Small Animal Referral Hospital Hydrotherapy

o Your dog’s collar/harness and lead. Please ensue they are on lead when entering the building
o Any mobility aids e.g. hind leg harness
o Towels/ blankets from home
o Your pet’s favorite treats - no wet food or fresh meat treats please
o A coat or drying robe for your dog to keep their muscles/joints warm after treatment

• Make sure your dog is clean and mud free
• Arrive 10-15 minutes early for your first appointment
• You can come straight to the rehab building if you know where it is or check in at main reception
• Allow your dog a short walk to encourage them to toilet, there are plenty of grassy areas at Langford Vets 

• Keep your dog calm and warm in the car on the way home as this will prolong the effects of hydrotherapy by maintaining warmth in joints and muscles .
• Let your dog rest for a few hours post treatment but get them up for a little potter each hour to prevent stiffness and to remove/replace any damp bedding.
• Your dog may be tired for the rest of the day or for some of the following day. This is expected but please contact us if you think your dog is painful or they’re tired for a more than 24 hours

We understand when meeting us for the first time and introducing your pet to the process of hydrotherapy can feel a little daunting, so please read below on how the sessions are normally planned out. The team are trained in providing your beloved pet the best possible experience when visiting us, and will monitor their feedback signals and use clinic enrichment techniques to help them feel settled and relaxed.

• On each session we will start by asking you a few questions . this is so we can gain valuable feedback on how they have been managing at home, any concerns you may have or any positive changes that have been made. This ensures we are tailoring each treatment session to meet the needs of the individual patient. Please note if you do have any concerns, bringing a video of your pet walking slowly, on lead can be useful for the therapist to review at their appointments so please bear this in mind.
• We tend to weigh patients at each session and monitor their weight throughout their treatment. This is part of a health care assessment among others that we will use to monitor the individuals heath needs and conditions.
• Following this they will be fitted with and appropriate therapy aid and their own items will be removed. They will then be showered to remove any outdoor pollutants and provide some heat therapy before entering the underwater treadmill to warm their joints and muscles before exercise.
• On the first session of hydrotherapy this is more about gently acclimating the patient to the process of hydrotherapy. We will regularly assess each individual patient for coping signals to see how well they are managing, and use clinical enrichment activities to calm any anxiety. We will continue this on following sessions but we are likely to progress more quickly as they become more acclimatise.
• As part of this process the patient will then be lead into the underwater treadmill and walked through and out the other end to assess how they feel about walking into a confined space. This process may be completed a few times dependent on each case and assess how well they are coping. Once showing signs of being more comfortable the doors we then be closed.
• At this point we will encourage the dog to move around and explore the underwater treadmill and the therapist will utilise further clinical enrichment techniques to help them settle. Water will be introduced gradually and again we will encourage movement within the treadmill. Once we know your dog is coping well enough, we will then introduce movement of the belt and tailor the treatment session to the patient. Please note this process can take just one session or several dependent on the individuals needs and coping ability.
• Following exercise in the underwater treadmill, the patient will then be showered again to remove any chemicals from the sanitised water. we will towel dry your dog, and after care advice will be provided.

You will need to check your policy, as each one is different. Sometimes hydrotherapy will be mentioned under ‘complementary’ or ‘additional’ therapies.

Yes, please give you pet their medication as normal.

Appointments are up to 45 minutes long, please arrive 5 minutes before your appointment to allow time to check into reception.