by Jennifer Sharpe
Since ancient times, humans have used water for healing and exercise. Hydrotherapy and aquatic rehabilitation exercises have been used to treat many conditions and to aid in recovery from injuries.
Pets can benefit from water too. We see them enjoy playing in the pool, lake, or ocean, but there is also an opportunity for pets to recover and train by using water.
Why Water?
Many of the benefits of aquatic therapy are the same for animals as they are for humans.
“Warm water soothes the nerves, relaxes the animal, and allows for more relaxing and therapeutic physical exercise,” said Theodor Gillebaard, owner and member of 4EZP2 LLC, makers of RuffPool. “In addition, buoyancy takes the pressure off an injured and recovering body part. It reduces pressure on the joints and facilitates a more extensive range of movement without the added burden of body weight.”
Debbie Price, coowner of the Water Bark in Oklahoma City, said, “Canine aquatherapy consists of supervised exercise in water, providing reduced or managed weight bearing, low impact, and therapeutic benefits. A good aquatherapy center will have a targeted and clinically reasoned plan in place for your dog. They could be working on very specific muscle groups, increasing range of motion through water, reeducating gait, or a combination of the above. All of this is in addition to monitoring your dog’s behavior, responses, and vital signs throughout the session and adjusting accordingly. It’s so much more involved than it can sometimes appear to the untrained eye.”
Animal Acupuncture and Canine Sports Medicine Facility in Tulsa offers hydrotherapy with an underwater treadmill where buoyancy ensures a safe, low-impact exercise environment.
Water for Healing
For a setting that enables low impact or reduced body weight, water is what your pet needs.
“Aquatherapy is beneficial when limited or nonweight bearing is needed or when there could be inflammation, pain, limited muscle use, and limited range of motion,” said Price. “Aquatic therapy is also used for dogs who are limited in their land-use exercise programs due to recent surgery, orthopedic or neuromuscular injury, arthritis, or neurological impairment. Water provides a controllable atmosphere for reeducation of weak muscles.”
The pool is especially helpful after surgery so animals can start to exercise sooner, which accelerates recovery, said Price. “It enables dogs to comfortably and painlessly engage muscles that may have weakened during postsurgical crate rest.”
Water for Conditioning
Humans enjoy swimming and other water exercise because of its low impact on joints and its ability to incorporate many muscle groups. The same benefits apply to animals.
“Even healthy dogs, canine athletes, and service dogs can gain advantages from swimming in warm water,” said Price. “Swimming helps maintain optimal fitness, alleviates boredom and stress, and offers an excellent form of physical exercise without the harmful impact associated with land-based, high-impact activities.”
For older, overweight, or handicapped dogs, Price said the buoyancy and warm water enable them to move more easily than on land.
“Many of these dogs will have sessions that involve swimming and massage in warm water. This aids in enhancing muscle tone and flexibility, assists with weight loss, and can decrease inflammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness,” she said. “The session can also boost circulation, cardiac fitness, mobility, and endurance. Water exercise is also helpful in reducing fat formation in the body.”
Using the underwater treadmill at the Animal Acupuncture and Canine Sports Medicine Facility, dogs can walk in the water in a protected setting. That offers fast muscle redevelopment and improves coordination, joint health, neuroeducation, core training, proprioception input, and cardiovascular fitness, according to the facility’ s website.
Other Benefits of Water Exercise
Beyond recovery and exercise, the pool also can aid in specific pet situations.
“Puppies build confidence as they learn to swim, and the low-impact exercise provides an excellent workout without harming their developing joints,” Price explained.
For dogs with behavioral issues, the combination of gaining confidence in water and the nurturing atmosphere of water therapy often result in an emotional release, said Price.
“Our sessions aim to fulfill dogs’ natural need for exercise, helping to alleviate stress and anxiety,” she said.
Cat owners might wonder if similar programs are available for their pets, although most felines prefer to stay away from water. Generally speaking, aquatic therapy has been explored mostly with canines so far.
