Time for Pooch Canine Massage

Did you know every massage comes with a free de-shed 😂

This is the scene after one of my visitors, can you guess what breed it was?

Young Toffee had her first official outing as Time for Pooch at the weekend as we attended a workshop on training physio exercises. Thanks Train & Nourish .

Having been so naughty all week I was dreading it but she behaved really well. New surroundings, new people, new dogs and new activity meant she was shattered when she got home! 🆕

Just go to show working the brain is far more tiring than a long walk 🧠

We are now going to put into practice the learning we gleaned from the workshop and see if we can do our physio exercises successfully!

If you are considering using Librela for your dogs please do your research.

Another paper has been released taking about Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). NGF is responsible for lots of activity in the body and blocking it can cause more harm than good.

🐶 ANOTHER NEW LIBRELA PAPER PET PARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT:

A scientist sent me a brand-new peer-reviewed paper this morning examining a possible biological explanation for some adverse events reported after Librela.

Librela reduces arthritis pain by blocking NGF (nerve growth factor). But NGF does more than transmit pain—it also supports sensory nerves involved in bone and joint health, nervous-system function and bladder control.

🦴 THE POSSIBLE “DUAL-HIT”

Reducing pain may increase weight bearing on an already damaged joint, while blocking NGF may alter sensory pathways involved in how bone responds to stress. The authors propose this as one possible explanation for reports of rapid joint deterioration, fractures and ligament ruptures.

Research also suggests sensory nerves participate in bone repair and regeneration. Loss of sensory innervation or disruption of TrkA signaling has impaired aspects of fracture healing in experimental studies.

🧠🚽 Post-marketing reports have also included ataxia, weakness/paresis, lethargy, behavioral changes/disorientation, impaired consciousness, seizures and urinary problems. Because NGF has roles in neurological and bladder pathways, the authors suggest these effects warrant further investigation. Although this paper does not prove Librela causes these problems, it proposes biologically plausible mechanisms and emphasizes that direct evidence in Librela-treated dogs is still lacking.

Blocking NGF may affect more than pain. We need long-term research to understand those effects—and, in the meantime, informed consent matters when veterinarians prescribe this drug. Proactive pet parents avoid using it; find a qualified veterinary rehabilitation specialist with many other tools in their toolbox at American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (www.vsmr.org), American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians (www.rehabvets.org), or Canine Rehabilitation Institute (www.caninerehabinstitute.com).

🤝Ways of Working — Collaboration

At Time for Pooch, I believe in working collaboratively with other canine professionals. When we work together, we are stronger 💪 and can provide better care for your dog.

None of us has all the answers❓. We all have different areas of expertise and bring different skills to the team. Sometimes another professional needs to become involved; sometimes it simply helps to have another pair of eyes or someone to chat through a dog's treatment with.

I regularly work alongside and communicate with vets, veterinary physiotherapists, chiropractors, hydrotherapists, veterinary acupuncturists, groomers, other massage therapists and dog trainers.

Sometimes I refer a dog to them. Sometimes they refer a dog to me. And sometimes we work alongside each other, sharing observations and approaching the same problem from different directions.

I'm also very happy to work with professionals you already know and trust. It isn't about building a team around me; it's about building the right team around your dog. 🐕

🐾 Different expertise. A shared goal. Your dog's wellbeing.

Because good canine care shouldn't happen in isolation. 👥

Over the coming weeks, I'll be looking at some of these collaborations in more detail — who I work with, when I might suggest involving them, and how working together can benefit your dog.

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A huge thank you to Anna Murray, who worked so hard all day manning the registration desk on Saturday. You and Goldie did an excellent job keeping everything organised and helping the day run smoothly — I really couldn’t have done it without you. 💕

And I’m so pleased Goldie managed to swap her registration-desk duties for a bit of competing and came away with a well-deserved rosette too! 🐾🏵️

Thank you for giving up your Saturday to help make our Dog Show with a Difference such a success. It was very much appreciated. 💙🩷

And just like that it is all over. What a great weekend. It had such a lovely atmosphere with lovely stall holders and lots of well behaved visiting dogs. The day was filled with relaxed positive energy.

🐾Across our 2 shows we had an amazing ⭐93 ⭐ entries to the dog show with dogs of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities having a go. We celebrated our older dogs, we had some terrific team work from our young handlers, some brilliant tricks in Strike a Pose and lots of dogs having a go at our obstacle course

Our most popular class was Wobbliest Dog with 14 entries, followed by Strike a Pose with 12 and Best Mutt Strut with 11. 🏆

It was great to see so many older dogs still moving with comfort, some really confident puppies, and dogs who weren't quite sure at first finding the confidence to try. 👍

More than anything I loved seeing the teamwork being human and dog. No one was forced, there was just encouragement, guidance and celebration.

All this was just a side show compared to the scarecrows and entertainment happening on main street. Hickling Scarecrow Festival you did it again, AMAZING!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who entered, watched, helped, donated, volunteered, provided prizes, ran stalls or simply came over for a chat.

Apologies to anyone who came to see me on my stall only to find I wasn't there. If you were wanting a free MOT for your dog to check out their movement please drop me a message and we can find a time.

And thank you for embracing a dog show that did things a little differently. 💙🩷