When determining a pet’s quality of life an objective scale (example below) is often used to help make their end-of-life decision easier.

ARCHIE’S STORY- as told by his Mum

Unfortunately for dear little Archie, the first two years of his life were not ideal, to say the least. He was neglected and mistreated. At 2 and a half, he was surrendered to a dog shelter and the very next day he escaped and was lost in the bush for 3 weeks….scared and alone, in very wet and wintery conditions.

This is a question I am frequently asked by pet parents, who only want to do the best for their beloved pet. Frequently they are reflecting well ahead of needing to make a decision, but sometimes they are having trouble coming to terms with actually having to say goodbye.

Mindfulness practice- fur babies to the rescue again!

Meeting so many puppies at the recent Pets at the Park has been my inspiration for this blog. Some people look at their puppy’s wobbly legs and wonder...

“Will they grow out of it or are they just made that way?”

Mid 2018 our beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog Yogi Bear did the smallest of movements hopping out of our back door for his favourite kong and suddenly had a startled look which he then went on to deteriorate over the next 24 hours. He progressively lost all movement in his limbs and could only move his head.

The days are longer and people are getting more active. They are bringing their dogs out of sedentary semi-retirement, and some of them are at the point where a 3 month "off season" over winter is like you taking 18 months away from your favourite activity. Then add in a few more weeks where it is too hot to walk much.

Another annual problem is the well-meaning, but often misguided, gift of a new pet to a household that is already home to a senior pet. If you are considering another set of furry feet around the house make sure you have answered all these questions first.

When puppies are young they love to chase and chew things. The quickest, easiest thing to provide is a ball. They quickly learn that if they bring it to us we will interact with them and throw it again for them to chase, and again and again.

On many levels for many dogs this whole process causes problems. But for many others, this interaction provides mental stimulation, improved exercise, and focus on their owner

When it comes to our pets health the standard line is NO BALL.

One of the most important considerations for older pets is to keep them moving to prevent them suffering from joint pain . If they have become sedentary over the winter months, they will have lost muscle mass, which they need, to avoid suffering injuries or exhaustion from a trip to the beach.

At Active Pet Rehabilitation we see patients who are fed a variety of foods. Often we see them progress through dietary changes as their owners strive to improve all aspects of their pet's lifestyle so they can have a better recovery from the condition that brought them to us.

Long backed dogs are always at increased risk of spinal injury.
Not just breeds like Dachshunds or Basset Hounds, but many dogs with an unusually long back, or spinal malformation, including crossbreed dogs.