FORWARD

FORWARD stands for Fitzpatrick’s Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation for Working, Agility and Recreational Dogs. It is an exciting new initiative to guide dog owners on the best techniques to manage, treat and prevent injuries in athletic dogs.

Dog jumping

Dog jumping

Dogs are athletes, and they require a regime and careful monitoring just like us to maintain fitness and performance.  However, despite best intentions, accidents and injuries can still happen, so we all need to manage diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation as efficiently and effectively as possible.

FORWARD Symposium

The inaugural FORWARD Symposium was first held in January 2016, and explored the most common musculoskeletal conditions that affect working/performance dogs, and most importantly how to bring them back to competition level after an injury. Many handlers believe an injury can cause the end of your dog’s working or performance career, but this is not necessarily true.

Join us on Sunday 5th February at Epsom Race Course

The FORWARD Symposium is back on Sunday 5th February 2017 with a new line-up of speakers, fresh topics and a larger venue, following our 2016 sell out. This unique one-day event will guide you on the best techniques to manage, treat and prevent injuries in agility, working and performance dogs.

Joining the FORWARD Symposium 2017 speaker programme are Dr Chris Zink and Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, who are both returning to the symposium to share their world-class knowledge and advice on achieving and maintaining your dog’s peak fitness.

Full speaker line-up:

  • Dr Chris Zink, Canine Sports Medicine Veterinarian
  • Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, Managing Director at Fitzpatrick Referrals
  • PC Ray Haggett, Dog trainer and instructor at the Metropolitan Police
  • Professor Nick Bacon, Clinical Director of Oncology & Soft Tissue at Fitzpatrick Referrals
  • Nicola Way, Founder of Vancouver Animal Massage
  • Fiona Doubleday, Rehabilitation Team Leader at Fitzpatrick Referrals

Read more about our FORWARD Speakers 2017

View full conference programme

Who is the FORWARD Symposium for?

The FORWARD Symposium is designed to help you prevent canine injuries by sharing expertise, insights and tips on how to maintain a dog’s peak fitness and in the event of injury how to manage a return to competitive sport and general good health.

No matter what the discipline, from high performance dogs doing agility competitions every weekend to the recreational dog as a member of the family – if you have an interest in understanding how to maintain their physical fitness and prevent injury the FORWARD Symposium is for you.

  • Dog handlers for working dogs including agility, countryside pursuits and official (police force, service etc)
  • Rehabilitation professionals including physiotherapists, hydrotherapists and students
  • Veterinary professionals including vets, nurses, support staff and students
  • All dog lovers with a keen interest to know about maintaining their dogs physical fitness and wellbeing

There are two lunch options available: a buffet-lunch ticket or a lunch bag ticket. A buffet-lunch ticket includes hot food, non-alcoholic refreshments and VAT. At a reduced cost, a lunch bag ticket is available which includes a light lunch, non-alcoholic refreshments and VAT. This might be an ideal option for those who wish to exercise their dogs during the lunch break.

Tickets are limited so please book now to avoid disappointment!

Book your place

Don’t miss out on this unique Symposium in February 2017.

Book by 11:59pm on Friday 3rd February 2017

 

 

 

Fitzpatrick Referrals