Hydrotherapy

[pointydogs]

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Some of you might remember me posting about my rescue whippets Woody and Bobby from the dogs trust nearly a year ago now. Bobby has recently gone down hill with arthritis in the last couple of months and goes lame if i try to walk him at all. After a check from the vet to give him the ok (he has a heart condition) to start hydrotherapy. He had his first session today, and he did very well.

I was wondering if anyone else on here, had used hyrotherapy for a whippet (aged or not), and what kind of results you'd had and if it had been beneficial. I sort of want to know what to expect and just find out if anyone else has tried it at all, be it successful or unsuccessful???

 

[wild whippies]

I take my racers swimming regularly but when my old girl was having a bad bought of arthritis I found it useful for getting her moving well again.

Swimming is very good for all dogs. Fit muscular dogs have to work particularly hard to swim as 'treading' water is more difficult for them. Overweight dogs and dogs that have arthritis can tread water more easily because their bodies enable some floatation.

I personally prefer a standard pool without waves mainly because the dogs can get used to the whole experience and can play fetch with toys and such.

I've got an album of some of mine and Vicky's swimming here> http://wildwhippies.myphotoalbum.com/view_...umName=album200

 

[pointydogs]

I love your pics! :thumbsup:

What sort of times do your racing dogs manage? And how much/how quickly did your arthritic one gain movement again?

I'm amazed by the results already, there is definatly more ease of movement in his back legs and his right one has not been shaking as much I'm sure. What has amazed me most though is how much he loved it, he was happy and waggly afterwards and all evening - which is really great as i thought I'd have to convince him he wanted to do it!

 

[Janimal]

Wow Jaqui those photos are amazing....love them... :thumbsup: true water babies..... :teehee:

 

[~Annie~]

My lure coursers/agility dogs swim most weeks as a means of keeping them in peak condition. After an injury to his paw some months ago, a wound that was slow to heal and meant limited lead work for ages, Finn was taken off all exercise but swimming for a week and two weeks later, after more swimming, was fit enough to make it to the final four at a big lure coursing event. Unlike Jaqui's dogs (correct me if I'm wrong Jacqui) Finn is often swum on a line wearing a flotation jacket (the jacket is semi-compulsory where we swim, only Tyg my whippetxdolphin is allowed to swim without one). The line actually means we can add resistance and make the poor lad work even harder if we choose! All mine adore their time at the pool

Pics of mine swimming are in this thread ... reading back has reminded me how far Tyg has come since the autumn when he was always very relieved to get out of the pool, now we have trouble getting him out!

 

[pointydogs]

Its interesting that other peoples whippets are having positive experiences with hydro, because one of the first things my trainer said was-

''you know whippets don't swim very well''

But it seems they do, just like any other dog

 

[jakers]

Its interesting that other peoples whippets are having positive experiences with hydro, because one of the first things my trainer said was-''you know whippets don't swim very well''

But it seems they do, just like any other dog

We have the luxury of whippets and a hydro pool, we are trained k9 hydrotherapists, it is extremely beneficial and we have found our whippets to be natural swimmers - even our boy who will actively avoid puddles and anything wet loves to get in the warm pool and have a good old swim!

This is us holds some useful info on hydro: www.aurorakennels.co.uk/waterwag

 

[wild whippies]

Times for racing are variable. Peds do about 9.50secs over 150yds at Gin Pit, a non-ped around 8.50 secs and a decent non ped scratch dog 8.30secs it all depends on size and ground as well though.

I pretty much agree about the improvement being almost instant, Buffy's was. It's all down to getting that joint fluid smoother and free flowing. Swimming takes the load off the joints and enables them to get exercising without the pain.

Annie they do wear jackets initially then progress to just the line alone. Those that are building their fitness for racing tend to still have the line used so they do full laps apart from Jenny who'll do the laps without one. Some of the dogs are Vicky's youngsters who've gone mainly to introduce them to swimming so they're allowed to retrieve their toys and generally have fun.

My own pups will be going in a few months. I've had them in the bath and encouraged them to play with the bath toys and today they had a paddle in a shallow pond. One of them fell in the canal the other day on his walk so he's been christened already! (w00t)

To be honest though I think all whippets will swim with enough encouragement and praise. Dobber had a really bad experience at a wave pool due to an impatient hydrotherapist who'd already made up their mind that whippets don't like swimming. He was trying to swim over to me and the guy had the waves on full belt and was pulling Dobber away from me in the water when all the dog wanted to do was swim over to me :wacko: Poor lad got himself in an awful state and I ended up telling the bloke to stop.

Anne at Teazledown swimsafe was an entirely different kettle of fish, she spolt Dobber rotten and he's bouncy as anything when he gets there. :thumbsup:

 

[June Jonigk]

I can vouch for Liz and her hydrotherapy pool. Our boy Sweep tore a gracilis muscle, and once he was back walking we wanted to give him some more strenuous exercise to build up his fitness, without actually letting him run. We stayed on Liz's campsite for a few days and Sweep swam very well. He wore a flotation jacket, but swam against the current to make him work harder. Liz stayed in the pool with him, and lifted him up for cuddles in between getting his breath back - he loved it! I think it helps that the water was so warm too. I have been to hydrotherapy pools before, and they have been freezing - consequently the whippets didn't like going in.

Sweep went on to win 2 veteran championships afterwards, so I recommend it to everyone :thumbsup:

 

[trac]

Its interesting that other peoples whippets are having positive experiences with hydro, because one of the first things my trainer said was-''you know whippets don't swim very well''

But it seems they do, just like any other dog

We have the luxury of whippets and a hydro pool, we are trained k9 hydrotherapists, it is extremely beneficial and we have found our whippets to be natural swimmers - even our boy who will actively avoid puddles and anything wet loves to get in the warm pool and have a good old swim!

This is us holds some useful info on hydro: www.aurorakennels.co.uk/waterwag

We are lucky as we get to stay at Liz's and Tia loves to swim and Mac ,Fudge is Mr cool in the water 8) ,Tia barks till she gets a go (w00t) Liz's is a fantastic set up and she is brilliant with them.Roll on Easter!!