What Is Dog Hydrotherapy? A Plain English Guide

Hydrotherapy is one of those words that has drifted. Used properly it means clinical treatment in water, delivered by a qualified professional against a specific problem. Used loosely it means any dog, in any water, anywhere. The difference matters, because one of those needs a vet and the other needs a towel.

The proper definition

Canine hydrotherapy is a form of physical rehabilitation. A qualified canine hydrotherapist works with a dog in warm water, usually after a veterinary referral, to treat or manage a diagnosed condition. The water does two useful things at once: it supports the dog's weight so the joints are not loaded, and it provides resistance so muscle still has to work.

What a clinical session actually involves

• An initial assessment, including the dog's history and what the vet has said
• A treatment plan with a target, not just a booking
• Measured sessions, usually on an underwater treadmill so depth and speed can be controlled
• Notes kept between sessions, and progress reported back to the vet
• A course of sessions rather than a single visit

Who it is for

Dogs recovering from orthopaedic surgery, dogs managing arthritis, hip or elbow dysplasia, some neurological conditions, and dogs who need to lose weight but cannot yet exercise normally without hurting.

What it is not

It is not a swim. A healthy dog splashing about in a pool is having a lovely time and getting real exercise, but nobody is treating anything, and calling it hydrotherapy does not make it so. Plenty of businesses blur this line because hydrotherapy is the term people search. It is worth knowing which one you are buying.

How to know which you need

If a vet has diagnosed something, you want hydrotherapy and you want a referral. If your dog is well and you want them fitter, tireder or happier in water, you want a swim, and it will cost you less.