Get your dog back in the swim with hydrotherapy

January 21, 4:30 PMSeattle Dogs ExaminerEllen Chappelle

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If your dog is a summer-lovin’ swim-o-holic, winter might be the hardest time of year for him. And if you have an older dog suffering from arthritis or a pup recovering from an injury, walking outside on these cold days can be murder on the muscles!

How does a relaxing swim in a warm pool sound? (Not for you, silly – for your dog!) Fortunately for Fido, the Seattle area just happens to have several hydrotherapy pools – complete with trained water massage therapists – designed specifically with dogs in mind.

Water, water everywhere

The therapeutic use of water is not new. Water therapy, or hydrotherapy, has been used for centuries to treat various ailments by many cultures, including the Greeks, Egyptians, Hebrews, Chinese and Native Americans. Hot and cold water, ice and steam are all used to restore and maintain health. Hydrotherapy is purported to be good for labor pain, stress, tension, arthritis, detoxification and more.

Understanding the power of combining water with exercise, veterinarians often tout swimming as an excellent therapy for dogs who suffer from ailments like hip dysplasia or arthritis or who are recovering from surgery or injuries where weight-bearing exercise could do more harm than good.

When a dog swims, he uses most of the muscles normally involved in movement, but without the shock of striking the hard ground. This makes exercising in water very safe, even for the elderly or injured dog. And the resistance of the water causes the muscles to work even harder to move the body than when running on land. Water resistance also adds pressure, making the chest muscles work harder to inhale, which, in turn, makes the heart work harder, creating a whole-body workout!

So why not just hit the lake?

Aside from the obvious comfort and relaxation of one of these deliciously cozy pools, (many of which are organically filtered and chlorine-free) warm water has physiological benefits, too. Cold water constricts the blood vessels and muscles just under the skin, restricting blood flow and making the muscles less efficient. Warm water, of course, does the opposite.

Though an invigorating, cold-water swim might be fine for a normal, healthy dog, the combination of warm water and someone who can expertly manipulate the body is vastly superior in cases of infirmity or injury.

Once immersed in the warm water, the dog’s muscles relax, making the therapist’s massage and range-of-motion work more effective. All kinds of conditions respond to hydrotherapy, including hip dysplasia, ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries, arthritis, even paralysis and strokes. Post-surgery recovery is hastened and in some cases, surgery can even be avoided.
For that healthy (and bored) dog, some of the pools offer self-swim packages, where you can play in the pool with your pup.

So if your dog – injured or otherwise – needs a little warm water therapy, check out the local hydrotherapy pools and get back in the swim!