Testimonials

 

I have used Bayford Hydrotherapy with my own dog and and have also referred several patients to them. I have always found the service to be professional,friendly and the results encouraging. It is a very important component of the rehabilitation plan following injury,surgery etc. and I fully intend to continue my association with them.

A Kashiv MRCVS

Just wanted to say that Dakota had his first vet visit last week, since joining Hydrotherapy with you.

They seemed quite amazed at his age, they could not believe he was five years old. they were fascinated by how clean his teeth were and apparently he had extremely clean teeth for a five year old dog. obviously the barf diet. But more important is that, I was always told to keep him at a weight of 45 kg.

He actually weighs 51 kg and when i asked if he looked fat or needed to loose weight, they said "NO" He looks great and they said that it was muscle from the swimming and he looks fantastic.

This was a massive weight off my shoulders and i want to thank you so much, as you are my third hydrotherapist and this is the first time anyone has got him off tablets and running around like a dog should.

I really must say, please keep up the good work, you are worth your weight in gold and really mean a lot to me and Dakota, he is the most important thing in my life as I am sure you already have realised. We are eternally gratefull and thank you so much for your help and kindness, we hope to be swimming with you for many more years and having fun.

It is so nice to have such a wonderful experience at swimming and to know he is finally in good hands

Lots of love Sue and Dakota

Kaos is my six year old Black Miniature Poodle. He enjoyed competing all over the country doing agility. He lives with three Border Collies, and my very lively 18mth daughter. I am not quite sure what happened to him, but we think he had some sort of accident. When my husband came in from work, Kaos was his normal happy self, when Owen came downstairs he was unable to stand on four legs. Owen put Kaos in the car and met me from work; we went straight to the vets. I thought that he was paralaysed, and that I was going to have to say goodbye to my poodle that night. He was kept in the vets over night, sedated and x-rayed all the way down his spine to make sure there was no spinal damage.

The next morning we rang the vets to check on his progress. He had improved and was moving about a little, so the future wasn’t quite so black. We collected him that night and were told there was no spinal damage but definite nerve damage to the back legs. We were already aware that he had bi-lateral lactating patellas, which could have caused him to have had the accident in the first place. On speaking to the Vet, he suggested hydrotherapy and recommended the Bayford Hydrotherapy Clinic as he was impressed with results of the dogs that he had sent there previously. Kaos was put on complete cage rest for 4 weeks then an appointment with Karen was made.

Our first visit to the Bayford Hydrotherapy Clinic to see Karen, Kaos was quite fragile and weak. I was very impressed with the raport that Karen had with Kaos and although I was very apprehensive about his first session I was completely put at ease by Karen professional manner. Initially Kaos was swimming twice a week, after each session he would go home to his cage and sleep for the evening. His weight increased due to the muscle that he was building during the swimming. His posture improved, he was no longer nearly falling over when he shook and the delayed reactions to his back legs were improving. Within the six week period he improved so much.

I can’t say he really enjoyed swimming, as the looks that he gave Karen were evil, but he had a fantastic swimming technique and tried really hard. He is now doing fortnightly maintenance swims to keep his fitness.

Karen promised me that I would get my dog back. Although he has retired from agility he is a much happier dog and is now back going for walks with the rest of the pack. For that I will be eternally grateful to Karen. I would recommend Bayford Hydrotherapy Clinic to anyone as it has given me back my ‘poodle with attitude’, who now comes home from swimming and runs round the house annoying the other dogs by parading his toy.

Thank you Bayford Hydrotherapy Clinic.

Our 3 year old black Labrador, Max, has elbow dysplasia and has had tendon problems in both his shoulders.  After surgery on his left elbow and shoulder 18 months ago and then on his right shoulder one year later, he injured and tore another tendon in his right shoulder.  He was lame and miserable.  After an arthroscopy to confirm the diagnosis, the orthopaedic surgeon said that operative repair of the tendon might be possible but that success rates were poor and Max would need to be immobilised for many months after surgery.  Our own vets had recommended nothing more than rest and Rimadyl (anti-inflammatories) and, with this regimen, Max continued to lose muscle bulk in his right shoulder and became more and more lame and uncomfortable.  He couldn’t run or retrieve, could only walk with obvious discomfort and had even had stopped getting up for food.  We were also starting to worry about potential side effects of the drugs (Rimadyl was rejected as a human medicine because of reports of liver failure).  The orthopaedic surgeon had mentioned that hydrotherapy might help him and so, with a depressed dog and nothing to lose, we contacted Karen.

Karen was so positive and encouraging and, after an initial orientation session, Max started having hydrotherapy twice per week.  She predicted that “in six weeks we’d have our dog back”; we didn’t believe her.  We were wrong.  Max is a transformed dog.  It took only two weeks for him to stop the Rimadyl.  He now walks evenly, runs and retrieves.  He looks comfortable and his energy levels have returned to normal; he is happy again.  Max is definitely back.  He still has hydrotherapy every other week.  We don’t really know whether he still needs it but he loves the sessions.  It’s amazing that such a fantastic therapy can be so much fun for the dog.

Karen is fantastic.  She gets into the water with the dogs and has a pool with a ramp so that they can get themselves in and out without being hoisted.  Our only regret is that our vets never suggested this earlier.  We can’t help but think that, if he had started hydrotherapy sooner, he might have avoided some unnecessary surgery.  If you have a dog with joint or muscle problems, don’t wait to be told by the vets, get going with some hydrotherapy early – you might just be amazed.

Paul and Lisa Maxwell

Ria is a nine year old rescued rottweiller.We have had her since she was 16-18 months old.Last year whilst I was away on a 4-day break disaster struck.Doesn,t it always happen whilst youre not on the scene!How it happened we will never know,possibly it was on coming.I got a frantic call from my daughter to say she had found Ria indoors unable to stand and was at the centre for small animals in Newmarket ,where she was found to have extensive disc extrusion and epidural haemorrhage[ 3 slipped discs]The clinical Neurologist said it was one of the worst injuries he had ever operated on but expected her to make a functional recovery ,although he doubted she would walk 100% normally ,as she had before.

Initially with the aid of a sling to help her get about she managed quite well and was happy in herself.We then heard about the Bayford Hydrotherapy Clinic,and with the devotion and patience shown by to her by Karen she has gone from strength to strength. We never thought she would take to the the water as she didnt like it before,Im sure she has a certain telepathy with Karen,who encourages her everystep [or stroke} of the way.She plays with her toys in the water-her favourite being a xmas cracker and whenever we say we,re going swimming,she cant wait to get out of the door [unaided].we never expected miracles but truly feel we are experiencing one after such a bad injury.We still have some way to go,but we will get there.We would like to thank everyone concerned for their kindness and concern from the inital vets visit,the Neurologist who operated,and all concerned in Newmarket and of course Karen,she couldnt have done it without you.

Valerie Stevens and Ria

Fizzy is a 15 going on 16 year old lurcher whose hind quarters are now showing muscle wastage because she is not getting the exercise that she needs and she has become weak on her hind legs.

A friend of ours mentioned that they were bringing their senior citizen retriever to Bayford Hydrotherapy centre regularly in order to give him a better quality of life, so I thought that I would try Fizzy with some hydrotherapy sessions.

Fizzy, in her younger days, loved to do agility and flyball training and also she absolutely adored swimming, so I thought that I would try her at the pool.

After being a little bit nervous on her first visit to begin with, she swam around the pool and when I got home in the evening she was up and about “helping” me in the kitchen preparing our evening meal. The next day I noticed also that there was a definite improvement in the strength of her hind legs and she was wanting to go out for a walk now, whereas before she would just lay around on her bed and miss out on the walks with our other dogs.

Before her hydrotherapy sessions, Fizzy would just lye around sleeping and when she did get up on her legs she would seem “vacant” and “dull” in her expression. She is now much more alert at the things going on around her.

The sessions have definitely perked her up, which is great to see her getting back her old personality.

I would certainly recommend the Bayford Hydrotherapy centre to anyone who may have doubts as to its effectiveness. Fizzy now loves her sessions and it has helped strengthen her hind legs.

I am definitely convinced that natural remedies work for both animals and humans.

Thanks to Karen and Lisa who are very caring people. Keep up the good work.

Rosemary Stowers

Having brought Fizzy back to your hydrotherapy pool after about 6-8 weeks off due to the bad weather, the difference in Fizzy’s hind legs and her mental alertness is absolutely amazing. Combined with her medication and the swimming she is walking so much better and, again, the swim seems to have given her renewed interest in life and what goes on within the house with the other dogs (and pet chicken) and she still likes to keep an eye on me in the kitchen just in case something tasty might drop on the floor.

It just re-affirms my belief in the great benefits of continued swimming sessions and it’s well worth my journey travelling to Bayford to see the excellent results in her again.

Rosemary Stowers

Dear Karen

This is by the way of a big thank you from Angela and I for the work you have been doing with Casper our Labrador in the pool.

As you know he has been under the Vets for some time on drugs for his athritis and, whilst we are sure that these help us manage the condition, the difference in Casper since he took up hydrotherapy is fantastic.

He is much more alert and spends a lot less time sleeping during the day. When we mention that he is to "go swimming" he is excited at the prospect and can't wait to get to Bayford. 

We would also like to thank you (and Lisa) for the  helpful and friendly manner in which you have dealt with Casper from the outset. It is great that we can to see him being exercised, which makes us feel included.

Thank you again and, as you know, we are doing our bit to spread the word about your work.

Kind regards

Bill and Angela Butler

I feel I must write and say about the wonderful loving care my westie named pippa received from bayford hydrotherapy clinic in hertford.

She had to have surgery in march on her back leg,and made a good recovery,but our vet thought she would benefit by having a few sessions in the hydrotherapy pool,and thinking she has been through so much perhaps this will help her to build the leg up and make it stronger.

So we got in touch with bayford clinic and booked an appointment we were met by Karen who was so friendly, and made us feel very welcome pippa had her first lesson in the pool and she loved it (I think if she could have talked she would have said I love it bring me back next week)
and the nice thing about Karen she is such a caring person she telephone me the next day to see how pippa was which I thought was wonderful what a caring person she is she loves \all those dogs to bits,and I really must not forget Lisa they are two lovely caring ladys.

Pippa is all sorted and walking as if she has not had any surgery and we no a lot of it is down to going in the hydrotherapy pool.highly recommended.     

Phyl Harris

Poppy is a 6 year old lively Collie X GSD. Late in November of last year she charged up the garden late one night and came back lame. It was no better the next day. I took the usual procedure of walking her on the lead for a few weeks and it seemed to get better. However, as soon as she started running around again, she started limping. I put her back on lead walks again but I noticed that particularly in the evening when she got up from lying down she was still limping slightly.
I took her to the vets, who diagnosed her with a damaged Cruciate ligament - there was slight draw in her back left leg and some swelling. They took an x-ray and demanded strict rest (no walking!) for a week. They gave her an injection of Glucosamine Hydrochloride/Chondroitin and to bring her back after one week. Although the rest meant she wasn't limping there was still some concern that as soon as she started exercising to any degree, she would start limping again. I was told that she may possibly need an operation to repair the ligament but at that stage, without opening her up, the extent of the damage was unknown. The x-ray showed there was no bone damage.

It was suggested that I try taking her to hydrotherapy, as a possible alternative treatment. The very next day I booked in to the Bayford Hydrotherapy clinic for twice weekly sessions having spoken and discussed the situation with the Clinic.
After a few weeks of hydrotherapy treatment and controlled walking on the lead, I took her back to the vets. The swelling had reduced but there was still some draw in the joint -although it had improved. She continued the hydrotherapy treatment throughout December and went for a checkup in January. The results have been absolutely amazing and the vets were thrilled at her progress. At that checkup the swelling had gone and there was no unexpected movement in the joint.

She reduced the hydrotherapy sessions to once per week throughout January and in February had her next checkup. Results? Excellent! The vet can no longer find any difference in the back leg movements and there is no swelling or discomfort!

When I took Poppy to the sessions, I was unsure of the outcome. However, I received excellent advice and ideas for helping her joints improve - oily fish once to two times a week, suppliments of Glucosamine Hydrochloride/Chondroitin, steady increase of walking exercise (so that we had a benchmark of what the limits are) etc. The swimming has allowed her muscles and joints to gain strength in an environment that doesn't strain her - and she is so strong now!

More than that, Poppy absolutely loves the hydrotherapy sessions and so do I !!! As a dog lover I find it so important that I can watch and understand my dogs progress and needs. Being involved and encouraging her in the hydrotherapy sessions has been such an experience and with the outcome being so positive I am over the moon.
Poppy is continuing increase her exercise steadily and there have been no setbacks. As we have enjoyed the sessions so much she is now down to a maintenance programme of once per fortnight. I have even introduced my older 11 year old Weimaraner, Herman, to the maintenance programme as the effects have been so positive! - I never believed I would see my 11 year old swimming round a pool!!

Thankyou Karen!!!

Hilary

Gypsy is our eleven year old staffordshire bull terrier. She was diagnosed with chronic arthritis in both her front shoulder joints she also had a partially torn cruchet ligament in one of her back legs.Her joints were so badly calcified the least movement or touch she would scream out in pain. She spent her days on a sofa & had to be carried down the garden to do her bussiness which she would do with great difficulty. Her quality of life was so poor we considered having her put to sleep.Our vet handed us a leaflet on hydrotherapy he thought it may help her we were a bit sceptical at first but thought this was a last ditch attempt for her.Gypsy is now in her seventh week of hydrotherapy, the improvement was gradual at first,but now it like a miracle her old zest for life is back,she jumps on & off the sofa which really she shouldn,t & makes her own way down the garden, she is now very confident & very happy & so are we. p.s a special thanks to karen at bayford hydrotherapy clinic.

Tony

Bailey is a 3 legged labrador who was getting pain and stiffness in his remaining back leg. Our vet suggested hydrotherapy which we started9 months ago. Since then bailey's painkillers has been dramatically reduced and is weight is maintained(he also has a thyroid problem). Karen the hydrotherapist is wonderful and bailey adores her,  he loves going swimming so much he would go every day if he had the chance! we will carry on taking bailey swimming for the rest of his life (he is eleven now) as he loves it so much and karen really cares about the  dogs she looks after.

Susan Alvey