Behavioural Referrals Veterinary Practice

Oak Bank Stables (OBS) is our dedicated clinical environment where carefully planned rehabilitation, physiotherapy and veterinary behavioural review sessions take place.

Visits to OBS are strictly by appointment only, ensuring every patient has a safe, calm and controlled experience tailored to their individual needs.

Within this space, we are able to provide structured support using controlled paddocks and quiet areas, allowing us to observe movement, assess comfort and carry out rehabilitation and behaviour-focused interventions in a low-stress setting.

🐾What OBS is used for:
- Veterinary and behavioural review appointments
- Physiotherapy and rehabilitation sessions
- Controlled exercise and movement assessment
- Individualised recovery and support programmes
- Coaching caregivers in the use of cognitive or desensitisation techniques to improve behaviour in specific contexts (such as reactions to other dogs, consenting to handling or muzzle training).

🌍🌱 A mindful approach to the environment
OBS has also been designed with sustainability in mind, helping us reduce environmental impact wherever possible. This includes renewable energy use, responsible water management, and encouraging biodiversity across the site.

🦋 We are proud that wildlife continues to thrive alongside our clinical work - a reminder that thoughtful land use can support both animal care and the natural world.

At OBS, everything is designed with one goal in mind:
supporting each animal safely, calmly and individually to improve their physical, cognitive and emotional health. 🐾

The Yellow Dog UK Scheme is an international campaign raising awareness that some dogs need space. Whether it’s from other dogs or humans, overly friendly interactions can cause stress for dogs (and their caregivers) who aren’t comfortable with them.

The understanding and recognition of the Yellow Dog scheme varies across different regions. That’s why spreading awareness is so important! Whether you're a dog trainer, groomer, general practice vet, or specialist/referring vet.

If your dog shows behavioural signs that it needs space, whether around people, other dogs, or specific stimuli, Yellow Dog items can be a helpful tool alongside appropriate training techniques that support emotional well-being.

We acknowledge that not all dogs may feel comfortable wearing an item from the Yellow Dog range. In these cases, caregivers can consider wearing yellow themselves or displaying the "I need space" slogan in another way.

Find out more about this fantastic initiative at: https://yellowdoguk.co.uk/ 💛

Home - Yellow Dog UK Support dogs who need space with Yellow Dog UK. Discover guidance for reactive dogs, awareness resources, and high‑visibility products that promote safer interactions.

🐾 Meet Paddy 🐾

Paddy is a lovely Miniature Schnauzer who has been coming to us for physiotherapy for a number of years to help manage her chronic IVDD.

Over that time, Paddy has made such wonderful progress, not just physically, but emotionally too. 💕

When she first started with us, Paddy found new people and unfamiliar situations quite frightening. She was often too scared to show us where she was painful, which can make treatment much more challenging. Through patience, consistency, and taking things at her pace, we have gradually built a strong relationship based on trust.

Now, Paddy arrives keen for her sessions and absolutely loves meeting any students who are observing - something that would once have been very overwhelming for her! 🌟

One of the biggest milestones has been seeing her confidently communicate when she is uncomfortable, allowing us to tailor her treatment more effectively and ensure she always feels listened to.

Paddy especially enjoys her massage sessions and her remedial exercises, and it is always a pleasure to work with her.

Well done Paddy! Your confidence and trust have come such a long way, and we are so proud of you. 🐶💙

Our office is closed tomorrow for the August Bank Holiday and will reopen on Tuesday 1st September.

If you need to contact us, please leave a voicemail or send us an email, and a member of our team will respond as soon as possible when we return.

If you need to reach a member of our team urgently, please call the practice as usual and use the emergency contact number provided in our voicemail message.

If your pet requires urgent veterinary attention, please contact your usual veterinary practice or their out of hours emergency provider.

We hope you and your pets have had a lovely Bank Holiday weekend ☀🐾

Meet Toby! 🐾💙
Toby has been working with us on his behaviour for a few years now, as he can struggle with over-arousal and finds different environments particularly challenging.
Considering his anxieties, Toby does incredibly well during his physiotherapy sessions. For him, simply being able to settle and remain still in a building with other dogs around is a huge achievement.
Here you can see him doing brilliantly with his Kong, helping him to stay calm and focused while we work with him.
Toby is also wonderfully tolerant of being handled during his sessions, and it has been fantastic to watch his confidence grow and see just how far he has come.

Well done, Toby! We’re so proud of the progress he’s made⭐️🐶

Please note that we will be closed on Monday 31st August for the Bank Holiday.

If you need to contact us, please send us an email or leave a voicemail, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible when we reopen on Tuesday 1st September.

If you need to reach a member of our team urgently, please call the practice as usual and use the emergency contact number provided in our voicemail message.

If your pet requires urgent veterinary attention, please contact your usual veterinary practice or their out of hours emergency provider.

We hope you all have a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend! ☀🐾

🐶International Dog Day! 🐶

What a great opportunity to celebrate our canine companions and patients! To celebrate we would love to see photos of your canine companions and hear what makes them special!

🐶❤

Did you know that dogs should naturally carry 30% of their body weight through each forelimb, and 20% through each hindlimb?

Any significant variation from this is relatively easy to see by the trained eye, however our Companion Animal Health Stance Analyser allows us to tell even minor shifts in body weight. This helps us to pinpoint where an animal might be painful, especially if they would struggle to allow thorough examination.

Here you can see that Fern is perfect through her hindlimbs but that she is carrying less weight through her left forelimb. This correlates with her history as we know she has a painful left shoulder and is therefore offloading weight onto her right forelimb.

🐾 Chronic pain and behaviour in animals 🐾

A significant part of our behavioural work focuses on assessing and managing chronic pain in animals. When animals experience pain, their ability to cope with other stressors is greatly reduced, often leading to noticeable changes or declines in their behaviour.

Key signs to look out for:

🐾Touch sensitivity: If your dog is avoiding you or their walking equipment before a walk, it could indicate discomfort from ill-fitting gear or underlying pain.

🐾Ball play stress: While fun, ball play can put stress on joints, especially with sudden movements or rapid braking. Even healthy dogs can experience strain in their joints from this activity.

🐾Elevating bowls: If your dog shows discomfort while leaning down to eat or drink, this could point to neck, forelimb, or back pain. Raising the food and water bowls helps to improve posture and reduces strain on their body.

Paying attention to these subtle signs can make a big difference in your dog's overall well-being. If you suspect pain is affecting your pet's behaviour, please speak to your GP vet to discuss the pain further.