Hydrotherapy and Rehabilitation Therapies

Here at Squirrel Lodge your dog is our priority and we provide a quality, unhurried service where we work with your dog and not on your dog. Our appointments are slightly longer being between 45-60 minutes allowing us to work at your dog's own pace in a calm and relaxed atmosphere. We aim that the entire time your dog is in the Centre will be therapeutic and not just the time while actual therapy takes place.

We are unable to see any dog without a veterinary referral form which you can download here. Once this is completed you are welcome to contact us to arrange your dog’s initial assessment letting us know that you have the completed veterinary referral form and your dog’s clinical history available.

• Hydrotherapy for rehabilitation

• Hydrotherapy for fitness exercise and rehabilitation

• Day Care for patients that need hydrotherapy when owners have difficulty getting to the Centre – we will care for your dog during the day and give them hydrotherapy session while they spend the day with us.

• In-patient Care – residential care in our own heated kennel for those dogs that need more intensive rehabilitation.

• Collection and drop off service.

   

   

   

Areas covered in this section

Veterinary referral

What is hydrotherapy

What is exercise rehabilitation

Benefits of therapy

Conditions which can Benefit from therapy

Hip Dysplasia

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

Luxating Patella

Spondylosis

Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease or Injury

Neuromuscular Disease

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

Ununited Anconeal Process (UAP)

Carpal Hyperextension

Degenerative Disc Disease and Disc Protrusion, Spinal Stenosis

Cervical Spondylomelopathy

Vestibular Disease

Fibrocartilaginous Embolism (FCE)

Other Conditions that can Benefit from therapy

Manual therapies and Exercise Prescription

Electrotherapies

Veterinary

• As part of our Quality Standards we require a Veterinary Referral before we can offer hydrotherapy to any animal. You can download the form here.

• We provide progress reports for veterinary surgeons and insurance companies as required.

• All animals are fully assessed on arrival at the centre and an individual care plan is developed for each patient to address their particular needs and condition. ... back to top

What is Hydrotherapy?

• Hydrotherapy uses all the benefits of planned exercise in warm water in a controlled and relaxed environment.

• Hydrotherapy is a non-impact, non-weight bearing activity which is beneficial for a variety of patients and allows therapy to begin much sooner following surgery or injury.
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What is Exercise Rehabilitation?

Exercise rehabilitation is the use of specific exercises to address specific areas that require strengthening, to improve range of motion and to address proprioception deficits. These are exercises that can be done both at the therapy centre and, if appropriate, something the owner can do with their dog at home in between therapy sessions to enhance recovery and improve outcomes. It can also be used for fitness and injury prevention for working and sporting dogs.

Benefits of therapy

• Reduced swelling and stiffness

• Pain relief

• Increased range of movement in affected joints

• Improved speed of recovery

• Increased fitness

• Improved proprioception

• Improved gait

• Maintenance and improvement of muscle mass and strength

• Mental stimulation

• Aid weight loss

• Increase confidence

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Conditions which can Benefit from therapy

• Degenerative conditions

• Developmental conditions

• Surgical cases both pre and post-surgery

• Soft tissue injuries

• Neurological conditions

• Obesity

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Hip Dysplasia

This is a genetic condition and is the incorrect development of the hip joint which is commonly described as a ball and socket joint, the ball of the femur or thigh bone sits in a socket within the pelvis, if either is misshaped the ‘fit’ is not good and this causes pressure to be applied in the incorrect areas of the joint which will lead to pain and osteoarthritis. In some cases the joint does not fit together at all and this causes increased weakness within the joint. In milder cases this can be managed without surgery, other more severely affected joints are often managed surgically with a variety of techniques such as Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO), Total Hip replacement (THR), Femoral Head and Neck Excision (FHNE). back to top

 

 

Elbow Dysplasia

This is a condition where the elbow joint does not develop normally and this causes pressure to be applied to areas of the joint and other aspects of the forelimb incorrectly which leads to eventual pain and further damage to the joint with associated osteoarthritis, this condition is the commonest cause of front limb lameness. The elbow is a complex joint where 3 bones,  the ulna, radius and humerus bones meet and there are several things which can develop incorrectly which all come under the umbrella of elbow dysplasia. These include, difference in growth rate between the radius and ulna bones, coronoid process overload, ulnar notch incongruity. Treatment often includes corrective surgery to reduce the likely progression of osteoarthritis. Some of the surgical procedures include Subtotal Coronoid Ostectomy (SCO), Proximal Ulnar Osteotomy (PUO), Biceps Ulnar Release (BURP), Sliding Humeral Osteotomy (SHO), Canine Unicompartmental Elbow Replacement (CUE), and Total Elbow Replacement (TER). More conservative management includes pain control and to try and maintain mobility as much as possible. Hydrotherapy is beneficial in both surgical and non-surgical management of this condition. back to top

Elbow Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

A developmental condition caused by a problem with the development of cartilage which causes pain and osteoarthritis to develop within the joint, in some cases loose flaps of cartilage can separate from the surface. Treatment depends on the level of cartilage involvement and often includes surgery. back to top

Luxating Patella

The patella or knee cap is a small bone which acts as a fulcrum when the knee extends and sits just above the tendon insertion of the quadriceps muscle group. It normally glides up and down in a groove at the front of the knee joint and it can luxate or dislocate out of this groove causing pain and difficulty extending the knee fully, it is more common in smaller dogs but can occur in any dog. Has the patella moves in and out of the groove this causes wear to the joint and will eventually lead to osteoarthritis. Depending on the degree of luxation this can be treated conservatively with pain control, weight management and modified exercise. There are also several surgical procedures which are used to correct the problem and these include Tibial Tuberosity Transposition, Recession Sulcoplasty, Femoral Varus Osteotomy and some soft tissue reconstruction may also be required. back to top

Spondylosis

This is a non-inflammatory, degenerative condition of the spinal column , which generally produces bone spurs on the vertebrae, older and large breed dogs seems to be the most affected. back to top

Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease or Injury

This ligament is found in the stifle or knee joint and is a fibrous band which attaches the femur or thigh bone to the tibia or shin bone and also prevents the stifle joint from over-extending. The most common cause of ligament rupture is caused by wear and tear over time. Depending on the extent of the rupture and the size of the dog many techniques have been used over the years to replace the tendon with different types of nylon braids and tapes and various ways of knotting and anchoring them in to position with varying degrees of success. Other surgical methods which mean that the joint no longer requires the ligament to keep things in place have been developed and these include Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) and Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA). back to top

Neuromuscular Disease

The nervous system is generally divided in to two parts the Central Nervous System consisting of the brain and spinal cord and the Peripheral Nervous System which consists of all the nerves throughout the rest of the body and two systems work together to provide all the body’s functions. There are several diseases which can affect either or both systems and accurate diagnosis is essential. The prognosis depends on the type of disease and rehabilitation therapies such as physical and hydrotherapy are used to maintain and increase bodily functions. back to top

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

This is usually a non-painful disease which is progressive and eventually causes hind limb paralysis, this is a distressing condition which is most common in German Shepherds and is a genetic condition, it is also found in other breeds. Unfortunately the disease will lead to paralysis of the hind limbs, affect urinary and faecal continence and may eventually spread throughout the spinal cord leading to forelimb paralysis. There remains no specific treatment for this disease and management is by physical and hydrotherapy and the use of slings and other supports depending on the progression of the disease and dog and owners ability to cope with such a distressing condition. back to top

 

 

Ununited Anconeal Process (UAP)

This is a condition where a bony process becomes detached from the ulna within the elbow joint, this loose bone fragment then causes pain and damage within the joint. back to top

Carpal Hyperextension

Abnormal development of the ligaments which allow the joint to over extend, injury to the carpus and degenerative changes are the three main causes of this problem. back to top

Degenerative Disc Disease and Disc Protrusion, Spinal Stenosis

This can occur in the spine for a number of reasons and is often associated with injury, it can also occur at the lumbosacral segment of the spine as a result of Lumbosacral Disease.

The lumbar spine is very mobile whereas the sacrum is not so this junction in the spine is susceptible to wear and tear and stress, this can lead to disc protrusion and tearing which can cause compression of the nerves.

This condition usually occurs in middle aged, larger breed dogs. This can be treated non-surgically with physio and hydrotherapy, exercise modification and anti-inflammatory medication.

Surgery can also be used with procedures which include Laminectomy and Stabilisation surgery. back to top

Cervical Spondylomelopathy

Also known a Wobbler Syndrome and is a disease of the spine in the neck area which cause a problem with the nerves and the signals they send and receive from the brain and the rest of the body and as the name suggests causes a wobbly uncoordinated gait. This can be managed non-surgically with exercise modification, anti-inflammatory medications and physical and hydrotherapy. Surgery can also be used and methods vary depending on the severity of the condition. back to top

Vestibular Disease

This affects the dogs balance, posture and orientation to space; this is usually sudden onset but can also be caused by infection within the ear. This is usually treated non-surgically with medication and physio and hydrotherapy. back to top

Fibrocartilaginous Embolism (FCE)

This is a disease of the spinal cord and is managed by physio and hydrotherapy. back to top

Other Conditions that can Benefit from Hydrotherapy

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  Peripheral Neuropathy

• Spinal Injury

• Tendinitis

• Ligament Strain

• Muscle Strain

• Obesity

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manual Therapies and Exercise Prescription

Manual therapies cover several modalities, at Squirrel Lodge Centre we use exercise therapy specifically tailored to your dog and its individual needs, whether that is recovering from injury or surgery, managing a long-term condition, or maintaining fitness in working and sporting dogs. I will shortly be introducing osteopathy at the Centre.

Exercise Prescription is a selection of exercises given to you to complete at home with your dog between therapy sessions.

 

Electrotherapies

The electrotherapies we use at the Centre are Laser, Photizo, Ultrasound and TENS.

Laser and Photizo both use light to stimulate the body at cellular level, this increases circulation, reduces swelling, assists in pain control, and increase the rate of healing.

Ultrasound uses sound waves to generate heat deep in the tissues, this increases blood flow which encourages healing, reduces pain, and relieves muscle spasms.

TENS or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, this uses various settings of electrical impulses which are adjusted to deliver optimal comfort and therapeutic benefit to relieve pain and stimulate muscles.  

 

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