• Hydrotherapy is a recognised and important rehabilitation treatment for dogs and the occasional cat recovering from surgery or injury.

   

• It is also a safe and enjoyable form of exercise for healthy dogs.

   

• Swimming helps to exercise every muscle of the animal’s body helping them regain fitness without the risk of injury.

   

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Leisure And Fitness

• This is when we swim dogs as a form of exercise or simply for fun. These dogs are able bodied and can often free swim and play in the pool sometimes with floating toys to retrieve.

   

• The pool is heated (25-27˚C degrees), sanitized and has a ramp for easy access. Dogs can be swam with or without a buoyancy aid.

   

• The dogs will be dried thoroughly before they leave.

   

• We insist that your dog has a health check and referral from your veterinary surgeon prior to the first swim.

   

• Your dog will also be given a health check by our veterinary nurses prior to each swimming session thereafter.

   

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Rehabilitation And Therapy Swimming

• This is when we swim dogs as an aid to recovery from surgery or physical injury. This is more complex.

   

• We insist  on a written referral from a veterinary surgeon to confirm that the dog is fit to swim and that hydrotherapy is suitable for that dog.

   

• The hydrotherapy nurses and referring veterinary surgeon will create a hydrotherapy programme for the dog using different equipment and techniques.

   

• The facilities available to us are a sanitised, heated jet swimming pool (27-30˚C) with ramp access and overhead hoist, hot spa and water walker treadmill.

   

• The dogs will be given a health check prior to every swim. They will swim under strict supervision usually supported by the overhead hoist or wearing a buoyancy jacket.

   

• Each swim session may initially be short with rest times by the pool side in between.

   

•  As the dog’s fitness and ability improves, swim times will be increased.

   

• Some dogs may use the water walker treadmill. This is when the dogs walk on a treadmill at various speeds and in varying depths of water depending on their injury and fitness. By gradually adjusting the depth of water and speed  of the treadmill the dog’s fitness and muscle strength improves.

   

• The hot spa is a passive form of hydrotherapy and provides elderly and or arthritic dogs with improved mobility as well as easing muscular strains of injured dogs.

   

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