LOOKING FOR A CANINE HYDROTHERAPIST IN SINGAPORE

DOG HYDROTHERAPY IN SINGAPORE

Hydrotherapy is a gentle yet powerful natural therapy for dogs. It can help with post-surgery recovery, long-term health conditions, or simply maintaining your pet’s overall fitness.

Why Choose RehabVet?
At RehabVet, we focus on your dog’s individual needs. We offer one-on-one hydrotherapy sessions, ensuring every dog gets the careful attention they deserve in a safe, comfortable setting.

How Does Hydrotherapy Work?

  • Buoyancy: Water supports your dog’s body weight, reducing the strain on joints. This allows dogs to move more freely and perform a wider range of movements.
  • Warm Water Benefits: Warm water helps improve blood circulation, relax muscles, and reduce pain, stiffness, and inflammation.
  • Water Resistance: Moving in water provides natural resistance, strengthening muscles without putting extra stress on joints.
  • Hydrostatic Pressure: The deeper your dog is in the water, the more pressure is applied. This helps reduce swelling by pushing fluids away from affected areas and also lessens pain, making it easier for dogs to move comfortably.

Why Warm Water Matters
Warm water encourages blood vessels to expand, boosting circulation. It also helps muscles become more flexible, improving your dog’s range of motion.

Our Holistic Approach
At RehabVet, we believe in looking after your dog’s overall well-being. While hydrotherapy has many benefits, it should be paired with regular on-land activities, like walking or running on padded surfaces, along with a balanced diet. This complete approach ensures your furry friend stays happy and healthy.

Nino Stretching in the warm salted pool

Top 10 Benefits of Hydrotherapy

  • Reduces Stress on Joints
    The buoyancy of water supports your dog’s body weight, easing pressure on joints and helping them move more comfortably.

  • Builds Muscle Strength
    Water provides natural resistance, encouraging muscles to work harder without risking injury—ideal for dogs needing muscle rehabilitation or increased tone.

  • Enhances Flexibility and Range of Motion
    Warm water relaxes stiff muscles, allowing joints to move more freely. This is especially beneficial for dogs with arthritis or post-surgery stiffness.

  • Improves Blood Circulation
    The warmth of the water dilates blood vessels, promoting better blood flow to muscles and tissues for faster healing and recovery.

  • Alleviates Pain and Inflammation
    Gentle exercises in warm water can reduce swelling and pain, helping dogs recover faster and feel more at ease.

  • Promotes Safe Rehabilitation
    Hydrotherapy is a controlled environment, making it a great option for dogs recovering from surgery or injury, minimising the risk of further harm.

  • Aids in Weight Management
    Swimming and water exercises burn calories without putting excessive strain on joints, making hydrotherapy an excellent tool for weight control.

  • Provides Gentle Exercise for Seniors
    Older dogs often face mobility issues and chronic pain. Hydrotherapy offers a low-impact workout that keeps them active and comfortable.

  • Boosts Overall Fitness
    Regular sessions help maintain healthy muscle tone, improve endurance, and support overall cardiovascular health for dogs of all life stages.

  • Encourages Mental Well-Being
    Warm water and gentle handling can help relieve anxiety or stress. A supportive environment builds confidence and can even improve a dog’s mood.

Conditions Suitable for Hydrotherapy

  1. Post-Surgery Rehabilitation

    • Why It Helps: After orthopaedic or soft tissue surgeries, dogs often need to rebuild muscle strength and mobility. The water’s buoyancy and warmth reduce strain on healing tissues, helping recovery without putting too much pressure on the surgical area.
  2. Joint and Mobility Issues (e.g., Arthritis, Hip Dysplasia)

    • Why It Helps: Conditions like arthritis or hip dysplasia can cause pain and stiffness. Hydrotherapy supports the dog’s body weight while gently moving joints, providing relief and improved range of motion.
  3. Chronic Pain or Inflammation

    • Why It Helps: Warm water enhances blood circulation and helps reduce swelling. This soothes inflammation and can ease persistent pain, improving the dog’s comfort level.
  4. Neurological Disorders (e.g., Intervertebral Disc Disease, Nerve Injuries)

    • Why It Helps: Conditions affecting the spinal cord or nerves often require careful rehabilitation. Controlled water exercises can help dogs regain coordination and muscle function safely.
  5. Weight Management or Obesity

    • Why It Helps: Overweight dogs benefit from non-weight-bearing exercise in water. Hydrotherapy burns calories and builds muscle with less stress on joints, aiding healthy weight loss or maintenance.
  6. Muscle Weakness or Atrophy

    • Why It Helps: Dogs recovering from inactivity, illness, or injury may experience muscle wasting. Hydrotherapy targets these weakened muscles, promoting gentle yet effective strength building.
  7. Orthopaedic Conditions (e.g., Cranial Cruciate Ligament Injuries)

    • Why It Helps: For injuries like torn ligaments, safe, controlled movement in water fosters gradual strengthening and improved joint stability, enhancing the healing process.
  8. Senior Dogs with Reduced Mobility

    • Why It Helps: Older dogs often have age-related joint and muscle issues. Water exercises enable them to stay active with less discomfort, helping maintain strength and quality of life.

How is Hydrotherapy Sessions Conducted?

At RehabVet, each 45-minute hydrotherapy session is specially designed to match your dog’s health needs. We combine physical therapy and gentle massage so your pet gets the most out of every session. Whether your dog has a mild or serious condition, our hydrotherapy plans are fully customisable.

Before starting, we review your dog’s detailed medical history—from you and your vet—to understand their condition better. This helps us create a targeted plan to manage their health and improve their overall well-being. After every session, we record their progress and note any improvements, making sure we keep a close eye on your pet’s recovery.

Gentle and Safe Introduction to the Pool
Our skilled hydrotherapists begin by introducing your dog to the water carefully, guiding them around the pool to help them relax. During the session, we watch over your pet closely, showing them how to use the right muscle groups and giving them rest when needed.

Safety First
Every dog wears a life jacket for added safety and easier handling, ensuring they feel secure while they exercise.

Rebuilding Strength and Well-Being
Hydrotherapy is an essential part of canine fitness. It helps strengthen weak muscles, boost overall health, and can be customised to meet your dog’s unique needs. Short-term sessions—like those for minor surgery recovery—may only require about six appointments. For dogs with chronic conditions, hydrotherapy can be a long-term or lifelong part of their care plan.

What should I expect during a hydrotherapy session for my dog?​

IThis non-invasive therapy involves using water to help dogs recover from injuries, surgeries, and other health conditions. During a hydrotherapy session, there are a few things you should expect:

1. Warm-up exercises: Before the actual therapy begins, your dog will undergo some warm-up exercises to help them get comfortable with the water. This could include walking on a treadmill or swimming in a shallow pool.

2. Special equipment: You should expect to see some special equipment used during the session, such as harnesses, life jackets, and water treadmills. These tools are designed to help your dog move freely and safely in the water.

3. Different water depths: Depending on your dog’s condition, the therapist may vary the water’s depth. Shallow water is ideal for dogs with mobility issues, while deeper water is better for those who need more resistance.

4. Low-impact exercises: During the session, your dog will perform low-impact exercises to help them build muscle strength, improve flexibility, and increase circulation. These exercises could include swimming laps or walking on an underwater treadmill.

5. Monitoring by a therapist: Throughout the session, a trained therapist will be monitoring your dog’s progress, adjusting equipment, and providing support as needed. They will also keep track of your dog’s vital signs, such as heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature.

Dog in under water treadmill running

Frequently Asked Questions on Hydrotherapy for Dogs

Hydrotherapy provides dogs with a low-impact form of exercise that aids in rehabilitation from injuries, alleviates pain, and promotes overall fitness. It leverages the resistance and buoyancy of water to reduce strain on joints while stimulating muscle development and cardiovascular health. It’s also beneficial for weight management and can enhance the quality of life for elderly dogs or those with chronic conditions.
The frequency of hydrotherapy sessions depends on the individual dog’s health condition, fitness level, and the specific goals of the treatment plan. Generally, sessions can range from once a week to several times a week. We usually recommend it twice a week. It is crucial to follow the advice of a veterinary professional or trained hydrotherapist for the best outcomes.
The duration of hydrotherapy treatment can vary greatly depending on the specific condition being treated and the dog’s response to therapy. For acute conditions, a few weeks of therapy may be enough, while chronic conditions might require ongoing treatment. Each session typically lasts between 15 to 45 minutes, again depending on the dog’s condition and endurance.
Is dog hydrotherapy worth it? Yes, hydrotherapy can be incredibly beneficial for many dogs. It provides a safe environment for exercise and rehabilitation, especially for dogs recovering from surgery, suffering from arthritis, or needing weight management. However, the ‘worth’ can vary depending on the dog’s specific needs and the quality of the hydrotherapy provision.
(1) Rehabilitation: Hydrotherapy can speed recovery post-surgery or injury by reducing recovery time and improving the quality of healing. (2) Pain Relief: The buoyancy of water relieves the weight on painful joints and muscles, providing comfort. (3) Fitness & Weight Control: Hydrotherapy is an excellent exercise for maintaining fitness and managing weight, particularly for dogs with mobility issues.
Hydrotherapy can accelerate healing by increasing blood circulation, which aids in delivering oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissues. The buoyancy and resistance offered by water can help strengthen muscles and improve joint mobility without placing undue stress on them, promoting more effective healing. Also, the warm water can have a soothing effect, reducing pain and discomfort.
Hydrotherapy is a form of water therapy. While water therapy refers to any therapeutic use of water, hydrotherapy specifically involves the use of warm water and often includes specialised equipment like underwater treadmills or jet systems to help target specific conditions or injuries.
The temperature of the water used in hydrotherapy for dogs typically ranges between 28°C to 32°C. This warm environment can help relax the muscles, alleviate pain, and enhance circulation, contributing to the therapeutic effects of the treatment.

Hydrotherapy may not be suitable for dogs with certain conditions such as infectious diseases, serious heart or lung disease, open wounds, or certain skin conditions. Always consult with a veterinary professional or a certified hydrotherapist to assess each dog’s suitability.

The success rate of hydrotherapy can vary greatly depending on the specific condition being treated, the individual dog’s response, and the consistency of therapy. However, many studies and anecdotal evidence suggest high levels of success, particularly for conditions like arthritis, post-operative recovery, and weight management.
Yes, hydrotherapy can be highly beneficial for older dogs. It can help manage symptoms of arthritis, improve mobility, maintain fitness levels, and provide mental stimulation. It’s also a safer form of exercise for elderly dogs as the water reduces the impact on their joints.
Yes, hydrotherapy is often recommended for dogs with arthritis. The warm water and buoyancy can help relieve joint pain and inflammation, improve joint mobility, and strengthen the muscles around the joints, which can reduce the strain on arthritic joints and improve the quality of life for these dogs.
You will be contacted and the results of the assessment will be discussed with you. If emergency treatment is indicated, it will be performed by your preferred vet or we can give recommendation on vets as well for further image diagnostics.

Yes, but often times the condition affecting the animal can become worse from improper exercise routines. The underwater treadmill is a controlled exercise environment where walking speed, water temperature and water depth can all be controlled. The patient may also be given adequate rest periods if they are tired, facilitating optimal conditioning or appropriate rehabilitation from an injury. The therapist also helps to adjust therapy sessions based on how the patient is doing.

Most patients participating in aquatic therapy are already out of shape and swimming in a pool or lake requires more cardiovascular strength and endurance than is available.

Swimming in a hydrotherapy pool may be effective for some conditions, but again several factors are unable to be controlled during a free swim.

Our physical therapist trained by the biggest hydro training facilities in UK and all of them posses the Level 3 Certificate in Hydrotheraphy for Small Animals UK. Many “therapists” in Singapore who are not trained and promoting hydrotherapy rehabilitation, can cause more injuries in dogs.
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