Australian Pet Organics has an extra special place in our founder Todd's heart. This is because APO started as a result of a very personal experience close to Todd's heart.
Todd's little British Bulldog Tank was always a very happy, healthy boy. He loved fetching balls in the park, chasing his sisters and doing zoomies around the loungeroom.
It wasn't until the start of the pandemic that Todd was working from home more often than not and began to realise that Tank was going weak in his back legs.
It started slowly, but progressed with exercise at the park and on Tank's regular walks. Subsequent vet visits and specialist appointments found that Tank was born with Spina Bifida. This was a huge shock to Todd but not uncommon for the breed or for many other breeds.

Spina Bifida is a congenital defect of the spinal cord in dogs. In a healthy dog the vertebrae of the spinal column encase and protect the spinal cord. In Spina Bifida cases, a deformity in utero occurs that prevents the vertebrae from completely closing, leaving a gap and exposing the spinal cord. This deformity is more commonly seen in the lower back, down near your dog’s tail, but it can occur anywhere along the spine (https://dundies.com.au).

Unfortunately the veterinarians made it quite clear that this condition is quite common in dogs with short tails, as the tail is an extension of the spine - in turn when the tail is shorter sometimes this can affect the length and straightness of the spine.
As a result some breeds which have these issues include French Bulldogs, Pugs, British Bulldogs etc

Treatment Options

In Tank's case he was given only one option due to the severity of his issue - that was surgery to correct the gap he had in his spine.
Surgery in Tank's case was very risky. It would require surgery on the spine, to align his spine again as well as any nerve endings, very carefully around the spinal cord.

Surgeons stated that this could be very risky at Tank's age (as 7 is considered senior for a Bulldog) and gave no guarantee that the damage wouldn't be made worse or whether it would fully remedy Tank's issues.

This left Todd feeling devastated and at a loss for what to do for his best buddy.

Organic Supplementation

Todd himself has struggled with bulging disc issues in his neck for years.
This got him thinking - would some of the organic supplements that he has been taking help Tank in a similar way?

He began researching the benefits of natural and organic supplements and started trialing them on Tank with immediate success. Things like rosehip powder, green lipped mussels, collagen, organic bone broth and turmeric were added as daily supplements to Tank's meals. After a couple of weeks miraculously he was back to running and chasing his baby sister Scout around the house – like he always had.

After realising that the human grade natural and organic products did not exist in the pet market Todd sought out specialist advice from Vet Nutritionists and Conservation scientists to develop specific supplements tailored to the needs of all doggo buddies.

What's good for us is good for them!

As a result APO was born. Todd wanted to be absolutely sure the treats and supplements he was making were delivering the best possible goodness and results. That's why every ingredient we use has been pre-tested on humans (Todd included) to make sure that they worked, were safe, healthy and only sourced from top quality organic farms. 

Now we’re all in peak physical condition — and so are our best buddies.

Fast forward 3 years and Tank is thriving, he still has Spina Bifida but vets and specialists have been able to confirm that he is no longer in pain or experiencing inflammation as he was before. It's like he is a new dog with a new lease on life, unheard of for a dog with his condition at the ripe old age of 10.
They have since recommended against surgery on his spine as a result of his progress.

Tank's family of furry siblings has now grown to include Lola, Scout and Pearl. All of who are now benefitting from the wholesome goodness of human grade Certified Organic supplements and treats, all thanks to Tank.