Doug's Story

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

Doug is a 5-year-old Pug cross who came to Apollo for support with bilateral hip dysplasia, hip incongruity and osteoarthritis. He is currently progressing through an ongoing rehabilitation programme at Apollo, including physiotherapy and hydrotherapy support.

When Everyday Things Started To Feel Harder

Doug’s owners first came to Apollo because they were worried about how his hip condition was beginning to affect his comfort, confidence and day-to-day life. He was still their lovely Doug, but the ordinary things that made up his routine at home and out with his family were starting to feel less easy for him.

They had noticed increased stiffness, particularly after rest and first thing in the morning, alongside changes in how comfortably he sat, moved and used his back legs. Walks were becoming shorter and less predictable. At times Doug would hesitate, stop and want to turn back home, and his owners could see that his hindlimbs were not feeling as strong or steady as before.

For Doug’s family, the concern was not only the diagnosis itself. It was what that meant for his comfort on walks, his confidence using his hindquarters, and his ability to keep enjoying everyday life without overdoing things. They wanted to help him stay active, comfortable and happy, while also understanding how best to manage flare-ups and protect him long term.

What We Found

At assessment, it was clear that Doug’s hip condition was affecting more than just the hip joints themselves. It was influencing how he used the rest of his body, with muscular tension through the glutes, quads, lumbar area and thoracic sling, reduced hindlimb stability, compensatory movement patterns and extra loading through the front end. His right hind in particular appeared to be the weaker stabilising limb, and fatigue could lead to less tidy movement patterns.

This meant his rehabilitation needed to look at the whole dog rather than focusing only on the hips. The goals were to reduce discomfort and guarding, improve hip mobility and extension, build strength and stability through the hindlimbs, especially the weaker right hind, reduce compensatory movement patterns, and help everyday movement feel easier, steadier and more comfortable again.

Building The Plan Around Doug

Doug’s treatment plan was tailored around what he could manage comfortably and adapted as he progressed. Early sessions focused on reducing pain and muscle tension, improving comfort with handling, and restoring controlled movement. This helped Doug build body awareness, improve tolerance to hip flexion and extension, and begin loading more evenly through his hindlimbs.

As his comfort, hip range of motion and exercise tolerance improved, the work gradually became more functional. Strengthening and stability exercises were used to improve balance, proprioception and control, while closely monitoring fatigue, movement quality and how well he coped through his weaker right hind limb. His owners were also supported with home advice so they could help him in a consistent, practical way between sessions.

Hydrotherapy was introduced once Doug was ready for it, giving him another way to build strength, stamina and movement confidence in a lower-impact environment. Doug has responded well to the water treadmill and has gone on to enjoy his hydro sessions, which have become an important part of his programme. Hydrotherapy has helped support gait quality, endurance and straighter movement, while his physiotherapy sessions continue to focus on hip stability, control and strength.

His owners were also given guidance on how to support him between sessions, including how to pace walks, warm him up after rest, use his home exercises in a controlled way, and adjust things if he was stiffer, more tired or having a flare-up. That support at home has been an important part of Doug’s journey, helping his family feel more confident in how they manage him day to day.

The Difference For Doug

With ongoing support, Doug is now more comfortable with his hip movement, showing improved stamina, better tolerance of his exercises and more confidence in the way he moves. He has become brighter in himself, is doing well with his walks and home exercises, and has responded well to the introduction of hydrotherapy, which he now enjoys as part of his longer-term management.

For his owners, the difference is also about reassurance. They now have a clearer plan for how to support Doug long term, how to help him manage good days and flare-ups, and how to keep him comfortable, active and confident as his rehabilitation continues. His journey is still ongoing, but he is moving forward with a plan that is built around him as an individual dog and around the things that matter most to his family.

“Daffodil was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia last year and has been having regular physio/hydrotherapy sessions since. The support and knowledge of the team at Apollo is second to none. Can’t recommend them highly enough! Fantastic and so grateful for their support”

– Reva Dyett

Restoring mobility, one paw at a time