Hydrotherapy

Introducing our state of the pet and canine hydrotherapy suite with Sarah Williams qualified veterinary nurse and qualified hydrotherapist

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pet Hydrotherapy
pet Hydrotherapy equipment

Hydrotherapy could help your pet or dog

Hydrotherapy can help your pet or dog in their later years or with recovery. Please contact us for more information.

About Pet and Canine Hydrotherapy

The brand new pet and canine hydrotherapy suite which has recently been installed at Abbey Vets Dodworth Road practice involves the use of water to relieve discomfort and promote physical well-being.

A treadmill inside a tank of warm water is used to aid the rehabilitation of weak muscles and painful joints.

The dog's joints can be unloaded using the waters buoyancy properties which allows for an increased range of motion in stiff and painful joints.

The water levels in the treadmill can be easily adjusted as can the active and rest periods to help with optimum recovery to the patient and aid the earlier return to normal function. It also enables good visualisation of the patients movement so they can assess the patients improvement easily. Veterinary nurse and hydrotherapist,

Sarah Williams said: “The benefits of pet and canine hydrotherapy include decreased pain perception, relaxation of muscle tension and spasm, and reduction in swelling." 

“In the short term we see easier movement due to the non-weight bearing during exercise, which means there is less concussive forces through the joints.”

What are the benefits to my pet?

Although the treadmill is mostly suited to dogs, pet hydrotherapy can be used in a variety of species, including horses, rabbits and cats.

Abbey Vets recommends hydrotherapy for longer term benefits including:

  • Increase in joint range motion
  • Increase in muscle strength
  • Increase in muscle patterning and recruitment of muscles which will enable normal movement
  • Prevention of secondary complications
  • Improved cardiovascular fitness
  • Decrease in pain and inflammation
  • Earlier return to normal function
  • Reduction in frustration in dogs that are on reduced exercise
  • Slows progression of degenerative disease
  • Improves quality of life