Meet Nell, a four-year-old Border Collie who is the fur-baby of Eugenie, Veterinary Physiotherapist at Kentdale Referrals.
Having been brought up on a local sheep farm, Nell initially spent some time with one of our senior Vets, who fostered her when the farmer no longer wanted her.
Smitten, Eugenie and her husband Gregg, adopted Nell shortly after, and celebrated her one year ‘gotcha day’ with a steak cake and lots of toys!
Nell’s first year as a companion has been a very happy one, with many highs and thankfully only a few lows.
Starting out as a timid, nervous and unsocialised critter, she gained massive amounts of confidence, a newfound passion for playing and a deep love for sleeping on the couch!
She also loves joining in on family hikes around south Cumbria and long walks with her ever growing group of doggo friends.
Following the guidance of a wonderful behaviourist, Nell overcame many of her past fears and insecurities through clicker and obedience training.
Her struggle with separation anxiety is a work in progress, one that will be actively worked on at her pace.
During lockdown, Nell even took on a part-time day job!
To ensure that we could continue to provide care and treatment to pets in need, Kentdale launched video consultations providing access to Veterinary care from the comfort of the home.
Harnessing technology, we were able to offer physiotherapy consultations via video, with the help of Nell who stepped up to the challenge of showing pet owners how to perform rehabilitative exercises to their pets under Eugenie’s expert guidance.
At Kentdale Referrals we are extremely fortunate to have an in-house Veterinary Physiotherapy service treating a full range of disease, injury and deformity as well as to help improve recovery from surgery and enhance athletic performance.
Kentdale Referral’s physiotherapeutic offering include a range of services such as manual therapy, the use of several electrotherapies, cryotherapy and rehabilitative home exercise programs.
With two dedicated Veterinary Physiotherapists, who work closely with our Orthopaedic Specialists, our team are expertly equipped to provide gold standard care and support to patients and clients alike.
As an advocate of physiotherapy, Nell has her own bespoke physiotherapy maintenance program consisting of core strengthening exercises and hydrotherapy sessions aimed at keeping her fitness levels up.
We think this could this be the start of a flourishing career for Nell! Her gentle, sweet and cuddly nature, accompanied with her love of children, has already proven to build confidence in those who have a fear of dogs.
Well done Nell!