that Jeremy has now been discharged from both our care and physiotherapy. He's back doing what he loves most — enjoying beach walks with his family. 🌊🐕

Well done, Jeremy! We're so proud of your recovery. ❤️

21/04/2026

My thoughts go out to everyone affected by the severe weather we're experiencing in our beautiful city 💔 Who would have thought the last 48 hours could have been so devastating 🌧

My family and I are very grateful to have weathered the storm well, I am currently at home with my children due to the school closures. If there are further closures then I may have to reschedule some of my lovely patients. I'll try my best to avoid inconveniencing anyone in what is turning out to be quite an unexpected turn of events.

Take care and stay warm 🤍🐾

11/04/2026

CANCELLED for Sunday! If anyone is needing a dog checked, please reach out. Apologies to anyone who had planned on popping by.

📣It's that time again!📣

I'll be on-site this weekend for any pups that need a check-over (or just a cuddle...those are free and plentiful!).

🤍 Come and visit Mend at the DAWG agility show this weekend🤍

09/04/2026

📣It's that time again!📣

I'll be on-site this weekend for any pups that need a check-over (or just a cuddle...those are free and plentiful!).

🤍 Come and visit Mend at the DAWG agility show this weekend🤍