Advance Care Veterinary Services, the first veterinary facility in Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex to specialize in pain management, acupuncture, rehabilitation and conditioning. Visit www.stoppetpain.comfor more details.
Studies have shown that, with hydrotherapy, animals recovering from surgery or injury heal up to 50 or 60 percent faster than with other therapeutic methods. How? Well …
- The buoyancy provided by water lessens the weight-bearing load on an animal’s limbs.
- This helps reduce pain and lets the animal start therapy earlier.
- Water applies pressure on an animal’s limbs, which helps decrease inflammation and improve circulation.
- By changing the water level, resistance and buoyancy can be changed to target individual muscle groups and injuries.
- Water temperature can be changed as well to help the animal relax and further alleviate pain.
- Muscle conditioning in water is not only an effective way of building up cardiovascular strength and endurance, but animals often find it fun.
Hydrotherapy is most often used to treat the following conditions animals suffer:
- arthritis
- gait disruption
- muscle stiffness
- muscle atrophy
- range-of-motion loss
- spinal injury
- paralysis
- hip dysplasia
- weight problems
- coordination disorders
- overall physical deterioration
- injuries
- pain
In addition, hydrotherapy is used …
- in post-operative rehabilitation
- in retraining to compensate for nerve damage or other deficiencies
- in general conditioning programs
- to help prevent injuries
- to provide intensive conditioning for sports animals
- to provide calming, healing hydro-massage