What is Hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy is a means by which dogs can swim in a safe, controlled environment as an alternative to weight bearing exercise.

Swimming in a heated pool for a personally tailored length of time can be beneficial to any breed of dog for a number of reasons:

Medical –

Hydrotherapy can help manage:

  • Arthritis
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia
  • Orthopaedic conditions
  • Muscle, ligament and soft tissue injury recovery

Hydrotherapy helps the above by increasing circulation to all areas of the body; it helps improve muscle tone and strength; it helps increase the range of motion of the animals limbs to aid recovery. The warm water and the pressure of the water can also be a natural anti-inflammatory for your pet where they suffer from swollen joints.

Stamina –

Manage obesity as part of a weight loss programme

  • Builds up muscle and joint strength
  • Cardiovascular fitness (heart and lungs)
  • Pre-op training aids and speeds up post-op recovery
  • Provides a form of non-weight bearing exercise to help your dog if it is on cage rest or if they are not able to be exercised outside for any reason.

Mental –

  • Swimming is fun!
  • Eases any psychological fear of water
  • Hydrotherapy can reduce tissue swelling and pain resulting in less chance of character changes in the animal
  • The exercise provided releases endorphins meaning your dog will be happy after a good swimming session

Most dogs show signs of improved muscle tone and strength after 5/6 sessions and most post op cases tend to need a minimum of 10 sessions. Every dog is different and we reassess at each session and decide the best way to progress with their treatment.

We are a member of the Canine Hydrotherapy Association

http://www.canine-hydrotherapy.org/