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(From left to right): Diane Messum (Head of Physiotherapy), Clive Elwood (Managing Director) and Jessica Holden (Hydrotherapist).
Davies Veterinary Specialists (Davies) has chosen Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) as its new charity of the year. The leading small animal referral practice based in Higham Gobion, Hertfordshire, will be running special fund raising projects for MDD over the next 12 months. The team has already made a start, raising £300 by hosting a Workshop for the Canine Athlete last month.
Each year Davies democratically chooses a charity of the year and team members collect as much cash as they can for their chosen organisation. Last year the team donated £5,500 to Target Ovarian Cancer and this year Medical Detection Dogs stands to benefit from their innovative fundraising prowess.
Medical Detection Dogs www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk trains dogs to help people with life-threatening medical conditions and is at the forefront of the research into the fight against cancer Bio-Detection Dogs are trained to detect the odour of human diseases such as cancer, in samples such as urine, breath and swabs. Medical Alert Assistance Dogs are trained to detect minute changes in an individual’s personal odour triggered by their disease and alert them to an impending medical event. The charity receives no government funding for its work and relies entirely on the generosity of donations from trusts and the public.
In April, Davies held a Fitness, Conditioning and Injury Prevention Workshop at the new Davies Therapy and Fitness Centre in support of MDD. 20 local dog owners enjoyed learning about maximising performance in their athlete and, with a practical demonstration in the hydrotherapy suite, how underwater treadmill therapy can be used as part of a fitness and conditioning routine. They also took part in a workshop, with their own pets, on massage, stretching, core control, warm-up and cool down strategies.
Diane Messum, Head of Physiotherapy said: “The evening was a enormous success and was fully attended by devoted owners and their canine athletes who were dedicated to optimising the fitness levels of their pets and minimising the risk of injury. We received a set fee for the two and half hour workshop with refreshments from each attendee. The owners loved the opportunity to practice and demonstrate the practical techniques on their own pets and have requested a second practical workshop, which has been planned for June.”
Comments from the evening included: ‘Love to do some more sessions like this. Very useful, even if not competing, to understand fitness’ and ‘I liked the clarity of presentation, the information included, how it built upon each aspect said and how it was explained carefully and thoroughly’.
Dan Howard, Chief Operating Officer at MDD said “We are absolutely delighted that Davies Veterinary Services has chosen to support Medical Detection Dogs as their Charity Partnership this year. Medical Detection Dog’s work is much needed. One in two born after 1960 will be affected in some way by cancer during their lifetime, diabetes is on the rise and the challenges facing the NHS are well known. We are already making a huge difference to many, but we have the potential to save many thousands by offering a reliable, cost-effective and simple solution to early disease detection.”
“As a charity we rely solely upon the generosity and good will of the general public, which is why we are so grateful to Davies Veterinary Services for offering their wonderful support to us.”
Find out more at http://www.vetspecialists.co.uk and https://www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/
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