Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Pets in Singapore

How It Works, What It Treats, and What It Costs

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has moved from human hospitals into mainstream veterinary care, and it’s now one of the tools we use most for serious spinal, neurological, and healing problems in pets. If your vet has mentioned it, or you’ve been searching for a way to help a dog or cat with a difficult condition, this page explains exactly what HBOT is, what it treats, what a session is like, what it costs in Singapore, and what we’ve learned from running it across hundreds of cases.

At our clinic, HBOT isn’t a novelty — we’ve delivered 899 sessions across 126 pets, dogs and cats, over several years. That real-world experience shapes everything below.

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

HBOT involves your pet resting inside a clear, pressurised chamber while breathing air with a high concentration of oxygen. The combination of raised pressure and high oxygen does something ordinary breathing can’t: it dissolves far more oxygen directly into the blood plasma, so oxygen can reach tissues that swelling, injury, or poor circulation are otherwise starving.

It is non-invasive, requires no sedation, and a typical session lasts around 30 to 60 minutes. Your pet simply rests — many sleep through it — while being monitored the whole time.

The core idea is simple: oxygen is the fuel for healing. Injured nerves, healing wounds, and recovering tissue all have a high oxygen demand at exactly the moment their blood supply is most compromised. HBOT helps close that gap.

What HBOT treats — based on real-world use

Rather than list every theoretical use, here’s what HBOT is actually used for, grounded in both the published evidence and our own caseload. In the largest published veterinary HBOT study to date — a retrospective analysis of 2,792 treatment sessions — two categories dominated: neurologic injuries (50.4%) and tissue healing (31.4%). Our own distribution looks very similar.

Want to go deeper on a specific condition? We have dedicated guides on IVDD recovery without surgery, speeding up recovery after surgery, weak hind legs, and stroke & vestibular disease.

What 899 sessions at RehabVet look like

Numbers from our own records give a realistic picture of who HBOT actually helps:

• 899 sessions across 126 pets — dogs and cats alike.
• Average patient age: 11.5 years — these are overwhelmingly senior pets with serious conditions.
• Spinal, neurological, and hind-leg weakness cases form the core — mirroring the published evidence on where HBOT helps most.
• Cats too — including neurological cases that almost no other local provider treats with HBOT.

One honest, important point: HBOT is almost never used alone. The best results come when it’s part of a structured rehabilitation plan — typically alongside hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, and home exercises. We’ll always be clear about what HBOT can and can’t contribute to your pet’s recovery.

How much does HBOT for pets cost in Singapore?

We believe in price transparency, so here is our full HBOT pricing. Many pets are treated in courses, which is why package pricing brings the per-session cost down.

For context, veterinary HBOT in the US commonly runs from roughly US$125 to US$600 per session, so our pricing is competitive internationally. The S$125 intro session is the easiest way to start — a low-commitment way to have your pet assessed and see how they respond before committing to a package.

Is HBOT safe, and what does a session feel like?

HBOT has a strong safety record in veterinary use. In that same 2,792-session study, only minor adverse events were reported in a handful of dogs (agitation in two, vomiting in three), and serious complications were rare — consistent with HBOT’s well-established safety profile when properly supervised.

For your pet, a session is calm and undramatic. They enter the clear chamber, settle onto a soft blanket, and rest while the pressure and oxygen are gently adjusted. There are no needles and no sedation. A trained team monitors the whole session. Most pets relax quickly, and many simply sleep.

Three quick stories

Real patients from our clinic — a range chosen deliberately, including a palliative case, to show what HBOT realistically does and doesn’t do.

DIO — Schnauzer, 4 years old — paralysed to walking, no surgery

DIO arrived completely flat after a sudden grade 5 spinal disc injury. Managed conservatively with HBOT and rehab — no surgery — he was back to regular walks within about two months, and later managing 30-minute walks and jumping onto the sofa.

COOKIE — cat, 14 years old — quality of life with a brain tumour

COOKIE, a cat with an MRI-confirmed brain tumour, has had the most sessions of any of our patients. One month into treatment she was “walking better,” and over time her head tilt eased. Here HBOT was about comfort and quality of life, not a cure — and she has lived well far beyond the typical expectation for her diagnosis. An honest example of supportive, palliative use.

YONG EN — Miniature Schnauzer, 15 years old — a same-day change

YONG EN showed a measurable change in a single session: before HBOT, paw-position reflexes were absent or delayed in the hind legs; after one 30-minute session, the therapist recorded those reflexes returning, with the dog more alert. A concrete illustration of the mechanism at work.

Frequently asked questions

Is HBOT safe for dogs and cats?

Yes — it has a strong safety profile, with only minor adverse events reported in large veterinary datasets. It’s non-invasive, needs no sedation, and your pet is monitored throughout. We confirm suitability for each individual pet before starting.

How many sessions does my pet need?

It varies widely by condition. Some pets have a short course of a few sessions; others, especially with serious spinal or neurological problems, benefit from a longer program. Many cases are treated in packages of 6 or 10. We’ll recommend a realistic plan after assessing your pet.

Does my pet need sedation for HBOT?

No. Sessions are designed to be calm and stress-free. Pets rest comfortably in the chamber, and many sleep through the session.

Does HBOT work on its own?

It works best as part of a structured rehabilitation plan — usually alongside hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, and home exercises — rather than as a standalone treatment. The combination is what drives the best outcomes.

Can cats have hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

Yes. We treat cats with HBOT, including neurological cases — something very few local providers offer. The therapy and safety considerations are similar to those for dogs.

Does pet insurance cover HBOT?

It depends on your policy. Some pet insurance plans cover rehabilitation therapies and some don’t, so it’s worth checking your specific cover. We can provide itemised documentation to support a claim.

Reviewed by Dr. Sara Lam, RehabVet. This article is general information, not a substitute for an in-person veterinary assessment of your individual pet. HBOT is a supportive therapy used as part of a wider treatment plan; outcomes vary by condition and individual case. Pricing is current at time of writing and subject to change. Patient names are used with owner consent; clinical details are condensed from treatment records.

Reference

Montalbano C, Kiorpes C, Elam L, Miscioscia E, Shmalberg J. Common Uses and Adverse Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in a Cohort of Small Animal Patients: A Retrospective Analysis of 2,792 Treatment Sessions. Front. Vet. Sci. 2021;8:764002. doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.764002

RehabVet Clinical Team

Veterinary Rehabilitation Specialists, Singapore

RehabVet is Singapore's first and leading dedicated veterinary rehabilitation clinic, located at 513 Serangoon Road. Our team includes certified rehabilitation practitioners (CCRP), acupuncture-certified veterinarians, and hydrotherapy specialists. Meet our team →