Client Praise
Sophie
Sheila and the Wellsprings K9 Team,
You and your crew took care of my baby French Bulldog, Sophie in April of 2009. She had just had surgery and hydrotherapy has helped her walk like a champ.
I know this is a very late Thank You (3 years later), but still I just have always wanted to thank you for getting my baby back walking, running, and doing zoomies, again=)
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!
Much gratitude!
Tashi Kenzom
PS – Oh! I forgot to mention something else. I think Sophie is the only Frenchie that knows how to swim, thanks to all of you. I take her to either Luther Burbank or Magnuson Park, during the summer months and I am beaming with joy when she heads into the water to fetch her toy and comes swimming back. Everyone that sees her is always amazed and says they never knew Frenchie’s could swim. =)
Gussy
We were recommended to Wellsprings K9 because our Pug, Gussy was starting to lose function in her rear legs due to some spinal issues that are more common in pugs. We began bringing Gussy to swim, but she also got nerve stimulation and massage. Her condition had been getting worse pretty quickly, but the swimming and work from Shelia, Emily, and Gretchen helped level it off and Gussy continued to be able to get along by herself, which was amazing. Gussy passed recently, but we are forever grateful to the Wellsprings K9 team for helping us care for Gussy and keeping up a good quality of life that she deserved. Plus Gussy just LOVED going there and it made her (and us) happy to see her so happy. Thank you!
Jake
Sheila and the Wellsprings K9 Team,
We so appreciate your work with Jake and your careful observance and recommendations.
I love that he enjoys coming there so much. There really are few things in his life that are so completely positive for him.
It’s truly a gift.
Melinda Williams
Update August 2011
Sheila, I can’t thank you enough for all the love and care you have given Jake over the past few years. I know that your care added both years and joy to his life. Coming to see you was truly one of the highlights of his life.
All the best,
Melinda and Family
Bogie
Dear Sheila,
I am Lesa’s (Bogie’s “Mom”) granddaughter and I wanted to thank you for helping Bogie.
She was so sad when she first told me what happened. Now she is so happy with the improvement and always tells me how much she appreciates you.
Thank you for helping my Grandma be happy again.
Once again…THANK YOU!!!!!!!
With Love,
Rachel
Jessie
Sheila and the caring staff at Wellsprings-K9 have been a godsend for my spaniel, Jessie. Their work has put and helped keep her in top shape throughout her
years. My vets say she is one of the healthiest 14 year olds they’ve ever seen and that she has many more years left.
The Wellsprings-K9 staff has helped Jessie in other ways too. A pre-cancerous lump would’ve slipped by my notice if not for Sheila and the staff. They are also alert to other potential problems, which have been averted thanks to their care. Their work with her swimming saved her life when we were on vacation too. When chasing after a deer through the river, she got caught in a whirlpool, but calmly got herself out of trouble.
Wellsprings-K9 is one of the most integral parts of my dog’s life and I’m thankful for that.
Jay Holzman
Tasha
Sheila and the Wellsprings K9 Team,
I wanted to introduce you to the newest member of our family. Her name is Tasha. She’s around a year old and will grow a little bit bigger than she is now.
Her foster Dad said had a good previous home. She’s definitely more of a girlie girl than Jessie, but that is probably because of her cushy and 
foofie Southern California lifestyle. The foster Dad thinks she’s a flat coated retriever, cocker spaniel, and Sheltie mix. She may have border collie in her, too.
She’s really sweet and the family likes her. Your cards, emails, and phone calls after Jessie’s passing will last my lifetime and mean a lot to me. Losing Jessie has been the hardest thing for me ever and I told her that while I may love other dogs in the future, she will be the only one that has my soul.
Looking forward to seeing you again soon and getting Tasha in the pool at Wellsprings,
Jay
Annie
About a four years ago, our 7 year-old German Shepherd started lagging on her walks. She just kept getting worse so we went to the vet and he said Annie was suffering from arthritis.
We started taking Annie for acupuncture and chiropractic treatments as well as giving her herbs and supplements. She got somewhat better but still had pain. We took her swimming in the summer and it seemed to help, but she got too cold. We finally came to Wellsprings K9.
Annie has been working with Sheila and the Wellsprings K9 team these past few years, but even after the first treatment she seemed better. Now she’s trotting when we walk and she’s happy. Her pain seems to be all but gone and I have so much hope now! I have confidence that she will be with us for many more years thanks to Wellsprings K9!
Lori and Brad
Axle 
After three knee surgeries, Axle’s life force and muscle tone had atrophied alarmingly. He didn’t have much energy, was clearly depressed and the vet thought maybe one more surgery would do the trick. I decided not to have another surgery done as the chance of much success was limited. I knew he needed exercise to build up his muscle, but he didn’t have the energy to do much. Since it was winter, and the fact that he was scared to swim, made taking him to the lake for a good swim not much of an option.
After minimal research on-line, I found Wellsprings-K9, made an appointment with Sheila and it has been uphill every since. Axle, now eight, has returned to the living. Through consistent massage and with Sheila’s patience and skills in helping Axle learn to reduce his fear of water, he is steadily swimming his way into vigor and vitality.
What a joy to watch his depression fade and his legs develop muscle tone.
Cap Kotz, owner
Cappy’s Boxing Gym
1408 22nd Ave. Seattle WA 98122
www.cappysgym.com
Sammy
My name is Sammy and I am a 6-year-old Basset Hound. This is my story.
Over the last few years my parents noticed that I have been resistance to go for walks or climb stairs. This was due to a chronic disc problem, and it was as uncomfortable doing these activities as it was painful. One day, all of a sudden, I could not feel my back legs and paws anymore! It sure was scary. I couldn’t quite figure why my back legs wouldn’t work for me.
My dad carried me outside to do my business and back to my bed for my meals that night and as soon as the veterinarian clinic opened, my family rushed me in to my doggie doctor, who then sent me right over to a doggie back specialist. The specialist first chose to try a conservative approach and began anti-inflammatory and pain medications.
My mom works at a great vet clinic and the vets there encouraged us to get an appointment with Sheila Wells at Wellsprings-K9 as soon as possible. The clinic refers many, many pets just like me to go and have hydrotherapy and have had loads of positive testimonials from clients. Now, I am very shy. To go and meet someone new is a big deal but as soon as I met Sheila, I felt very safe and secure. During my first comprehensive evaluation, Sheila with her vast knowledge, intuitiveness, experience and love for animals, strongly urged that I go straight back to my back specialist immediately and recommended that they may want do an MRI, as she was convinced that I had a very serious condition, which may have gotten worse since the back specialist had seen me. Never the less, she said it was very important to get back in to see them. Now.
Immediately after my arrival and MRI at my specialist I had spinal cord surgery.
They did a discectomy and laminectomy, as the MRI showed my disc had exploded. This was last December 2009.
In January 2010 I started back at WellSprings-K9 for hydrotherapy and massage sessions, and am still attending WellSprings-K9 on a regular basis. I have grown to love swimming (odd being that I am a Basset Hound but honestly I have always felt part lab.) My time with Sheila and her staff is so relaxing that I have fallen asleep with my chin on the edge of the pool when getting deep tissue work, stretching and range of motion on my body.
Each week I continue to get better and better, stronger and stronger. My gait pattern, strength, muscle mass, stamina and activity tolerances are increasing by leaps and bounds. I am able to walk and walk with my family and am back to my fun and mischievous self. I walked the whole 2.8 mile-loop at Green Lake in March, and in April I had fun frolicking and romping at the ocean. My doctors are thrilled with my hard work and progress and feel that I am 95% recovered. I plan to see Sheila at WellSprings-K9 every four to five weeks, for strength and stamina maintenance, just to check in and see that we are still on the right maintenance program and to get a good massage.
Stella Mae
I cannot imagine a more perfect place than Wellsprings-K9. Sheila has been truly heaven-sent and I recommend Wellsprings-K9 swim therapy to all! When faced with the prospect of my two year old Jack Russell not being able to run or play for three months post-surgery, I was terrified how I would be able to both help her improve her strength while providing opportunities for her to expend some of her endless energy. Sheila to the rescue. Her tremendous knowledge and experience, paired with her love, patience, and understanding of dogs resulted in an experience far beyond my expectations. Sheila’s swim therapy sessions became the highlight of Stella Mae’s day because she got to play in the water with Sheila. Similarly, they were the highlight of my day because they were much more effective than anything I could do at home to help Stella Mae recover. Sheila was able to find Stella Mae’s natural interests and combine them with therapy techniques to effectively build muscle tone, increase range of motion and expend energy. It was an amazing experience and I cannot more highly recommend Sheila and Wellsprings-K9 to those considering swim therapy.
Cassidy Glass Hastings
D’jango
We wanted to thank you for the wonderful care you gave D’jango over the last several years. We lost our beloved boy on August 8, but we really believe his swim therapy and massage prolonged his physical viability. I think we did the right thing by stopping the therapy when he didn’t want to do it anymore but, nevertheless, it kept him strong to that point.
Just thanks again for all you did for D’jango
Marcy Lamont and Jeff Skillman
Liddy
Liddy was a wonderful dog I had for many years. She suffered a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed in her hind end. We used a sling and dog wheelchair to walk her at times. Mostly she slid herself around the house with her front legs. Liddy was a large dog and it was not easy to help her with her mobility. She benefitted greatly from her therapy sessions at Wellsprings-K9.
Sheila and her staff at Wellsprings-K9 were so wonderful and took such great care of my Liddy girl. Wellsprings-K9 mean more than words can express, as the staff enabled me so much extra time with my girl that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
In memory of my Liddy girl,
Diana Rost
Quackers
Thank you for all the good times Quackers and I had at the pool. The massages she got and the self-swims brought comfort and fun to her senior years. I miss her tremendously, but am so thankful to have had her as my doggie. Thank you for your part in bringing her so much joy.
Sue
Bailey
My calm, easy-going, sweet and beloved Bailey is an uncommon German Shepherd with, unfortunately, some all too common, breed-specific immune system conditions. Bailey has Canine Lupus and Degenerative Mylopathy, a disease most closely corresponding to Multiple Sclerosis in humans. Leading veterinary experts now consider both as an autoimmune condition or disease. Where it will end for Bailey is a slow loss over the control of her rear feet and legs.
In the meantime, my dog and I are doing everything possible to mitigate the effects and outcome. I—and Bailey, surely, if he could speak like we humans—am happy to say that swimming with Sheila, Emily, Heather and all of the other swim therapists at Wellsprings-K9 helps him and he loooooooves it. Bailey is not your typical Shepherd and he doesn’t whine, cry, and prance like most … until he’s walking up the drive to Sheila’s door. But I think it may be the massage he loves best. I hear he becomes a giant, hairy, 70-pound marshmallow in the arms of his swim ladies.
Since swimming at Wellsprings-K9, his physical stamina has improved and he can again return to his favorite haunts where he sniffs out the goings-on of other dogs and critters of our neighborhood. He has improved coordination such that he can give back to his dog friend (a rambunctious and irrepressible three-year-old Standard Poodle) that the Poodle gives to him. He has greater awareness of what his rear feet are doing and how to correct them when they are not in the right position. He has lost weight, which helps overall health and wellbeing. Bailey’s human neighbors and friends comment on his improved health and appearance. His gait and stance have returned to something more healthful and normal.
Swimming has also improved his Lupus. He’s had no outbreaks since swimming.
But mostly it’s wonderful to see some of the youthful abandon and joy return to my 11-½ year-old friend. The staff are wonderful and their breadth and depth of knowledge beyond swimming physical therapy comforts, amazes, and pleases me. They are kind, generous, compassionate, and committed to dogs. What more can you ask? And shouldn’t we all be like this?
Tracy Dominques
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