# Molly and her physio



## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I rehomed Molly from her first home at around 18 months as they were struggling with her and a few months later realised she had a problem with her back legs. This was diagnosed as severe luxating patella in both back legs and my local vet recommended surgery. I had previously worked with a vets who specialise in rehab and physio and (despite the 2.5 hour journey each way) went to see them. They agreed with the diagnosis but said give them a few months to see what physio could do for her as she had poor muscle tone, and was moving very badly with her back legs. 

We started on a program of physio (which we did at home) with monthly trips to the vets for them to assess her and update the exercises. We had one setback when Molls chased a rabbit and came back totally lame on one leg for a while!! but after 6 months or so we were discharged from the vets and they said at that point Molly was well muscled, pain free and using her back legs well. She is not cured as such as her problem is caused by her anatomy so no amount of muscle is ever going to truly help, her knee caps are still loose and come out very easily, but she never limps, is as agile as a cat and runs like the wind. 

I used clicker training for the vast majority of her physio so rather than being a chore she dislikes and I do TO her, it is something she very much enjoys, does herself and earns treats for doing well. 

The program we had was tailored for her but just to give an idea the exercises included walking - sounds simple but it meant walking her at a snails pace so she was walking, rather than trotting, or leaping around. We also did walking up hills, learning to walk backwards, walking over poles on the floor - forward and back and her all time favourite, back leg exercises with wobble cushion.

Simple start was front legs on the wobble cushion and her looking from side to side, this forces the muscles in the back legs to really work to stabilise her.










She also sits on the wobble cushion - good for her core muscle strength










We have a smaller pod and she does front feet on pod, back on wobble cushion










and final equipment is a wobble board - she needs to put her front feet on this and find the balance point with no sides touching the floor to earn her reward for this one










We don't do the exercises very often these days, we had a wobble around a year after she was discharged and local vet thought maybe time for surgery, but another trip to specialists and they thought she was just getting lazy and needed to up physio for a while and she has been fine for the last year.

Her knees are bad enough that both vets agree she probably will need surgery at some point, but they also agree that while she is happy, active and managing as well as she currently is she should not be having the surgery just yet.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I am so impresssed by both little Molly and you for this incredible story. It speaks of such dedication, hard work, diligence, perseverence and most of all love. Little Molly definitely won the dog lottery when she got rehomed to you.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Thanks Fairlie - in reality I was just lucky enough to know the right people to help us get on track and stay on track - and Molly is just a pint-sized con artist who is happy to work as long as the food motivation is right


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I don't know, driving two and half hours and back monthly plus all the actual training and work you both did sounds like true love to me.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Molly is so sweet and wow you are amazing! I have to agree with Fairlie, Molly definitely won the doggy lotto with you 

Glad to hear she is doing so well, the pictures of her on her training tools. Clever girl.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Ooh. Will have to look into these for Beemer. 


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