Mr. Binks and Photizo

Mr Binks is a 14 -year -old English Toy Terrier. I re-homed him in July 2014 when he was two.  He was called Dexter untilhesuper inquisitive personality and quirky ways inspired the name he loves, Mr Binks. He’d already had two homes having been returned to his breeder on the discovery that he had Legg Calve Perthes disease.

My first miniature Bull terrier Molly was 12 years, with a few issues including going deaf. I believed that that introducing a younger dog could be my golden card: adding the young dog, bringing life to the old dog. Mr Binks was perfect at two years, the fact he carried his back left leg was explained by the breeder as being down to over walking as a puppy, which I
thought would be easy to fix.

Understandably on arrival he was very shy and I remember thinking on our first day together there is something I don’t know about you, and I was right!

At Mr Binks’ vet check two days later, I discovered he was missing a hip joint and his previous vet notes confirmed he had a degenerative bone condition called Legg Calves Perthes disease.

After the initial shock, it was the Animal
Physiotherapist, Sherry Scoot MBE who convinced me that we could help Mr Binks, and with the right therapies. In Sherry’s own words: “we have the technology”, by that she was referring to Physiotherapy, ‘Red Light’ therapy, massage, the right exercise. Complemented by a nutrient dense, raw balanced and complete diet, along with some key supplements including lashings of bone broth. Legg Calves Perthes is a painful, degenerative hip condition in young, small-breed dogs, typically 3-13 months old, caused by loss of blood supply to the top of the femur. This leads to bone death, hip pain, and limb lameness. The standard treatment is surgical removal of the damaged femoral bone head.

Mr Binks had his left femoral head bone removed aged nine months, and received little rehabilitation. Somewhere along the line he’d also suffered a wrist fracture on his left front leg, which was not noted in his original vet notes. Evident down to nerve damage and an angular ‘spur’ which also had to be targeted. Mr Binks has always been so inquisitive. He absorbs his environment and is genuinely interested in everything! And he’s enjoyed a very rich life not least lots of TV and radio studios, and many ‘dog-centric ‘events. His statement is being understated! He knows he is different. Other dogs always hone into his left side and behave quite bullish with him, which didn’t help at the beginning of his long desensitisation process.

Molly helped Mr Binks hugely, she was relatively indifferent to him, which was great as Binks didn’t feel pressured. I took things slowly but surely with him.  Walking him daily for about a mile on the
flat in a steady trot seemed to calm him, whilst building the muscles in his back end, which hold his left back leg in place. As Sherry explained as he is so small and light at 4.5 KG, a hip replacement surgery wouldn’t be necessary, the key is nourishing his muscles, to keep him strong and enhance his conformation. I had already purchased by first Photizo Vetcare from Sherry at TCAP. I was already hooked on the technology, and its natural healing abilities as it was helping Molly particularly in restoring her front paws which had problems.

Integrating the Vetcare into Mr Binks’ routine was easy and he enjoyed the attention that was proactive rather than too ‘smothering’.  It was a way of us building a bond based on mutual respect. The Vetcare made him feel better, so our relationship strengthened. He was quite bald in places at this point, particularly on his neck and chest. In fact, Sherry joked calling him ‘oven
ready’! As a likely ‘side effect’ to his ‘Perthes’ disease as affecting his immune system, Mr Binks’ neck was very damp with sores, and he was on the skinny side of slim.

Slowly but surely, with the help of a ’top notch’ raw balanced and complete diet along with the Vetcare working proactively from the inside out, building muscle definition, Binks began growing his hair back -even on his private part! I gave him Green Lipped Mussel daily for Omega-3, and loved eating raw, including organic chicken wings. Meanwhile, I boosted his immune system with raw organic Colostrum from Switzerland. In fact, nothing has changed on this front, except obtaining this colostrum, which has been difficult since Brexit! With Sherry’s guidance we strengthened Mr Binks physically with targeted leg stretches and massage to pull him upwards. Our exercise routine worked to build his muscles, and he gradually became more confident.

When I met the team from Danetre Health Products, it was around the same time in 2015, that MeSH re-defined the effects of red and near Infrared light as ‘Photobiomodulation’, rather than ‘photo therapy or low-level light therapy, which I touched on in my study with the CIVT. The Vetcare’s evidence based, 30 second pre-programmed doses penetrate through the skin’s surface and into the individual cells’ Mitochondria.  Stimulating the enzyme: Cytochrome c oxidase, which helps increase ATP production by accelerating the electron transfer rate of c oxidase. It also stimulates blood flow to the targeted area, lymph and oxygen to help reduce inflammation and pain, which for Mr Binks’ was very important particularly in supporting his muscles as they gradually became defined and strong.

He’s now heading to his 15th birthday, and is
going a bit deaf, he’s as inquisitive as ever enjoying two walks a day, striding out on four legs!

 

About the Author

Broadcaster, Nutrition and Behaviour expert. Anna contributes to TV and Radio nationally including BBC Radio London's 'The Barking Hour'.

As a pet expert, I’ve contributed to ITV1's Titchmarsh show, Channel 5's Gabby Logan show, and SKY1's 'dogumentary' A Different Breed.

As an expert I also contribute regularly across national radio including Talk Radio, Radio 2, Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio London and more!

In my Podcast, A Dog’s Life, I investigate all aspects of modern dog ownership, bringing to life why every dog is extraordinary, talking to scientists and experts who have changed, and are changing, our understanding of dogs.