Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Evaluation of the status of canine hydrotherapy in the UK.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary record
- Year:
- 2011
- Authors:
- Waining, M et al.
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Science · United Kingdom
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A recent study looked into how hydrotherapy for dogs is currently being used in the UK. Researchers sent out a questionnaire to 152 hydrotherapy centers and received responses from 89 of them. They found that hydrotherapy is becoming more popular, with many centers either operating on their own or being part of other businesses like boarding kennels or veterinary clinics. Most of the dogs receiving hydrotherapy were purebred, especially Labrador Retrievers, and they were mainly treated for issues like torn knee ligaments, hip problems, and arthritis. While there was a mix of qualified and unqualified staff at these centers, all dogs were referred by veterinarians, indicating that hydrotherapy is taken seriously and is seen as beneficial for dogs.
Abstract
To establish the current status of canine hydrotherapy in the UK and to ascertain information regarding the current use of hydrotherapy, a questionnaire was sent to 152 hydrotherapy centres throughout the UK, from which 89 responded. Hydrotherapy was found to be a rapidly growing business. Stand-alone centres were in existence; however, many centres were connected to other businesses, including boarding kennels and general practice veterinary surgeries. The dogs using the facility were mainly pedigree breeds, particularly labrador retrievers (30 per cent), and the most commonly encountered conditions were rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament (25 per cent), hip dysplasia (24 per cent) and osteoarthritis (18 per cent). The proportion of qualified versus unqualified staff varied between centres, highlighting a need for improved regulation of this aspect of the industry. However, all the dogs treated by the hydrotherapy centres surveyed were direct veterinary referrals, suggesting a good degree of professionalism in the field and a high regard for the benefits of hydrotherapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21493454/