Page 3 - Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2021

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Page 3 - Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2021
P. 3

BETTYֱS STORY

 Paws&Hooves  Donֱt you just love



        a happy ending?



                etty, a young, excitable miniature
          B     schnauzer, was referred to the RVC back

                in 2016. At just 4 years old, she decided
        to make a leap onto the sofa, and a playful jump
        sheֱd done many times before, this time popped
        something in her spinal column. Bettyֱs local vet
        stabilized her and referred her to the RVCֱs
        Small Animal Referral Hospital.
        Bettyֱs owner, Nina, recalls, ֱIt was late in the
        evening, we were travelling a long way with a
        whimpering Betty in the back ֱ it was all quite
        dramatic and we were all really worried. Her leg
        was at a very strange angle and she had clearly
        done some terrible damage.ֱ

        After assessing Betty, the RVC team diagnosed
        her with a fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) stroke
        and she was admitted as an inpatient.
        ֱIt was so hard leaving Betty but the RVC team
        were just amazing ֱ they kept us up to date on              Hydrotherapy is form of rehabilitation that
        her treatments across the next two weeks and                really benefits patients with neuromuscular
        reassured us during a time where we just didnֱt             disease like FCE. The water provides
        know what was going to happen to her.ֱ                      support and stabilisation for these patients
                                                                    as they are usually unable to take much
        Betty had extensive physiotherapy and                       weight through their limbs. Being in the
        hydrotherapy to help teach her how to walk again            water allows them to try and move their
        and to improve the communication between her                limbs more freely without having to put
        brain and her muscles.                                      weight through them as on land. The water

        ֱWe feel so fortunate to have had the expert                is heated so therefore also helps ease
        support we were given from the RVC. We                      stiffness and relax muscles.
        were also very lucky that Betty has such a big              Thanks to the ACT the Hydrotherapy Unit has
        personality ֱ she has never let the trauma stop her         a specialist pool and underwater treadmill so
        and she leads a very happy, healthy life.ֱ                  when patients are very weak and are only to
        Betty will be 9 this September and when Nina thinks         do minimal movements, the RVC team can
        back to that first night at the RVC when they didnֱt        introduce swimming to encourage them to
        think sheֱd make it, every birthday really is a gift.       start moving their limbs more in a completely
                                                                    weightless environment. Once their conditions
        Nina has stayed in touch with the ACT since Bettyֱs         improves they are then transferred to the
        fateful sofa surfing, and this Spring she won a prize       water treadmill, where the water height can
        in our Paws & Hooves raffle! ֱI never win anything          be adjusted to allow more weight bearing
        but I definitely won twice thanks to the RVC!ֱ              exercise and gait re-education.

                                                                    All the nurses in the RVCֱs hydrotherapy unit
            How YOU helped Betty                                    are experienced neurology and rehabilitation
                                                                    nurses that also work with the patients in the
            Thanks to your support we funded equipment vital        wards so they develop a great relationship
            to Bettyֱs recovery including a water treadmill to      with all of them during their treatment. They
            support her physiotherapy and a go-pro camera to        also have a physiotherapist working alongside
            support the hydrotherapy team. THANK YOU!               the nurses in the wards assisting in their daily
                                                                    rehabilitation activities.


        Paws & Hooves Autumn 2021                                                                               3
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