Aquatic therapy is now a very important part of rehabilitations for many pets.
Originally used in racehorses, it was discovered that they recovered more quickly if they swam as part of their rehabilitation. Following this, underwater treadmills were designed first for horses and then humans and now pets, where it has become a very valuable tool in rehabilitation.
Hydrotherapy has been proven to be effective-the buoyancy of the water decreases the forces on the joints to reduce weight bearing on joints and surgical repairs, as well as providing resistance as the animal moves to improve conditioning.
Even after one session on the underwater treadmill, increased weight bearing on land can be observed and most patients are more likely to use an affected limb when using the underwater treadmill.
Benefits include:
Improved recovery time post surgery
Improved range of motion
Muscle strengthening
Weight loss
Conditioning
Endurance
Improved Cardiovascular Fitness
Our treadmill water is also warmed to assist in pain reduction, increasing blood flow and circulation and increase the elasticity of the soft tissues.
The height of the water and the speed can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of animals and their specific needs.
Hydrotherapy is usually enjoyable to most dogs.
Hydrotherapy can be used to treat many conditions, including: Post op recovery (cruciate surgeries, patella surgeries, fracture repair), neurologic conditions,
tendon/ligament injuries, overweight/arthritic and senior dogs, hip dysplasia, spondylosis. Even dogs that don’t have a specific condition can benefit from the increased level of fitness provided by aquatic therapy.
