Team Coldfeet is in pole position with Photizo
Kaz and Pete Jones
Team Coldfeet has become the joint passion of husband and wife, Kaz and Pete Jones (and their daughter, Hannah). Together they have built a winning reputation in Sled Dog Racing for over 18 years.
Considered one of the most successful teams in the UK, Team Coldfeet recently won the Silver medal at the European Dryland Sled Dog Championships hosted by IFSS ‘International Federation of Sled Dogs’. Staged in the UK for the first time in Thetford Forest, in Norfolk, over 19 nations competed for the coveted medals and trophies.
Passionate about their breed, Kaz and Pete have embraced the Siberian Husky’s need and love for running. In fulfilling the Husky’s role as the original endurance sled dog, Team Coldfeet is at the peak of its condition: emotionally, mentally and physically.
With several generations of their dogs now competing in other winning teams, Kaz and Pete take enormous pride in their Coldfeet line, which has been bred for its conformation, temperament, and stamina.
The couple are also no strangers to the show ring and, at Crufts, where their Coldfeet Siberian Huskies are frequently placed as being quality dogs within their breed and bred to be fit for purpose as ‘sled’ dogs.
A winter weekend does not go by without Team Coldfeet competing in sprint racing somewhere in the British Isles. Pete currently runs a six-dog class, the maximum number currently taking part in the UK. Whilst Kaz runs a four-dog team and their daughter Hannah ran as a junior champion with two dogs from the age of eight until sixteen.
Keeping their now 18-strong team of Huskies in peak condition, Kaz and Pete optimise a holistic approach. Ensuring the best natural diet - and integrating complementary therapies to maximum effect - keeps Team Coldfeet running.
In 2013 Kaz Jones met with Ruth Milner, MD of Danetre Health, the sole UK distributor of Photizo Vetcare. Intrigued by the potential of modern Phototherapy offered by the Photizo device, Kaz immediately decided her Husky team would benefit from regular ‘light therapy’.
Photizo Vetcare boasts a powerful combination of pre-programmed 31-second doses of pulsating red and infra-red LED Phototherapy. It ensures a fast delivery of an effective evidence based dose of light/Phototherapy, which speeds up the natural healing process.
Since incorporating Photizo Vetcare proactively as part of their dogs daily routine, Kaz and Pete Jones are so impressed with how Photizo has helped their dogs, they are now Ambassadors for Photizo® and have encouraged its use across the UK Sled Dog community.
Karen in competition with her dogs
Both Kaz and Pete have harnessed Photizo not only on a variety of musculoskeletal injuries, but also with great effect on wounds. It is inevitable that sometimes injuries are incurred albeit accidentally when racing.
As part of the preparations for an upcoming race, Kaz and Pete will routinely run Photizo over their dogs ensuring they are physically in the best condition to run.
Kaz Jones explains: “Using Photizo’s pre-programmed 31-second dose couldn’t be simpler. Each evidence-based dose promotes circulation to the muscles whilst reducing any inflammation. Photizo also helps to re-oxidise the key muscles groups prior to and after a race.”
Proud of her team, she enthuses: “I’m passionate about keeping my dogs fit, strong and healthy. We use Photizo as a preventative measure in addition to healing minor injuries that just happen to Huskies, even if they’re out playing in the garden.
“We’ll use Photizo regularly running into a race. We want to ensure they’re in tip-top condition to run. That way I’m happy we’re not putting them under any duress.
“I can notice a small imbalance in the movement with my naked eye. Each of our dogs has its own slight weakness. Bear, aged five, is one of Pete’s lead dogs in his six-dog team. He strained his shoulder after accidentally colliding with a bollard when he was younger. From time to time I’ll see a ‘flare’ up, almost before it’s happened. Using Photizo I’ll prevent it from worsening.
“Angel, one of our veterans now 11 years-old, has signs of arthritis in her front pasterns. Before we began using Photizo, Angel might wince slightly has we put her into her harness. But lately she has shown no signs of pain at all.
“I find that on some races where there are some fast downhill runs, they can bruise their front paw-pads, so I’ll pay attention to these. Photizo helps restore circulation to all the small joints in the paws and toes, easing any soreness and arthritis.
Pete and his six-dog sled at Aviemore
“Rogue, another of our veterans at 11 years-old is like Angel in that she still loves to run, and is showing no signs of slowing down. I’ll use Photizo on her front legs and up to her shoulders, an area she’s showing signs of slight arthritis.
“Post a race Photizo again comes into its own to soothe and restore the dogs’ tired muscles. It releases endorphins and has an analgesic effect encouraging the dogs to calm and settle after their exertion and adrenaline highs.
“Integrating Photizo with massage helps the cool down phase. It also builds a strong bond between us and the dogs. They trust that we’re helping them and they willingly accept the treatment.”
Kaz and Pete have also used Photizo to help with some emergency wounds incurred being out in the wilds at a Sled dog competition.
Rogue (aptly named) is known for getting up to mischief and if any of the team were unlucky enough to be bitten by a tick, it would be her! Kaz explains: “Rogue suffered a tick bite infection. I found a small hole on her front left leg, which had quickly developed an infection where she must have pulled the tick out herself. I used Photizo everyday over the whole wound area. I combined regular doses of Leucillin. It was amazing to see how quickly it healed. In only 10 days, the wound was barely visible.”
Invariably running at speed on rugged ground can cause accidental lacerations to the paws. During training at Sherwood Forest Rogue severely cut the back of her heel whilst running through deep leaves. Again deploying Photizo everyday and spraying with Leucillin across the wound, there was no infection and she was back running again after only 12 days.
Vet Surgeon, Berol Goede helped develop the veterinary market in South Africa with cases studies on small animals, horses and wildlife (including cheetahs and a cockatoo).
She says: “In general veterinary work, the biggest use is bite wounds, chronic necrotic wounds and oozing abscesses. We use it to clean up septic wounds. Photizo Vetcare’s near infrared light has also been shown to increase immune system functioning. This means that a local treatment of a wound or muscular injury has a general immune enhancing effect helping to prevent any infections. In addition, Photizo Vetcare stimulates fibroblast and collagen formation needed for wound closure, strong muscles and bone formation.”
“Rogue suffered a tick bite infection. I found a small hole on her front left leg, which had quickly developed an infection where she must have pulled the tick out herself. I used Photizo everyday over the whole wound area. I combined regular doses of Leucillin. It was amazing to see how quickly it healed. In only 10 days, the wound was barely visible.”
Photizo Vetcare creates biological effects at a cellular level to stimulate the production of ATP, the cellular energy that is needed for healing and cellular regeneration. It also increases the blood supply to the wound, muscles and joints, reducing swelling and inflammation.
Helping with pain relief via the stimulation of endorphin and serotonin secretion, the combination of light treatment with Photizo Vetcare increases the blood and lymph diameter, thereby increasing the removal of debris whilst promoting the inflow of oxygen and nutrients, helping cells to function at optimum levels.
What’s so great for Kaz and Pete is Photizo’s pocket size, ideal to take on rallies with them. Easily rechargeable, Photizo is convenient to take anywhere. It is so simple to use and unlike a laser light that can pose a risk to the eyes and cumbersome eye wear is recommended. With Photizo LED light sources, there’s no risk, making its application much simpler and safer.
Ruth Milner, Managing Director of Danetre Health Products, adds: “Photizo is the result of years of research. It uniquely combines the latest advances in LED technology to offer a modern Phototherapy device, which is safe and simple for anyone to use. This is one of the reasons Photizo is rapidly becoming a popular proactive and reactive therapy tool for any owner or competitor in the world of animal sports, especially when the health and recovery of the musculoskeletal system in their performance animal is paramount.”
As Team Coldfeet prepare to end the 2017 season on another high, Photizo Vetcare will be at hand to keep the team in peak performance and in pole position into 2018 and beyond.
