Make your dog's life active, happy, and pain-free...
...all without surgery!
With Julie McKinney
Licensed Physical Therapist
Canine Rehabilitation Specialist
THRIVE with HD is a group of awesome dog parents led by a canine physical therapist expert who has worked with hundreds and hundreds of dogs with hip dysplasia. She has had 4 of her own dogs with hip dysplasia – 2 of which had SEVERE hip dysplasia and “required” a total hip replacement according to the vets – and yet ALL of them did GREAT without surgery. Nugget, Tucker, Happy, and Lily all lived long, happy, active lives!
THRIVE with HD is a “safe place,” a warm, loving, and positive community that is here to support you in your endeavor to learn all you can about hip dysplasia and do the very best for your dog! It’s a place where conservative management for dogs with hip dysplasia isn’t shunned, but rather celebrated as the BEST approach to hip dysplasia.
It’s an invaluable resource for you as you navigate the hip dysplasia journey throughout your dog’s life – where you can ask questions and you can depend on accurate and trustworthy information by a mentor who truly understands all sides of hip dysplasia and who cares deeply about each and every individual dog (and their dog parents)!
Julie is the leading expert in treating canine hip dysplasia with “conservative management” (aka – no surgery). She has a license in physical therapy, and has dedicated her career to dogs for 25 years.
She was the 2nd physical therapist in the United States to be hired by a veterinary school back in 2001. Julie worked with both inpatients and outpatients (99% dogs) at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine for 8 years.
Julie later worked as the physical therapist at the University of Tennessee veterinary school, as well.
The entire time, she has also owned her own private practice, working very closely with dog parents for every type of canine orthopedic and neurological condition.
And since 2015, Julie has worked virtually with clients all around the globe to help dogs live their best lives!
I honestly don’t know where we would be without Julie. My pup Ryker was diagnosed with HD at 6 months old and the vet basically gave us pain pills and said surgery would be necessary when he was older. Ryker was having a lot of flare-ups and restricted from so many fun activities. Working with Julie to find Ryker’s baseline has been life changing. I’ve gained so much knowledge specific to Ryker and his situation.
Julie is so knowledgeable and just fantastic at analyzing each individual dog’s needs. The difference between working with Julie vs trying to implement general strategies you read on the internet has been a total game changer!! We now have the best home program customized for Ryker. It has been so beneficial, I don’t even remember the last time we used pain meds!
I can’t tell you how much finding Julie has changed our lives. When I first heard my pup Ryker had moderate/severe HD, I was devastated. I pictured either expensive surgery or a sad limping pup restricted from everything fun. Julie not only gave me hope but she gave me a vision for my guy having the BEST life. With her guidance and resources, Ryker is like a new dog and I am a super educated HD dog mom. We owe Julie everything!
I had the privilege to be part of Julie’s program soon after Willow was diagnosed with HD at 8 months. Through this program, Julie taught us everything we needed to know about hip dysplasia and how to manage it successfully at home.
We saved 10K by not doing the two recommended hip surgeries and let Willow enjoy her adolescence playing with her brother, Montana. The experience and knowledge that Julie is willing to share with us and so many other dog parents with HD has been beyond worth learning. I know our Willow would not be doing as great as she is without Julie’s help. We are very thankful for all she has done for our Willow who is now 6 years old and she is thriving!
Working with Julie has been SO helpful. She was able to help me develop a home program, tailor made to Hilde, her strengths and her weaknesses. It’s been so wonderful and my girl is now able to do LONG hikes with me – we reached our 10 mile hike goal, which I thought was totally out of the question and unrealistic. But you can trust what Julie says – she was right! We’re kicking HD’s butt as we progress her home program!
I learned so much in such a short time that has made life much more comfortable for my boy, Kylo. Definitely things you normally wouldn’t even think about. Julie is so knowledgeable and cares about each dog and dog parent.
You won’t regret it!!
Working with Julie has made a huge difference in my boy’s life. When he was officially diagnosed, as everyone might expect, was the devastation and hurt from the “death sentence” since most owners and many vets will liken HD to that….but it is NOT! I refused to have surgery because that is the “end all cure”!
Julie provided me with viable options! Ways to get him stronger and live with it and still have an amazing life – which he has! He is stronger than ever and it is because of Julie’s knowledge, patience, and skills.
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