Hydrotherapy
hydrotherapy

HYDROTHERAPY FOR PETS

What is Hydrotherapy for Pets?

At Modern Vet we offer hydrotherapy for your pet through using an underwater treadmill. The underwater treadmill consists of a treadmill enclosed in a tank, which gradually fills with water to a suitable height for your pet. The underwater treadmill allows your pet to exercise while taking advantage of the therapeutic and buoyant effects of the water.

Why is the underwater treadmill beneficial?

The underwater treadmill works in several ways, taking advantage of several properties of water.

Buoyancy enables those pets who may be weak or unable to weight-bear due to pain, to exercise in a supported environment. In the underwater treadmill, weight-bearing can be reduced by as much as 80%; a huge benefit if weight-bearing is painful.

Warm water relieves pain, inflammation & improves joint range of movement. 

Water resistance helps tone muscles and increases strength. By carefully selecting an appropriate water level, the physiotherapist can target which muscles are most affected by the water’s resistance. Also, working against this resistance can significantly improve cardiovascular fitness; great for sporting or working dogs that need to improve their fitness.

Water also provides sensory input that’s particularly useful for rehabilitating dogs with spinal conditions providing sensory feedback from damaged nerves.  The moving Treadmill belt also helps with limb movement/paw placement and re-education of gait.

So which is better, swimming or using the underwater treadmill?

When is it more appropriate to choose the underwater treadmill instead of swimming? Swimming is just as good as walking in water right? This is actually not the case. Although both activities involve the use of water, they differ in how they benefit our patients and the type of patients they treat more effectively. The benefits of using the underwatertreadmill are:

  • The physiotherapist is able to control many factors including the depth of the water, the speed and incline of the treadmill, and even which legs your pet uses when exercising. This means the treatment they receive can be tailored to target specific areas.
  • Exercising on the underwater treadmill encourages a normal gait pattern, which is often the aim if your pet has been limping or not weight-bearing due to injury, disease or surgery.
  • Helps to assist in extending the limb or joint in comparison to swimming, which assists with flexing the joint.
  • The underwater treadmill can also make hydrotherapy accessible for those pets who are fearful of water; as they walk into a dry tank and the water fills gently from the bottom, most patients tolerate this exceptionally well as their feet are always firmly on a solid surface!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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When you come for each session, our physiotherapist will first assess your pet and check over their general condition. They will be fitted with a suitable harness and leash and a tailored exercise plan will be made for your pet.

The initial session will be 45 minutes, and will include a full physical examination, ensuring your pet is a suitable candidate for the underwater treadmill. During the first session your pet will be slowly introduced to the treadmill, ensuring they are comfortable getting in and out of the machine and slowly adding in water.

Each session after that will be dependent on a number of factors, such as their age, condition, fitness and general health. Initially they may do short bursts of exercises with many breaks in between, and as they improve this timing is gradually increased.

The underwater treadmill is very different to swimming, as your pets feet will always be the ground. The water in the treadmill fills gradually so your pet doesn’t have to step into the water and we can start with having the water at a lower level if needed.

We advise to bring along towels or a drying coat for your pet  (we have many here too if you forget) and tasty treats or a toy to motivate your pet. Do not feed your pet 2 hours before the session and try to let them go to the toilet just before coming in.

dog and cat
THE ONLY MULTI-SPECIALTY
24 HOUR HOSPITAL
IN THE UAE!
dog and cat
THE ONLY MULTI-
SPECIALTY 24 HOUR
HOSPITAL IN THE UAE!

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