Beurre's Story

Beurre’s ongoing rehabilitation journey with Apollo Animal Physiotherapy and Hydrotherapy.

Beurre is a 9-year-old Border Collie who came to Apollo for support with osteoarthritis in both wrists and hips and degenerative lumbosacral disease with extensive ventral spondylosis, and hindlimb weakness. He is currently progressing through an ongoing rehabilitation programme at Apollo, including physiotherapy and hydrotherapy support.

When Everyday Things Started To Feel Harder

Beurre’s owners first came to Apollo because they were worried about how his arthritis was beginning to affect his quality of life. He was still their lovely Beurre, but the everyday things that mattered to him and his family were starting to feel harder.

They had noticed increased stiffness, changes in his comfort levels and reduced mobility. Walks that he and his owners had previously enjoyed together were becoming more difficult, he was tiring more easily, and practical activities such as climbing the stairs or getting into the car were becoming more of a struggle.

For Beurre’s family, the concern was not just the diagnosis of osteoarthritis in both wrists. It was what that diagnosis meant for his comfort, his confidence and his ability to keep enjoying normal life.

What We Found

At assessment, it was clear that Beurre’s arthritis was affecting more than just his wrists. It was influencing how he used the rest of his body, with wider compensatory restrictions, muscular tension and reduced hindlimb stability.

This meant his rehabilitation needed to look at the whole dog rather than focusing only on the sore joints. The goals were to reduce pain and discomfort, improve mobility through his wrists, reduce compensatory movement patterns, and build strength and confidence so daily activities felt easier again.

Building The Plan Around Beurre

Beurre’s treatment plan was tailored around what he could manage comfortably and was adapted as he progressed. Early sessions focused on reducing pain, improving comfort and gently restoring controlled movement, helping him build body awareness and encourage more even loading.

As his comfort and confidence improved, the work gradually became more functional, supporting strength, balance, proprioception and stability while continuing to monitor fatigue, movement quality and comfort.

Hydrotherapy was later introduced as part of his longer-term plan, giving Beurre another way to build strength and movement confidence in a lower-impact environment. This supported his rehabilitation while continuing to prioritise his comfort, stamina and quality of movement.

His owners were also given guidance on how to support him between sessions, helping them keep him active in a controlled way and adjust his plan if he was stiffer, more tired or experiencing a flare-up.

The Difference For Beurre

With ongoing support, Beurre is now brighter in himself, more comfortable and moving more freely on walks. He has more energy at home, is managing longer walks, and appears more stable and confident in himself. For his owners, the difference is also about reassurance. They now have a clearer plan for how to support Beurre long term and help keep him comfortable, active and confident as his rehabilitation continues.

“Our dog is undergoing physio for his arthritis. The staff are lovely and very knowledgeable and professional. I would definitely recommend if you need this type of service.”

– Jane Bratley, owner review

Restoring mobility, one paw at a time