What is Canine Hydrotherapy? 

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

~        Stamina

·         Manages 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

~        Mental

·         Swimming is fun!

·         Swimming dogs are happy dogs

·         Eases any psychological fear of water

·         Hydrotherapy can reduce tissue swelling and pain resulting in less chance of character changes in the animal

What to expect from a ‘Dip Your Paws’ session

The needs of all our dogs are different.  They are as individual as you are, so they are evaluated on an individual basis, in conjunction with your vet’s referral form.  This approach provides the basis for a fitness or recovery programme tailored exactly to meet the needs of your pet.

On arrival

You and your pet are welcomed by a member of our trained staff.  The animal is given a warm shower before being fitted with a buoyancy aid or harness.

Into the pool

Access to our large (4m x 2m x 1.2m), clean, heated pool is normally via an easy to negotiate ramp.  Most dogs take to the entry ramps quickly, some need a little gentle encouragement.  Should the ramp not be practicable, we have a safe, quiet electronic hoist which lowers the dog slowly and calmly into the pool.

The swim

Times vary depending on the age, fitness and needs of the dog.  Initial swims are short to get them used to this new form of exercise but we aim to increase each session’s actual swimming time to a maximum of 25 minutes.

We use chlorine in our pool as this is the most effective but gentle chemical for eradicating contaminants.  Our water quality is always of the highest standards recommended by the Canine Hydrotherapy Association and we have never experienced any problems with skin, eyes or tummy upsets.

Post swim

After the swim your dog receives another warm shower, some limb stretches and a massage.  If your dog is comfortable with hair dryer noises we have a blaster (which most dogs enjoy) to remove the water from your dog’s coat before going home.  To safeguard against any further arthritic damage, it is important to ensure your dog is kept warm until their coat is thoroughly dry.  Some of our customers find that water absorbing coats are very useful for the journey home, especially in the winter months.

Keeping records

Careful records will be maintained including responses to treatment models and outcome assessments.  This will help us to track your pet’s progress across time.

Hopefully your dog will leave us with a waggy tail and be keen to come back soon!