Darcy Dolittle

15/02/2026

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550771062258

Come along and join the festive fun 🎄🐾🐾

13/02/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q9VNzn5lao

In this video, Dr Marianne Dorn demonstrates the Standing Practice exercise. This strengthens muscles and helps dogs learn how to stand again. Most dogs with...

14/01/2026

Sadly we had to say farewell to my feline sister Jasmine 🐾🐱🐾

"What greater gift than the love of a cat" — Charles Dickens

07/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4314379632224467/

Equafleece 22DA Dog Jumpers - see listing

17/12/2025

Swimming with my festive friends 🦆🎅⛄ at today's session💦
Have a great Christmas and I'll see you in the New year 🎊

17/12/2025

15/12/2025

☃️❄️🎄🐾 Wishing you a Merry Christmas 🐾🎄❄️☃️

12/12/2025

Delighted to receive a 'thank you' message from this little cutie, Tristan the dachshund 😁🐾😍

Many thanks to Elena who has been caring for Tristan. She wrote that Tristan...

'started showing signs from IVDD when he was about 7 years old....I purchased your book online and it has been a life-changer.
Whenever our doggie has a flare-up, I consult your book as the IVDD Bible!'

It's great to hear that Tristan is on the mend now 🥰💚

The IVDD Handbook ships worldwide and is available directly from the following links:

USA: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
Italy: http://www.amazon.it/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
Spain: http://www.amazon.es/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
Netherlands: http://www.amazon.nl/dp/B0BFTWP9H5
Sweden: https://www.amazon.se/dp/B0BFTWP9H5

There's also more information about it here on my website:
https://therehabvet.com/the-ivdd-handbook/

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10/11/2025

How would you know if your cat had osteoarthritis? Many cats have this joint issue, but it can be tricky to identify! Cats don't tend to make much fuss about any joint discomfort. Instead, you might find that:

😿they're less graceful at jumping than they used to be, and they can no longer leap up to kitchen countertop height in one leap
😿they find it more difficult to groom themselves. Perhaps their coat is starting to look a bit unkempt
😿they're less playful than usual
😿they get up and lie down in a rather more ungainly manner.

There can be other causes of all the above, so check with your vet if you're concerned.

Cats affected by osteoarthritis also start to move and stand in a different way. The image here is one taken from the MI-CAT(V) scoring sheet, a questionnaire designed for vets in assessing cat joint comfort. The cats on the right side of the diagram represent those with weakness or discomfort due to osteoarthritis. Those on the left are healthy cats.

The MI-CAT(V) also includes images of affected and unaffected cats jumping, moving under obstacles, and walking.
MI-CAT(V) stands for Montreal Instrument for Cat Arthritis Testing.

The full score system isn't always practical in vet clinics or during vet home visits, as cats with any level of anxiety may be reluctant to move much. But I find the images helpful in spotting the typical postures and movement quality of affected cats.
Here's a link to the whole scoring sheet: sj-pdf-1-jfm-10.1177_1098612x251347999.pdf

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19/08/2025

CAMBRIDGE VETS OFFER NEW INJECTION TREATMENT FOR DOGS WITH IVDD

A new enzyme injection treatment for dogs with severe intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is now available at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital (QVSH), offering a safe, less invasive, and more affordable alternative to surgery for some patients.

The treatment, called percutaneous intra-discal chondroitinase injection, involves delivering an enzyme directly into the damaged intervertebral discs. This enzyme dissolves the central part of the disc, potentially relieving pressure on the spinal cord.

The QVSH in Cambridge recently worked with colleagues from Texas A&M University in the United States, to run a clinical trial involving 54 dogs who had lost the ability to walk due to IVDD. The trial, now published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, showed that dogs receiving chondroitinase injections recovered the ability to walk at a similar rate to those who undergo other forms of treatment for IVDD.

The procedure is now available at the QVSH as part of a low-cost IVDD treatment package including a full neurological consultation, MRI scan, and injections into multiple discs for a total cost of £1,750. We are still accepting dogs for the original trial, where pet owners who are unable to afford traditional treatment may be offered the injections at a significantly reduced fee of £400, but with no MRI or CT scan.

What Dogs would meet the criteria for treatment?

A : The treatment is aimed at dogs who are severely enough affected that they are unable to walk ie would otherwise normally be recommended for surgery. For the specific trial we have been running we have to see them within 48 hours of becoming unable to walk; for the new protocol where we offer MRI as well the time limit is not as strict.

For further information about chondroitinase injections for IVDD or about the ongoing trial, contact the QVSH on 01223 337621, or alternatively email Professor Freeman at [email protected] or the neurology service at [email protected].

And see the links below.

IVDE Chondroitinase trial | The Queen's Veterinary School Hospital https://share.google/UDZoQQItpxesbiZHF

Published Trial Results
https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/263/6/javma.24.12.0790.xml?tab_body=fulltext&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMQh41leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHpWvYwUsUddJIbBt4tuOJLsE4hE5Qj2HRVVlu8yCGeighD0tEELP61kr6ie4_aem_ZtV-82cHTjaDWYOKt2xIyg

https://www.dachshund-ivdd.uk/symptoms-treatment/chondroitinase-injection/

28/07/2025

🐾🥳🐾 Happy 21st Birthday to my Emma 🐾🥳🐾