Rocky’s Viewpoint
There are so many forms of exercise available to dogs. What distinguishes hydrotherapy from the rest? We can understand the answer to this question better by considering some of the natural properties of water, like buoyancy and viscosity. Maybe you haven’t really used those words since physics class, but they play a very important part in why hydrotherapy is such an effective method of exercise.
Buoyancy removes the necessity for the dog to bear any weight while in the water. This physical property makes hydrotherapy an ideal form of exercise for dogs who have joint or hip pain, are recovering from surgery, are obese, or have any other condition that makes high-impact activity challenging or detrimental to recovery.
Viscosity aids in hydrotherapy sessions by creating physical resistance against the dog while it moves through the water. This is important to the goals of hydrotherapy because it allows the dog to strengthen parts of their bodies such as the muscles, bones, and heart, without having to bear weight or potentially affecting injuries.
Even though many dogs will enthusiastically dive right into a body of water regardless of how warm or cold it is, we intentionally keep our pool at a consistently warm temperature. Our indoor pool at Rocky’s Retreat is temperature-controlled so that your dog will always have a comfortable and effective environment where they can participate in their hydrotherapy sessions.
Benefits that come from hydrotherapy sessions in a temperature-controlled pool include:
Hydrotherapy is an excellent form of exercise for senior dogs and can help to delay the process of aging and other health conditions. For example, if a dog that was struggling with symptoms of arthritis came for a hydrotherapy session and the temperature was uncomfortably low, it could increase their pain levels and reduce their joint mobility, which would almost defeat the purpose of their hydrotherapy sessions entirely.
We also treat our pool water with ozone, not chlorine. Our team spent one full year researching the safest and most effective ways to keep a pool clean. Our research helped us to conclude that using an ozone sanitation system is superior to using chlorine. This is because ozone, unlike chlorine, does not contain any of the chemicals that are harmful and irritating to our canine friends.
Canine hydrotherapy can help your dog from the inside out. Though the physical health benefits are extremely important, Orlando hydrotherapy for dogs can also improve the quality of Rover’s life by helping him to improve or maintain cognitive health.
The physical activity that water therapy requires can help treat mood conditions, such as anxiety, and help to stave off the symptoms of cognitive decline in aging dogs.
It is exciting to know that there are so many wonderful benefits that can come as a result of your pup participating in a few sessions of Orlando hydrotherapy for dogs.
Our hydrotherapy sessions at Rocky’s Retreat are guided by a trained and certified canine hydrotherapist. During the session, your dog will swim through the water as the hydrotherapist guides them through a series of therapeutic exercises.
The exercises that the hydrotherapist requests from your dog may vary depending on what health conditions your dog has.
These sessions are perfect for any furry friend, regardless of their stage of life. As long as this form of exercise is approved by your pet’s veterinarian, they are free to enjoy it just for the experience or to maintain overall physical and cognitive well-being.
We appreciate every review that is provided by those who come to our facility. Here is one from a satisfied hydrotherapy guest who took what she learned and can apply it at home:
“I’ve been swimming my lab at Rocky’s for about three years. Jetta is most happy on her swim days. For a long time I had her swim with a therapist who did amazing things with Jetta to help her strengthen a problem leg. Now I can swim her myself, and we enjoy the fun together. It’s a wonderful place to swim year-round in the indoor heated pool.” – Amy H.
Here is a short video clip of one of our pet friends, Smudge, taking a swim following an amputation. We hope this footage provides a helpful visual of what to expect from Orlando hydrotherapy for dogs at Rocky’s Retreat.
It’s okay if your dog’s only swimming move is the doggy paddle. We can help with that! Contact us today to sign Rover up for his first session of Orlando hydrotherapy for dogs.
Copyright © 2024 Rockys Retreat. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Home page video by Remain Photography.