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Dog Health and Care Dog Hydrotherapy - It's amazing How it Works!
Dog Health and Care Dog Hydrotherapy - It's amazing How it Works! | Dog Hydrotherapy - It's amazing How it Works! |
| Written by Helga Schmitt | ||||||||
| Saturday, 18 July 2009 | ||||||||
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An important component in the rehabilitation for ones dog is aquatic therapy, which provides the buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, viscosity and resistance as well as the surface tension. How water effects the body is easy to understand through all the basic principles of water and its properties. The upward thrusting of water upon the body is the buoyancy which decreases the weight of the body when immersed in it. This decreases the amount of pain in the dog, by minimizing the amount of weight that is placed on the muscles and painful joints, all aiding in the rehabilitation.
An important component in the rehabilitation for ones dog is aquatic therapy, which provides the buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, viscosity and resistance as well as the surface tension. How water effects the body is easy to understand through all the basic principles of water and its properties. The upward thrusting of water upon the body is the buoyancy which decreases the weight of the body when immersed in it. This decreases the amount of pain in the dog, by minimizing the amount of weight that is placed on the muscles and painful joints, all aiding in the rehabilitation. The amount of body weight carried when immersed in water was based on the percentage of body weight that the dogs carried when on land in the following positions: having water at the level of the ateral malleolus of the tibia it was 91% 85% when water was at the level of the lateral condyle of the femur having water up to the greater trochanter of the femur it was 38% For dogs with arthritis, this is most beneficial in treating them because the buoyancy factors of water unload the joints. Hydrostatic pressure offers an enhanced environment for working with sore and swollen joints or edematous tissues. By it sustaining constant pressure to the body or limb, it opposes the tendency of blood and edema to gather in the lower extremities, whereby aiding in reducing the swelling. Hydrostatic pressure lessens the pain during exercise. The theory behind this is that the pressure creates phasic stimuli to the sensory receptors of the skin, causing a decrease in the nociceptor hypersensitivity. By reducing the dogs pain perception, it allows them to perform more movements with less pain. Viscosity or resistance to fluid flow is greater in water than in air. Water provides the resistance needed to strengthen the canine muscles and increase their cardiovascular fitness. The viscosity increases the sensory awareness and supports in stabilizing unstable joints. A dog with paraparesis may willingly walk in water but not on land due to the combination of buoyancy and viscosity which help support the dog. With surface tension, if a dog is extremely weak, movement and exercise are performed with more ease just beneath the water surface than at or on the surface. Canine hydrotherapy is extremely effective in improving muscle strength and endurance, cardio respiratory endurance, range of motion, agility and all the while enhancing the dog's psychological well-being in addition to reducing the pain. A dog's heart rate and oxygen uptake is totally increased from water when hydrotherapy for dogs is implemented. The dog's heart rate is increased further through the leg movements and the temperature of the water. Although exercise on land is beneficial, exercise in water out performed the land ones in both heart rate and oxygen uptake. To ensure proper weight management, nothing compares to the aerobic exercise in toning in the whole canine rehabilitation process. Dog water therapy is by far the best in minimizing joint effusion and obtaining superior functional improvement. Dogs exercising on land will achieve greater maximum muscle performance. To allow the muscles to operate in a more functional fashion, walking in water is highly rated. To ensure there is no damage or inflammation to the soft tissues, performing these exercises in dog hydrotherapy pools or dog underwater treadmills where forces are decreased, is best. Dog pools and dog underwater treadmills aid in reducing knee pain and joint effusion. This is helpful in facilitating the recovery of lower-extremity function after a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) stabilization in dogs. Canine rehabilitation through aquatic exercises may be used as a transition to land based exercises in post surgery or post injury rehabilitation. The heated water provides many physiological benefits in aquatic therapy for dogs. There is increased joint flexibility along with decreased joint pain. Dogs get improved circulation to their muscles and become more functional on a daily basis. Dogs with thicker coats can tolerate cooler temperatures in water, however, the normal temperature range is between 26 degrees C and 28 degrees C. Some of the available forms of hydrotherapy for dogs include whirlpools, underwater treadmills, and dog pools. Caution should be exercised if taking a dog to a lake or river for aquatic therapy, as currents can be hazardous, or bacteria with recent incisions. Dog life preservers are very beneficial and support the dog while allowing free breathing. Hydrotherapy for dogs has helped with the following conditions: Knee Surgeries Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair Replacement of the hip Compromised Hip Structure Arthritis Spinal integrity and bone fractures Osteoarthritis Malfunctioning of the Nervous System Cognitive Impairment Loss of a limb Amongst all of the benefits from hydrotherapy for dogs, it also includes improving the dog's balance, confidence, energy level and co-ordination. When considering hydrotherapy for dogs the potential benefits are vast. Any dog that has undergone surgery, their recovery time is significantly reduced. To have minimal discomfort and to restore the physical condition aquatic therapy is the choice. Hydrotherapy is very calming for dogs. A dog's stress level is greatly reduced and it helps to stimulate numerous metabolic functions. The lymphatic system is drained more efficiently and the immune system is supported. Hydrotherapy for dogs regulates their whole system, including the electrolytes. It removes toxins and waste material while improving their skin and coat. The potential benefits of canine hydrotherapy is becoming more widely recognized and utilized by veterinarians around the world. Aquatic therapy is the therapeutic treatment of choice for canine patients of today. www.treatment-for-dogs.com About the Author: Helga Schmitt has been avidly studying and researching dog health, physiotherapy and rehabilitation hands on for 20 years. She is a Chartered Herbalist, Holistic Nutritionist, and holds a Certificate in Homeopathy. She offers startling informationabout healthy choices. For your Free Dog Health Report and to read more on Hydrotherapy for Dogs, go to www.treatment-for-dogs.com. Views: 35
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