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Hydrotherapy
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Hydrotherapy is the therapeutic use of warm water (28*-30*C).
Hydrotherapy is one of the oldest treatments known to
man. Water is used for its buoyancy, for its hydrostatic
pressure, because of its cohesion and turbulence and
for its thermal effect. All of this can lead to improved
strength of musculoskeletal tissues, improved endurance,
improved range of motion of joints, improved cardio-vascular
/ cardio-respiratory endurance and a sense of well-being.
There are various forms of hydrotherapy (natural bodies
of water, swimming pool, spa and underwater treadmill).
We only use the underwater treadmill, as we believe
this piece of equipment is the most useful and versatile
for most conditions, we can target specific joints and
joint movement, it allows weight shifting and partial
weight bearing and the benefits are well documented.
We have separate washing and drying facilities for your
convenience. You may wash and dry your dog yourself,
but we can assist you if you so wish at any time. You
can bring your own shampoo if your dog is on a special
skin treatment regime, otherwise we will use a standard
hypo-allergenic shampoo.
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Before your dog can undergo a session in the treadmill,
you MUST have veterinary permission to do so. This is
because there are various indications
and contra-indications for the use of hydrotherapy.
We also advise that your dog is seen by our in-house
veterinary physiotherapist for an assessment. This is
to assess the condition or injury to your dog and to
establish the best hydrotherapy treatment plan for your
dog. See physiotherapy.
You can download a veterinary
consent form from this website to print out and
give to your vet. When you arrive for your hydrotherapy
session, our hydrotherapist will ask you to read and
sign an owner
consent form as well, to make sure you fully understand
the risks and conditions of use. When you have made
an appointment for a hydrotherapy session, you will
be sent a client letter, which outlines
our rules and regulations.
Hydrotherapy is often covered by pet insurance.
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