The Hydrotherapy Pool

Aquatic exercise programmes have been well documented to have benefits in human patient. The support provided by the water allows impact exercise, whilst reducing the likelihood of injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments. Hydrotherapy involves the use of therapeutic exercise in warm water - a combination of warmth and hydrostatic pressure reduces pain and swelling, promotes muscle relaxation and improves circulation and healing. Hydrotherapy may thus be used as an aid to rehabilitation of musculoskeletal function, allowing muscle strengthening and progression to land based exercise.

For dogs using the pool after injury or surgery for rehabilitation, we have a hoist with sling which can safely and gently lift the dog into the pool.

This enables the therapy nurse to securely support the patient whilst exercising and assessing limb locomotion.

• Adjustable strength water jets are available to give a variety of currents for the strengthening swimmer to work against.
   
• Buoyancy aids are available for all sizes of dogs. These are used to aid the weaker swimmers before they can exercise unaided.
   
• A submerged ramp is permanently positioned in the pool to allow for frequent rest stops, and for dogs to support themselves in the water.
   
• Hydrotherapy nurses are available to assist during extensive physiotherapy sessions.
   
• Fun swims are supervised by veterinary nurses to ensure safety at all times.
   
• Dogs are encouraged to swim for toys, or the owners can walk around the pool so the dog can follow.
   
• The water jets are also used in these swims to give the healthy dog a thorough cardio-vascular work out.
   
• To dry the dog after a swim, an air dryer is available. Along with the dog’s own towel, all dogs leave reasonably dry to allow for travel in all weathers.
  
  

The pool - new assistant, new equipment and refurbishment!

The hydrotherapy pool has proven to be very popular and successful with rehabilitation cases and for fun/fitness ones too. The popularity of the pool increased so much that we extended our opening hours into late evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and later opening on Saturdays. With these extra hours, we needed an extra pair of hands, so Bev Beacham joined as our new canine hydrotherapy assistant, in 2006 who is extensively experienced in dogs.

After 3 and a half years of operation, the Directors decided it was time for a revamp of the hydrotherapy facilities at the Leamingtons Spa surgery. The pool room itself has been stripped bare and the layout will be rearranged in response to client suggestion and Alison Coxon's experiences during her sessions. Access to the pool has been improved with a reduced number of steps leading to the pool itself. Better drainage and floor covering has been installed, aswell as a shower that is used to rinse the dogs after their swims. The dog drying area has been enlarged and moved to be adjacent to the pool to reduce the spread of water.

The new equipment we have now is a water walker treadmill. This is especially useful for the following: cruciate disease/injury (pre and post surgery), Hip Dysplasia (pre and post surgery), fracture repairs, arthritis, weight loss, for fitness and nervous and very large dogs that may be difficult to introduce to the pool. Dog's gain access to the treadmill by the use of a ramp and once in, the treadmill gradually fills up with warm water (27-32°c) to the desired height.

By initially having the water levels high the dog's weight bearing is reduced by up to 40% enabling walking exercise but reducing concussive stress to the joints. As the dog improves, the water level can be reduced so the dog takes more weight back on to the affected limb. The treadmill can be set to a speed from as little as 0.5 mph up to 8 mph, it will be set at the speed that your dog finds most comfortable.

	The Rainsbrook Hydrotherapy Pool Brochure
	How to Find Us - Download Map in .PDF format

< Back

Copyright © 2005-2006 Rainsbrook Veterinary Group Ltd.