Hydrotherapy for dogs is a very useful tool in rehabilitation. However, it is important that you understand how hydrotherapy works, the benefits they offer, and how they can be used together to help your canine friend.
Hydrotherapy can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, including neurological, orthopaedic and soft tissue injuries. Due to the impact of the concussive force placed on the joints, walking and moving about on the ground can be difficult or painful for dogs undergoing rehabilitation. Hydrotherapy is water heated to a therapeutic temperature of around 30-32 degrees C. This allows for muscle building, strengthening and general comfort.
The underwater treadmill is also used for cats who can tolerate water. This is a great way to help feline friends who may have musculoskeletal injury or other conditions. It allows them to exercise in a non-weight bearing environment, increasing soft tissue flexibility, strength, and pain relief.
Canine hydrotherapy has many benefits:
Pain relief, swelling and stiffness reduction
Sensitivity increases
Reduces muscle spasms and tension
There is less concussion in the joints
Motion increases
Maintain and increase muscle strength
Cardiovascular fitness improves
Mobility improvements
Levels of endorphins released to improve mental wellbeing
Hydrotherapy for dogs can be made as effective and enjoyable as possible by water’s therapeutic properties. These properties allow the therapist and patient to tailor the session to their needs for maximum benefit.
These are the main water properties and their effects:
Buoyancy: Creates a weightless environment which relieves pressure on joints, and supports weak muscles
Hydrostatic pressure – This creates pressure against your body to reduce pain and swelling
Resistance – This is a great way to build muscle and increase your cardiovascular fitness
Temperature – Warm waters allow for an increase in the elasticity of tissues and circulation. This can contribute to pain relief and improve movement.
Hydrotherapy pool benefits
Underwater treadmills for dogs are a non-weight bearing exercise option for dogs. This allows your dog to move freely in a controlled and comfortable environment. There are no concussive forces that can cause injury to the limbs, unlike what happens with land-based exercise or in the underwater treadmill.
Hydrotherapy pools are extremely useful in orthopaedic conditions such as osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. The water’s buoyancy creates an environment where there is no weight and allows for the best function and strength to be restored. Hydrotherapy pools can be used to achieve full range of motion in a more comfortable and controlled environment than land-based exercise.
Hydrotherapy pools are often used in rehabilitation programs to increase and encourage active range motion. They provide a weightless environment to promote cardiovascular fitness, as well as allowing for easy movement.
The underwater treadmill has many benefits
The underwater treadmill is a more comfortable option than the hydrotherapy pool. It can be adjusted by the therapist to create a different environment. This rehabilitation tool is very effective due to the concussive forces generated by moving on the treadmill belt and the resistance of water. It is also more comfortable than land-based exercises because the water properties reduce the pressure on the joints.
The underwater treadmill allows for therapists to adjust the speed, duration,incline, and water level to target specific areas. This can be used in a rehabilitation program to increase muscle mass, improve gait reeducation, and enhance proprioception. This is used often in soft tissue injuries and neurological conditions. It can also be used post-surgery to encourage muscle building and gait rehabilitation.
The ways they can be used together
To target different areas of the rehabilitation plan, we often use the hydrotherapy pool and the underwater treadmill together. We find this multimodal approach to be especially beneficial.
