Hydrotherapy

It is recommended that owners bring their dog’s own towel and shampoo however The Small Animal Clinic do have both available to use if needed. A drying coat is always a good idea to take your dog home in to ensure they are kept warm (weather depending).

Owners are welcome to be present to watch from outside the pool and encourage their dog at all times during the session. Unfortunately, due to insurance and health and safety, we are unable to allow guardians in the pool at any time.

We allow up to an hour for the initial session to ensure we have plenty of time to calmly and slowly introduce the new environment to your dog. Your dog will never be left alone and always be provided with a buoyancy aid on their first session.

Many companies will cover the costs of hydrotherapy for your dog’s rehabilitation, so please check with your insurance provider in advance. We will of course happily complete any documents required in order to assist in your claim, however we are unable to provide hydrotherapy treatments without payment, and therefore any claims will have to be paid direct to yourself from your insurance company.

Simply put, no!

Swimming in cold temperatures will reduce blood circulation and may lead to further stiffening of muscles and cramping. There is an undercurrent in open lakes which will make it harder for your dog to swim in and can potentially cause problems, further to this, water-borne diseases and pollution could also cause various illnesses.

Our pool is heated to 28°C to ensure blood circulation is assisted and our water is tested three times a day the day to ensure it is safe for your dog.

Hydrotherapists are trained specialists and get in the water with your pet to ensure there are no abnormal movements when swimming.

Our hydrotherapist is trained to ensure your dog is kept safe within the water and is trained in first aid should any incidents happen. Our clinic is also situated within walking distance of ‘Wood Farm’ veterinary surgery for extra peace of mind.

Short walks for toileting are encouraged, however we recommend you replace your dog’s walk with a swim on the day they visit. This is to ensure your dog does not overexert themselves and further allows the hydrotherapist to undertake an accurate evaluation of the dog without them being tired.

We also request feedback prior to your dog’s next session, on how they were following the swim, this information assists in guiding the hydrotherapist on whether to increase or decrease swim times. It is therefore more accurate if the only exercise they have undertaken is the swim.

This is really dependent on your dog’s specific needs and reasons for hydrotherapy. The frequency of the swims can be discussed with your hydrotherapist on the initial session.

Please do not feed your dog anything for three hours prior to their session. This helps to prevent sickness and gastric dilation volvulus (bloat).

Yes, we take health and safety very seriously and as such, add sanitiser to our pool to ensure it destroys any potentially dangerous bacteria and viruses. To make sure chemicals are kept at a safe level, our pool is tested three times per day.

Following the session, your dog will be showered and shampooed to remove any traces of chemicals from their coat.

The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and Exemptions order 2015, states an animal must not undergo any kind of therapy, without prior veterinary consent. The Small Animal Clinic abides by this legislation, meaning that we will never undertake a hydrotherapy session without first receiving veterinary consent, this includes for fun swims. It further ensures the hydrotherapist has all the medical information required to make decisions on the type of treatment and specific techniques required for your dog.