Tori Brown McTimoney Veterinary Chiropractor

17/04/2026

AN OFTEN NEGLECTED ASPECT OF SUPPORTING AN ARTHRITIC DOG IS EXERCISE REGULATION.

The amount and type of activity provided to a pet with stiff and / or sore joints can have a significant impact on quality of life, and the rate of progression of joint disease.

Too much jarring exercise, aggravates already damaged joints and associated musculoskeletal tissues.

Too little of the right kind of exercise results in joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments stiffening up, and becoming increasingly inflexible - with a resultant loss of ability to move around freely.

So what is best?

As a general rule, frequent short periods of activity on soft, level ground such as grass, sand, woodland paths etc is best, as opposed to walking / running / jumping on pavements / concrete and similar hard surfaces which jar sore / sensitive joints.

To gauge what level of activity is most beneficial for maintaining healthy muscle mass, tendon / ligament strength and flexible joints, judge the effects on joints the day after exercise / play.

If stiffness / lameness / discomfort are worse, the amount of daily activity should be cut back until a level is found which doesn't cause issues 24 hours later.

This typically involves walks on joint-friendly surfaces 3 - 4 times daily for 10 - 15 mins or so, to support musculoskeletal health without risking making matters worse.

TOP TIP
Recording these activities on a wall calendar, along with their subsequent impact on arthritic joints, makes determining the healthiest exercise routine for a particular pet much easier.

BODYWORK THERAPIES
Treatments provided by fully qualified animal McTimoney chiropractic and Canine Massage practitioners, plus Hydrotherapy once skeletal misalignments have been corrected, can significantly ease discomfort throughout the musculoskeletal system (which is a common finding in arthritic pets).

And, as such these therapies have a valuable role to play alongside a healthy exercise routine and nutritional joint support.

Click here to see why we recommend Ultimate Joint Support: >>> https://www.vincethevet.co.uk/joint-health/ultimate-joint-support---large

31/03/2026

26/03/2026

I’ve been a little quiet on here lately. To be honest, I’ve just been taking some time out to slow down and really focus on the animals that are in front of me, the ones that can’t tell us what’s wrong, but the ones that feel everything. And it’s reminded me of something that I wish every owner knew. Our pets don’t just suddenly go from fine to being old, tired, stiff and sore. It’s often just a small change, a hesitation at steps, a stiffness when they’re lying down, just a slight change in their normal behaviour or a look in their eye that just seems different to you. These little cues or whispers are their way of communicating with us. And this is where chiropractic care can be so, so powerful. Not just in fixing problems but also in listening to their bodies early, supporting their bodies and helping our animals stay comfortable for as long as is possible. So if you’ve ever felt like something isn’t quite right with your animal, even if you can’t explain what it is, trust that feeling. And I say that to all my owners, trust your gut. Your pets rely on you to notice. You know them the best. So I’m still here, just a little bit quieter, but doing the work that matters the most to me.

03/03/2026

Before I adjust anything, I build trust.

Your animal’s nervous system has to feel safe before the real change can happen.

A relaxed animal = a body better ready to respond

02/03/2026

This is what breaks my heart ………

23/02/2026

This is a surprising quickie…….

19/02/2026

If your animal could talk, this is what they’d probably say: “I’m coping, but I’m not comfortable.”

That’s what I hear from them every day - but they tell me without words.

Animals don’t complain.
They just get on with it.

They move differently.
They avoid things.
They change behaviour.

And because they still eat normally, they still wag their tails if they’re a dog and nicker a greeting to their owner if they’re a horse, we assume they’re fine.

The trouble is, “fine,” isn’t the same as comfortable.

When I assess an animal I’m not guessing. I’m feeling joint movement, tensions in muscles and nervous system responses.

I’m watching how they stand.
How they walk. How they sit. How they turn. How they react when I touch certain areas. Their facial expressions. The list goes on.

Most owners are shocked when I show them their animal is sore.
Not because they don’t care, but because no one’s ever shown them what to look for and so they didn’t know anything was wrong.

This post isn’t about creating guilt in owners.
It’s about raising awareness.

If your dog has changed or if your horse feels different underneath you and if something just doesn’t feel right,

Trust that instinct.
Trust your gut. You know your animal better than anyone else and so your instincts relating to them are probably right!

What’s the first small change you noticed?

18/02/2026

Once they’re fixed, they’re fixed-right?

16/02/2026

If you’ve ever wondered what animal Chiropractic actually is, let me explain it the way I do in real life 🙌🏼 🐕 🧠 🐎

14/02/2026

The last week in pics 📸

11/02/2026

Don’t do this if you want your animal to stay comfortable.
Don’t wait until things fall apart.
I see it all the time.

“They’ve been like this for 6 months.”
“I thought he eas being lazy.”
“They’re just old and stiff.”

I get it-I really do-changes are usually small at first. Easy to miss or explain away, but the thing is, bodies are very good at compensating. They’ll shift weight, tighten certain muscles, move differently. They’ll manage and sometimes for months or even years. Animals are masters of disguising discomfort.

Until they can’t hide it any more.

By the time the pain looks (or even worse-sounds) dramatic, the problem will usually have been brewing for some time.

Chiropractic isn’t at its best when everything has flared up. It works best when we can catch things earlier, when the small changes are noticed. Then we can prevent a problem by supporting the nervous system before the whole body compensates for the problem.

I’m not here to scare anyone, but I am here to be honest.

If something feels not quite right or a bit off-listen to your gut feelings. They’re usually right and you know your animal better than anyone else in the world. Listen to them. Please.

Comment below with what you have been putting down to old age, quirks or just “one of those things” and see if chiropractic could help your animal 🙌🏼

10/02/2026

“I don’t really understand what chiropractic does.”