Every dog can be a Water Dog.
Waterdog Spa offers comfort and mobility for all dogs – old, young, large and small – everyone is welcome here. I have taught anxious puppies and nervous adult dogs to swim, rehabilitated dogs post-surgery or illness and extended crate rest, helped dogs learn to walk again after brain surgery, conditioned dogs for show and sport and been privileged enough to give hospice care for elderly dogs. Every dog that comes to Water Dog Spa gets an individualized treatment plan and a private peaceful space. Best of all I get to kiss dogs noses every day. Please contact Katie with questions about your dog.
Diagnosis: Luxating Patella
The grade of the diagnosis will be what determines the best path toward recovery, in many cases anti-inflammatory and pain medications will be the initial treatments with a requirement for weight loss and exercise restrictions until the initial crisis is over. In some cases, surgery will
What can Water Dog Spa do?
Once cleared for activity Hydrotherapy will be a great activity swimming rebuilds muscle mass in the affected limb, regain a normal range of motion and keep the dog moving all the while non-weightbearing to encourage movement without pain. Movement and stretching will help bring comfort to the dog’s whole body and keep weight off. Cold Laser is used to reduce inflammation on the joints.
Link: https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/healthcare/luxating-patella-in-dogs
Diagnosis: Degenerative Myelopathy
Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is an inherited neurologic disorder of dogs characterized by gradual muscle wasting and loss of coordination typically beginning in the hind limbs.
What Water Dog Spa can do:
Hydrotherapy in our warm water pool. We can start increasing muscle mass by swimming, adding resistance and weight your dog gets stronger. Swimming will also help your dog lose any extra pounds. On the rest breaks the dog’s whole body will relax as I stimulate nerves in their feet and limbs to encourage awareness and coordination, as well as pain relief. Cold Laser therapy won’t slow the progression of the disease, but often dogs with DM compensate for their limited hind limb mobility by putting more weight on their front limbs and low-level laser therapy can help mitigate pain in those overused muscles.
Diagnosis: Torn CCL that requires TPLO Surgery
What Water Dog Spa can do to help:
Before the surgery Hydrotherapy can offer non weight bearing activity to build muscle in the legs so that after surgery your dog has a swifter recovery. Post-surgery will require bed rest and once cleared for activity post-op swimming with be a great low impact activity. A mixture of reflexology, and range of motion exercises between your dog’s water therapy will help reawaken the nerves and rebuild the muscles that have atrophied during the bed rest period. Cold Laser Therapy can be used to accelerate wound healing, reduce pain, stiffness, swelling and muscle spasms.
Link: https://www.healingtailschicago.com/post/rehabilitation-for-dogs-after-tplo-surgery
Diagnosis: Elbow or Hip Dysplasia
This is a condition caused by abnormal development of the bones around the joint. There isn’t just one cause of Dysplasia; causes include genetics, defects in the cartilage growth, trauma, diet etc. Surgery can be recommended and shows great results. However, some dogs are not eligible for surgery. Either way we would love to help your dog live their best life
What can Water Dog Spa do to help?
Hydrotherapy: Swimming you canine in our warm water pool with help maintain a lean body to not put extra weight on the joints at the same time build muscle strength and stability. Offering exercise to keep an active lifestyle but low impact to avoid lameness, stiffness, and discomfort. While swimming your dog the therapist can address abnormal movement patterns and maximize the joints range of motion.
Cold Laser Therapy can help to reduce inflammation in the joint and encourage cellular regrowth in the cartilage.
Link: https://the-balanced-dog.com/2018/08/19/elbow-dysplasia-in-dogs/
Diagnosis: Obesity
Obesity is an accumulation of excess body fat. Extra body weight and extra body fat tend to go hand in hand, so most overweight dogs will have excess body fat. Previously, fat was considered relatively inactive tissue, simply storing excess energy calories and adding to body mass. However, scientific evidence now reveals that fat tissue is biologically active. It secretes inflammatory hormones and creates oxidative stress on the body’s tissue, both of which contribute to many diseases. Thinking of obesity as a chronic, low-level inflammatory condition is a new approach and is much kinder than fat shaming your dog.
What can Water Dog Spa do to help?
Hydrotherapy – We all know swimming is the best exercise there is. It is low impact, uses the whole body, and burns a lot of calories. Swim therapy for your dog in our warm water dog pool offers freedom of movement while weightless, allowing a full range of motion without pain or stress on their joints. Using the swim jets in our pool to add resistance will increase or decrease the intensity of your dog’s workout. The dog’s breathing and body position will be monitored to insure they are getting the most out of their workout. Between swim sets, the dogs whole body can relax with gentle stretching and range of motion exercises to be sure that even after their big workout they will not have cramps or stiffness.
Diagnosis: Spinal Stenosis
Lumbosacral stenosis is a spinal condition of dogs that resembles a ‘slipped disc’ or sciatica’ in people. Back pain is the most common sign, but it may also present with or without neurologic dysfunction associated with the compression causing come dogs with nerve compression may also appear to be lame. As in people, many patients with lumbosacral stenosis can be managed successfully with conservative treatment, although surgery is occasionally necessary to relieve the pressure on trapped nerves.
What can Water Dog Spa do to help?
dog gets laser therapy during treatment
Hydrotherapy – Should surgery be elected once your dog has been cleared for activity swimming in our warm water pool will offer a weightless low impact activity to reintroduce movement and reawaken the nerves. A more conservative approach can start with swim therapy for your dog in our warm water pool offering freedom of movement while weightless. This will allow a full range of motion without pain. Between swim sets, we will relax and stretch the dog’s whole body, and stimulate nerves in their feet and limbs to encourage awareness and coordination, as well as pain relief. Cold Laser therapy won’t slow the progression of the disease, but often dogs with stenosis compensate for their limited mobility by putting more weight on their front limbs and low-level laser therapy can help mitigate pain in those overused muscles as well as reduce inflammation in their spine.
Diagnosis: Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD)
IVDD is a degenerative condition in the dog’s spine with symptoms that range from mild pain and discomfort to paralysis and most dogs are somewhere in between. It slowly affects the discs of the dog’s spine when the cushioning discs begin to harden and can no longer offer cushion to the vertebrae. It is not uncommon for a dog to be moving around perfectly healthy and fine one day and may fall or jump and rupture the disc that was already damaged by the IVDD. When intervertebral discs burst, they can press on the adjacent nerves that control the arms and/or legs. This can cause nerve damage and exacerbate the symptoms.
What can Water Dog Spa do to help?
Hydrotherapy: Swimming at our dog pool will allow the dog to exercise without the pain of walking on hard surfaces.
Most dogs with IVDD will have a muscle spasm in their lumbar, the mechanics of the dog’s body have changed meaning the muscles around those bones are out of balance and can change the dog’s ability to move and cause discomfort. Helping to stretch will offer space for the muscles to relax and recover.
Cold Laser Light treatment can decrease inflammation, increase circulation, promote healing of muscle and tendons, stimulate bone repair, and reduce edema.