Animals can benefit from rehabilitation just as much as people can. Rehabilitation can be used for our pets after surgery, an injury or arthritis. There are many components and modalities used in rehabilitation, including hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy involves swimming and walking in the underwater treadmill. When taking your pet to start rehabilitation, make sure that the person who will be rehabbing your pet is certified in rehabilitation and is not just a “fitness center” started by animal lovers with minimal training, especially of your pet is recovering from an injury.
Some benefits of hydrotherapy are listed below.
Underwater treadmill/Swimming:
- Walking in an underwater treadmill improves joint range of motion in flexion
- Pain relief
- Muscular relaxation
- Improves muscle endurance
- Strength
- Improves gait pattern
- Athletes benefit from conditioning since walking n water is more difficult than walking on land. Improves cardiovascular health.
- Improves mental well being
Precautions or contraindications:
- Diarrhea
- Skin inflections or open wounds
- Cardiac or respiratory disease
- Incontinence
- Must not be left unattended
- Give breaks, especially of fatigue is noted
- Life jackets can be used to help pets that need extra assistance
- Certain surgeries or injuries need to be stable before hydrotherapy
These are just some of the many benefits of hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is only one component of rehabilitation and does not make a well rounded treatment when used alone. Your rehabilitation veterinarian can discuss what is most appropriate for your pet’s condition. 
