Hydrotherapy in Dogs

The goal of hydrotherapy in dogs is to improve strength, coordination and mobility, to decrease pain, and to improve the overall quality of life.

CONDITIONS THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM REHABILITATION AND THE UNDERWATER TREADMILL INCLUDE:

MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS

• Cruciate Injury
• Patellar Luxation
• Hip Dysplasia
• Total Hip Replacement
• Arthritis/Degenerative Conditions
• Muscle Strains & Ligament Sprains
• Corrective Orthopedic Surgery
• Soft Tissue Injury
• Orthopedic Issues (before or after surgery)
• Painful Joints from Osteoarthritis or at higher risk of joint disease

It can also assist in certain neurological and balance problems as well.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT:

The main goal of obesity and/or weight management is to provide a safe means of exercise in addition to the current nutritional and medical care the patient is already receiving. The primary means of exercise is hydrotherapy so the dog can exercise without the added joint stress secondary to obesity. The program will be monitored for the dog's tolerance.

Key Uses:

Obesity, thyroid problems, weight management and regular exercise to increase metabolic rate. For extreme cases or those under a veterinarian's medical management for obesity, a veterinarian referral and combined approach (including progress reports) may be necessary.

ANIMAL REHABILITATION:

Rehabilitation is a universally accepted standard of care in human medicine. Recently the benefits of rehabilitation have been recognized in veterinary medicine. This therapy is now available to aid in recovery of these conditions in animals. Animal rehabilitation aims to restore normal movement, muscle mass and function, reduce pain, swelling and inflammation.

REHABILITATION PLANS:

During the first visit, a veterinarian will assess your pet. Factors that will be accessed include age/temperament, type of injury, time since injury, pre-existing conditions, lifestyle/occupation of pet and recovery goals. A plan is then formed and work begins on your pet. Once approved by the owner, therapy begins over several weeks. We re-assess after the first few visits by measuring muscle mass and dexterity and will provide updated information to the pet owner.

UNDER WATER TREADMILL:

Our state-of-the-art Hudson Treadmill/AquaPaws SS revolutionizes rehabilitation and fitness. This aids in recovery from a variety of ailments including: post-surgical strengthening and gait re-education, strengthening of muscles and joints in arthritic patients, neurological balance issues, weight loss, and orthopedic issues. Conditioning Underwater Treadmill Therapy has been proven to achieve great results in paretic and paralyzed dogs following spinal injury or surgery as well as those with other neurological conditions. By using the treadmill to retain standing and walking, many pets with spinal injuries will walk on the treadmill with minimal to no assistance. This will help build confidence before they are able to walk independently.

The AquaPaws SS underwater treadmill system is designed to improve the lives of canines and small animals by offering low-impact, high resistance aquatic therapy or workouts for rehabilitation from injury, optimal training and conditioning, and weight loss. AquaPaws SS provides the natural properties of water (buoyancy, resistance, and hydrostatic pressure) for a rigorous cardiovascular workout with reduced impact and stress on joints.

BUOYANCY:

The upward thrust of water takes the pressure off of sore painful joints affected by arthritis or healing from a fracture.

PRESSURE:

The hydrostatic pressure of the water helps support balance and weak limbs so that a dog can move without falling.

TEMPERATURE:

Hydrotherapy water is usually between 80-85°F, so it often feels pleasantly warm. Some of the benefits of this are the relief of muscle spasms, decreased pain, improved circulation (which in turn promotes healing), and general relaxation of the patient.

FLEXIBILITY:

As you may have noticed, another interesting aspect of hydrotherapy for dogs is how easy it is to tweak the factors above. For example, the therapist can adjust the water's depth and the treadmill's speed or add more resistance by creating turbulence through pressure jets. It is, therefore, easy to increase or decrease weight support, the structure and difficulty of the session.

HEALTH & SAFETY:

To ensure high standards of hygiene, our water management system filters, heats, and sanitizes the water through a circulation pump with a specially designed in-line electric heater. A high-rate filtration system cleans water before a low dose of bromine is added. The system is inspected each month by a qualified/certified water treatment facility to ensure safety standards are continually met.