We are thrilled to have partnered with Veterinary Physiotherapist, Michaela Smith BSc (Hons) PG Dip HCPC ACPAT Cat A.
Michaela completed a Bachelor’s degree in human Physiotherapy in 2007 and immediately started working as a Chartered Physiotherapist in private practice locally. After this Michaela attended the Royal Veterinary College to complete a postgraduate diploma in Veterinary Physiotherapy.
Since qualifying Michaela spent a number of years working at a canine rehabilitation centre and then moved on to a large veterinary referral centre to work with the inpatients there. After this, Michaela was treating dogs and cats in their own homes until she joined the Mulberry team.
Michaela joined the Mulberry team in May 2025 to work alongside the Vets and Nurses there to provide physiotherapy care for our patients.
Why do our pets need physiotherapy?
There are many reasons why our pets can benefit from physiotherapy. After all, they have a skeleton, muscles, tendons etc just as we do and we are all aware how physiotherapy can benefit our own needs from time to time.
Physiotherapy can take many different forms including therapeutic exercises, manual therapy (i.e. massage and gentle joint movements delivered via the Physiotherapist’s hands), electrotherapies and thermal modalities.
Physiotherapy treatment can help to achieve the following:
- Decreased pain
- Decreased swelling
- Improvement of muscle strength
- Prevention of muscle wasting
- Decreased muscle spasm and avoidance of adaptive soft-tissue shortening
- Increased rate and quality of tissue healing
- Improvement of our pet’s function and independence
- Prevention of re-injury.
There are many circumstances where physiotherapy can be beneficial, including:
- Early detection of injuries through assessment of movement, joint range of motion etc
- “Rehabilitation” – preparing a patient prior to surgery to speed up post-op recovery
- To improve functional outcomes after surgery
- To optimise well-being and function in older dogs and cats
Physiotherapy appointments will be held at our Binfield practice on Thursday’s between 4pm – 6pm and Friday’s between 9.40am – 11.40am.
If you’d like to book for your pet to see Michaela please contact us via; hello@mulberryhousevets.co.uk or call the team on 01344 243144
