About Hydrotherapy Treatment
There are many known benefits of hydrotherapy and this depends greatly on how the treatment is carried out. For some animals simply floating or swimming gently in water can relieve pain and inflammation. For others a more vigorous exercise technique is used to increase the use of limbs, increase muscle mass and tone, and strengthen the support for joints. Water can als
o be used as a means of supporting dogs in a non weight bearing or partially weight bearing environment to allow movements that would not be possible on land, perhaps because of weakness or injury. Hydrotherapy can be used to treat a number of conditions such as:
• Hip Dysplasia
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Spondylosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteochondrosis (OCD)
• Neurological conditions e.g CDRM
• Spinal Cases
• Patella Luxation
• Cruciate Ligament Injury and Surgery
• Joint Replacement Surgery
• Femoral Head and Neck Excision
• Soft Tissue Injury
• Muscle Atrophy (wastage)
• Weight Loss
• Sport Conditioning For Canine Athletes
Hydrotherapy can be used pre (before) and post (after) surgery for many conditions:
• Pre-operative conditioning such as improving muscle tone and mass prior to surgery can be effective and safeguard against further damage to the area. For some dogs the building up of muscle before surgery can improve the dog’s recovery time.
• Post-operative rehabilitation by hydrotherapy can be indicated for a multitude of conditions. Examples include: cruciate surgery, hip replacement, knee surgery and fracture repair. If your dog could benefit from hydrotherapy treatment, either speak with your veterinary surgeon or contact Healing Waters. The health of your pet is of paramount importance at Healing Waters and therefore the strict enforcement of the following rules will be followed at all times:
• Veterinary referral is always required
• We allow ONE dog to swim per session
• Each dog is given a full heath check prior to their session
• Each dog is showered before the session, this is done to stimulate circulation for your pet and to maintain hygiene levels in the pool and treadmill.
• Each dog is showered and dried (either blow or towel dried) post session
• Each animal is provided with an individually tailored treatment program devised by our qualified Hydrotherapist and Veterinary Nurse.
