Our aquatic therapies (aquatherapies) take advantage of the properties of water to facilitate healing and maximize the benefits of exercise. The buoyancy of water allows disabled animals to exercise with little to no weight bearing on their musculoskeletal system. In our water treadmill dogs can walk with as little as 20 percent of their dry weight on their extremities. In our heated indoor swimming pool dogs wear life vests so they can exercise and play in a completely weightless environment. Our canine patients enjoy the benefits of whirlpool therapy gently cradled in a sling without any weight-bearing stress on their limbs.

Water has a much higher viscosity than air and therefore provides greater resistance during exercise, maximizing the benefit of shorter exercise sessions. The water treadmill and heated indoor swimming pool take special advantage of this property. The resistive effects of water intensify as the speed of the exercise increases, therefore even healthy animals receive extra conditioning and endurance benefits from swimming.

Water also has a high specific heat relative to the

 

 air around us. Heated water imparts its warmth on the submerged parts of the body, improving circulation and providing other physiological benefits. The water treadmill and heated swimming pool are maintained at a therapeutic temperature that will not induce overheating during exercise. The whirlpool, which is maintained at an even higher temperature, warms tissues to a greater degree and incorporates a high-tech component for pain relief.