Hydrotherapy involves either a pool or underwater treadmill, to treat acute and chronic injury or for recreational use for exercise and fitness. The use of hydrotherapy is to encourage the dog’s limbs to move correctly in the water while undergoing safe and comfortable exercise. Hydrotherapy utilises the natural properties of sanitised, warm water including buoyancy to support the body and reduce the dog’s weightbearing, increased resistance to help build muscle and increase ROM, hydrostatic pressure to increase circulation and help improve posture, and warmth to reduce muscle spasm and tension.
Why our pool?
Here at Lifeworks by Rio we have the benefit of a highly superior pool, with state of the art water treatment. Not only is our water filtered up to 80% more efficiently than any other canine pool we know of, it is also maintained at very low chlorine levels. This is great news for your pet, who can enjoy a safe, almost chlorine-free swim, helping with skin, coat & breathing. Our pool is regularly and rigorously tested by our in-house team of qualified service engineers, along with micr- bacterial checks by an approved UKAS lab. In addition to our pool, we have showering facilities to ensure your dog goes home smelling lovely.
How does it benefit my dog?
The effect of hydrotherapy varies with the intended use of hydrotherapy, whether it is being used for rehabilitation, fitness, or weight loss, for instance. However, the most common intended clinical effects include:
- Pain relief
- Building muscle mass
- Relieving muscle tension
- Improving range of motion (ROM) and felixibility
- Improving proprioception (your animal’s awareness of its body in space)
- Improving cardiovascular stamina and fitness
- Increased recovery speed
Initial Hydrotherapy session – An initial hydrotherapy session would take approximately 45 minutes, as we will familiarise your dog with our hydrotherapy room and equipment. Having received any information from your vet, we can assess your dog and adapt our sessions to their individual needs. During the assessment, our hydrotherapist will watch your dog move and discuss the necessary outcomes from your hydrotherapy sessions.
Recreational Hydrotherapy sessions – recreational hydrotherapy sessions still require a veterinary referral, but these sessions are for fit and healthy dogs. Our recreational sessions include:
- Puppy swim session – perfect to exercise your excitable pup without the risk of injuring their joints
- Fun swim – this swim is designed for the water babies! These sessions are for the dogs who just adore water and they can enjoy a fun swim somewhere safe.
- Weight loss swim session – The perfect session for dogs who are carrying a little bit too much weight and you need some help to shed their extra pounds.
- Confidence swim session – these swim sessions help acclimatise any dogs who are nervous of water. We can teach them in a safe and calm environment that the water is not scary and they can have some fun!
- Fitness swim session – We also do fitness swims to help increase muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness for working and competition dogs. Our pool also has specialised jets to increase the water resistance for dogs who need an extra challenge!
Rehabilitation Hydrotherapy session – We can also do rehabilitation sessions, alongside physiotherapy for certain cases, to help your dog recover faster from injury. We can help treat a wide range of conditions, including:
- Arthritis
- Cruciate disease
- Hip or elbow dysplasia
- Paralysis
- Before and after surgery
- Recovery from soft or hard tissue injuries