Jaffa – degenerative myelopathy (CDRM)

“Our beautiful boy passed away at age 7.5 from CDRM which is a progressive neurological disease.

I was recommended Kathleen by the Dog Swim Spa to help with maintaining his muscle tone and for relaxation. Jaffa loved her visits and was very relaxed with increased mobility after his session. Kathleen is just wonderful. She is extremely knowledgeable and recommended supplements that would assist Jaffa’s condition. Thank you Kathleen for helping make his final months more comfortable. We so love and miss him. ” - Hayley Powell (Jaffa passed away in March 2013 in Hayley’s arms, with one last wag of his tail)

Basil – lick granuloma

“Our vet recommended Kathleen, after having a very frustrating time healing Basil’s lick granuloma. The laser therapy combined with Kathleen’s holistic approach and suggestions with which to manage Basil’s lick granuloma and other symptom’s of anxiety have helped us in being able to better manage his condition (leaving us and Basil a lot happier).

Kathleen is great with the very excitable Basil and also always has something new to recommend to supplement the laser treatment.” - Charlene Lang

Hunter – lumbosacral disease and spinal surgery

“Hunter is our 9 year old German Shepherd x Border Collie. Six months ago Hunter was diagnosed with lumbosacral disease which was causing her serious discomfort and pain. Our vet recommend acupuncture, swimming at Dog Swim Spa and massage treatments with Kathleen. In November Hunter underwent major spinal surgery and Kathleen has been an important part of the recovery process. Hunter has weekly treatments which benefit her enormously. Kathleen has a very special connection with animals and has a comprehensive knowledge to support her practical work. Kathleen has been a great support to us all and we are very lucky to have met her. All dog lovers should contact Kathleen- your dog will love you for it!!” - Mala Frost

Bertie – spondylosis of the spine

 

“Bertie gets very excited when he sees Kathleen and he loves his hour of massage.   He flops down and goes into doggy heaven mode.  Bertie has benefited greatly from his sessions with Kathleen and she has been a source of information to help and keep Bertie in the best condition he can be.  He loves his treats, too.” -Julie Robins

 

 

 

Jet – slipped disc, hip replacement and old age

“Kathleen has worked with my labrador Jet on a regular basis for several months and is an essential part of his ongoing rehabilitation after spinal surgery for a slipped disk (2008) and bilateral hip replacement to treat his arthritis (2009 & 2010). Jet is now 14 and still very active both on his walks and swimming at Dog Swim Spa. He loves his weekly massage and afterwards I notice that his movement has freed up and he is wonderfully relaxed. I call Kathleen ‘the dog whisperer’ because Jet is so excited to see her and tells her all about his week. I love watching them together and feel very fortunate that Kathleen’s services are available in Christchurch.” -Jane Newman (Jet passed away in September 2012, one week shy of his 15th birthday)

Bran – tripod with aches and pains

“10-year old Bran has been visiting Kathleen for his massages for sometime now.  Bran had his front leg amputated at 15 months old, he has always been very mobile and energetic. However as the years have gone by, he has started to slow down and to stiffen up somewhat. My feeling is that pain relief via medication is the last resort, so we sought help from Kathleen.  His visits to Kathleen have noticeably loosened him up and made his movement easier.  Bran loves his massages, one hour of intense attention and a treat to end it with.  He is putty in her hands.  I would recommend Kathleen to anyone who has a dog with mobility issues. The advice, the therapy and her connection with the dogs is something special.”- Sue Hayes

Sophie – arthritis

“Sophie was always an old girl, but she was very active. I always thought of her as part Labrador, part mountain goat. We spent many hours together in the weekends enjoying bush walks and beaches. When arthritis took away her ability to run up and down hills and jump onto precarious look-outs, it was very sad. She had got to a point where she couldn’t even complete a walk around our local park.

When my vet suggested alternate therapies to ease Sophie’s joints I was all for it. She seemed to really benefit from a mix of therapeutic massage form Kathleen and hydrotherapy. Sophie enjoyed the sessions with Kathleen, often becoming so excited she would start barking; although it’s possible she was excited about the little home-made treat she would get at the end of the session. Having had sports massage myself to help with my own joint problems I know that massages helped to keep Sophie moving freely. It was obvious in the fact our daily walks around the park had resumed and she needed no assistance to make it home. I am very grateful to Kathleen for the fantastic treatment Sophie received and for her amazing patience when dealing with my house full of energetic dogs. She was an important part of Sophie’s treatment and if I ever again have a dog with joint or muscle problems, I will be calling Kathleen” - Raewyn Crosbie

Lucky – excess weight and arthritis

“Our Staffy cross Lucky has grown in stature over the years and is now having mobility problems due to excess weight and arthritis. Kathleen has recommended a course of action with his diet and her massage and laser has seen an improvement with his arthritis and mobility. I recommend Kathleen to anyone with a dog with joint or mobility problems and have done so to several of our clients through our pool.” – June Blackwood (co-owner of the Dog Swim Spa)

 

Renee – spinal problems

“Renee is a 12 year old Newfoundland who started having spinal problems which affected her back leg. Since Kathleen has been giving her massage therapy, Renee is now pain free and has shown good improvement.

Kathleen is very professional and has a great affinity for animals.” – Denise North (Renee passed away in January 2012)

 

 

Olliver – old age and quadriplegic

Olliver is a senior dog with arthritis, we starting having massage treatments over a year ago to help improve his circulation, mobility and overall well-being. Last July, he suddenly lost the ability to walk and veterinarians haven’t been able to diagnose a cause. Olliver is trying hard to walk again, aided by his wheelchair and the expert efforts of people such as Kathleen. Massage has now become an essential and critical part of Olliver’s recovery and rehabilitation.” – Guy Holdsworth, owner of Olliver the Dalmatian (Ollie passed away in his owner’s arms in September 2011)

 

Solo

“Kathleen has a calm, organised and relaxed manner. She was always on time and easy to make arrangements with.

She is able to answer questions on a broad range of canine-related topics.” – Kathryn Fortescue, owner of Solo (a Cocker Spaniel)

 

Charlie Pete

“It’s been great to have Kathleen come around weekly and work with Charlie-Pete. She was thoughtful about engaging with an unwell dog.” – Maggie-Lee Huckabee, owner of Charlie-Pete (a boxer/greyhound cross)

 

 

 

 

Flynn

Very professional, understanding and patient.” – Nikki Jerard – owner of Flynn (a Border Collie)