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Hydrotherapy for DogsHydrotherapy for dogs or Canine Hydrotherapy is a relatively new canine therapy, restricted until quite recently to performance horses and racing greyhounds. Who would have thought we would be having dog swimming pools? What is Canine Hydrotherapy?Canine Hydrotherapy is one of the best forms of exercise you can use to help your dog regain or retain fitness. It takes place in warm water which offers a weightless environment thus avoiding the stresses of running on hard ground.
What are the benefits of Hydrotherapy for dogs?The warm water in the dog swimming pool eases a dog's aches and pains and helps to increase mobility in stiff and painful joints.
The swimming also helps to facilitate the release of endorphins into the bloodstream, resulting in the "feel-good" factor that can help dogs suffering discomfort or reduced mobility.
Regular hydrotherapy sessions will also lead to increased cardio-vascular performance which will help agility, show and field trials competitors. What specific conditions can Hydrotherapy for dogs help with?
Hydrotherapy can also help if . . .
What breeds can benefit from Hydrotherapy?All breeds can benefit from hydrotherapy and buoyancy aids can be used for those dogs who may need extra support in the dog swimming pool.A Dog Hydrotherapy SessionI had the pleasure of observing a dog hydrotherapy session and taking some pictures.Brockie, the black lab below, comes for a weekly session to help him regain full use of his back legs after a traffic accident. Just after the incident he was coming for three hydrotherapy sessions a week, then two and now one. He is a nine year old black Labrador and really seemed to love his time in the dog swimming pool. 
The session started off with Brockie getting togged up in his Ruffwear K9 Float Coat. 
He also wore a piece of material around his ears to keep the water out. Sue used a tubular piece of material for this purpose, usually worn by cyclists as a headband or scarf - it definitely did the job! 
Brockie walked up the gently sloping ramp and round into the pool - no coaxing was needed - straight in to swim after his favourite ‘squeaky pig’! The therapist encouraged him to swim in different directions helping him to build up muscle strength on both sides of his body. The canine therapist was very encouraging and gentle with him using dog toys to keep him on the move as well as small cubes of cheese which his owner Penny administered during his rest periods. When Brockie was warmed up, the swim jets were turned on creating a water current and enabling a stronger workout. This was used for a short time and then normal conditions resumed. Brockie was in the water for about 25 minutes. At the end Brockie was showered and dried off. Owners are encouraged to bring a coat or towel for the dog to use at the end so that the muscles are kept warm. Thank you to Brockie's owner, for letting me observe this canine hydrotherapy session. Brockie was using the Ruffwear K9 Float Coat.
Finally, visit this site to see a young dog benefitting from hydrotherapy.
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