Animals - an introduction
As well as offering Osteopathic treatment for you and your family members of all ages, we are also able to treat pets, farm and companion animals of many species, subject to veterinary permission, and subject to the animal being lead/halter trained and amenable to gentle handling. [Please also see 'Treatment Environment and Animal Behaviour ' requirements paragraph at the end of this page]
Our patients to date have included;- cats, dogs, horses, sheep, rabbits, goats, and cattle!
Most animals that we keep as pets have a skeleton to support their bodies, transmit nerves, lymph and blood vessels, protect their organs, and allow them to move their bodies via muscles and joints. Many of our companion animals, or ones that we keep for commercial purpose, are mammals like ourselves, and, notwithstanding their definite species specific structural variations, have a body plan which is similar to our own.
This means that the bodies of our pets, are supported and held together in the same way as ours, i.e., by the connective tissue, and the same principles of body function and dysfunction apply to them as to us. Therefore, twists compressions and strains from trauma, tensions from stress, and congestions from infections etc, affect the bodies of our animals in much the same way as they do us. Again, the long term disruption to normal body function from traumatic strains, leading to compressed and twisted nerves, lymphatics and blood vessels, and disturbance of normal body involuntary motion, has the potential to considerably slow down tissue repair, disrupt organ function, and subject joints bones and muscles to abnormal wear. Over time this can lead to early degenerative changes, lack of well – being and athleticism, and possible behavioural problems.
Obviously how the animal expresses his or her discomfort or lack of proper function will depend upon;- species, temperament, environment, and what you require your animal to do for you!
Appointment Categories.
These are basically as for people except with obvious specific differences according to the requirements of the animal and his owner.
Animal Consultation and Treatment Fees
Osteopathic treatment for animals. Fees from 20th April 2009.
Veterinary permission is required in the UK before any practitioner may treat an animal. Please check with a Vet before you book an Osteopathic appointment. Most Vets are supportive of Osteopathy for their patients, as are many animal insurers who now cover Osteopathic treatment in their policies
Canines and Felines
New Patient Consultation...........up to 40 mins approx................ £48. 50
All new patients and those attending more than 18 months from last treatment
Treatment Categories .........................up to 30 mins approx per session.
Re- evaluation Appointment...within max of 18 months of last treatment.. £46. 50
Ongoing Patient Appointment...Discretionary rate for regular attendance...£38.50
[Dogs, cats, and other small animals are seen in a dedicated treatment room on certain days at
Honiton Osteopathic Centre, please enquire.]
Animal Behaviour [small animals]
Please be sure that your pet is house trained, reasonably obedient, and happy to be handled before bringing him for treatment. In order to be able to examine and treat your pet as effectively and safely as possible we need him to be relaxed. Whilst we are happy to try to help animals with pain related behavioural issues these must not be expressed in the treatment session otherwise treatment may need to be stopped but the normal fee will still be charged. Those needing the advice of an animal behaviourist please check and click on our ‘Useful Links' section, you will find helpful sites listed at the bottom of the page.
Osteopathic treatment for Equines.
Veterinary permission is required in the UK before any practitioner may treat any animal, so please check with your vet before booking an appointment with us. Most vets are supportive of Osteopathy for animals as are most equine insurers.
New Patient Consultation......up to 55mins approx.........£52.00 + call out charge
All new patients and those last seen more than 2 yrs ago.
A full history will be taken about the horse including details of the problem, previous trauma or illness, diet, exercise, farriery, and management. Postural, conformational, limb balance and movement observations will be noted, and a gentle osteopathic examination of the problem area for abnormal tension or function, and other associated parts of the animal's body will be made to illicit the cause of the problem. These findings will be discussed with you along with any concerns about tack or rug fit and other general advice. If we feel that osteopathy will be helpful for your horse we shall advise accordingly and a follow-up treatment session will be booked as soon as possible.
Treatment Appointments ................. up to 45mins approx per session.
These are follow-up sessions to the ‘New Patient' consultation with the emphasis being placed upon treating the problem and giving advice to help the owner maximize the benefits of treatment for the horse. Treatment appointments are listed below as follows:-
Re-evaluation Appointment....................................£45.00 + call out charge
All patients who are not receiving regular treatment but have been seen by us within 2yrs.
An update and re-assessment will be made at this appointment prior to treatment commencing. This category is for horses that only need the occasional session as and when the problem is evident.
Ongoing Patient Appointment......Discretionary fee...........£40.00 + call out charge
This discretionary category is for horses that need regular/ frequent treatment perhaps for an acute or longstanding problem; or for club/ competition horses needing regular but less frequent attention to enhance performance, or simply to keep older animals with previous trauma and degenerative changes comfortable. Attendance is made according to the recommendation of the osteopath to give the best clinical results. Patients in this category are seen at the lower fee rate to support the owner's commitment to regular osteopathic care.
Other Appointments and Services for Equines
Please ask at the time of booking if you require one of these additional services so that adequate time is allowed for the appointment. To economise on call-out fees we suggest that you arrange for the following to take place when a visit for a treatment session is scheduled.
Basic Saddle check ...............up to 15mins approx................£15.00 + call out
The un-weighted fit and suitability of up to 2 saddles or items of tack or clothing can be assessed and advice given within this session. This extra service is useful where saddle options are being considered, or poor fit of tack is thought to be contributing to the problem.
Ridden Saddle Check................P.O.A. according to time required and location.
We can check the ridden fit and balance of your saddle for you and your horse; this may be in cooperation with a saddle supplier/ fitter if you wish. Facilities for doing this are available at our Axminster yard if required.
Horse / Rider Ridden Assessment ............P.O.A. according to requirements.
Sometimes things are not quite right between horse and rider, and despite good instruction and diligent effort problems still remain. This may be due to a discrepancy in rider balance that is affecting the horse's body. We can help identify this and ascertain the cause of the problem. Often this may relate to uneven function in the riders' body particularly the pelvis; in these cases a course of osteopathy for the rider will help to remedy the problem.
Any rider experiencing this type of problem in their riding is well advised firstly to attend for an osteopathic consultation for themselves!
Extended Appointments......up to 20mins extension of appointment..... ......£15.00
Extended appointments may be arranged in certain situations, i.e., in order to complete a treatment in complex case where more time is required, to help owners overcome minor handling or behavioural issues, or where the owner needs additional advice or assistance that requires more time than available in a standard session.
Call Out Charges .........up to 10 miles from Axminster............. £20.00
To be added to New Patient Consultation, treatment, or service fees as above
For those requiring home/ yard visits, the above charge for local call-outs applies; longer distances are pro-rata, please ask. Call-outs take up a lot of practitioner time and fuel, so that where possible we ask owners to arrange bookings so that more than one animal is treated per yard visit, this is particularly important for longer call-outs. As the call-out charge is per yard only, treating more than one horse at a visit reduces the overall cost per horse of the attendance.
Owners who have well behaved horses that travel easily may wish to consider bringing their horse to Axminster for treatment instead and save the cost of the call-out fee.
Treatment Environment and Animal Behaviour. equines and large animals [Important information, please read carefully]
To do our job safely and effectively we need a suitable sheltered level dry reasonably spacious covered area in which to treat, with good footing, adequate roof height, few disturbances and a competent handler who knows the horse. Time is precious, so please ensure that your horse is ready for us when we attend, has a suitable equine companion that will remain present for the duration of the session, and that you are prepared with hay, headcollar, leadrope/ lunge line, and according to season fly repellant or lightweight fleece blanket. If you have any items of tack that you have asked us to check please have them to hand. Disorganisation at this stage will reduce the amount of time available to treat your horse.
For treatment we need a competant handler present; your horse needs to be relaxed, obedient, happy to be handled, and to stand reasonably still for gentle hands-on treatment. Whilst we are sympathetic to and happy to help horses with pain related and behavioural issues, for the sake of safety and effectiveness of treatment these must not be expressed in the treatment session otherwise treatment may need to be discontinued, however the normal fee and call out will still be charged as usual.
Owners needing the advice of an equine behaviourist/ trainer please check and click on ‘Useful Links' and go to the links at the bottom of the page to get help.