Hydrotherapy provides low-impact rehabilitation for dogs recovering from orthopedic and neurological conditions. Understanding its welfare benefits enables appropriate use.
Hydrotherapy provides welfare benefits through pain reduction during rehabilitation, maintenance of muscle mass during recovery from injury or surgery, and cardiovascular conditioning in dogs with joint conditions that limit land-based exercise. Dogs that cannot walk comfortably on land may move freely and comfortably in water, enabling exercise that improves both physical and psychological welfare. The welfare dimension of hydrotherapy extends beyond physical rehabilitation to quality of life: dogs that maintain mobility and muscle mass through hydrotherapy have better functional welfare than those that deteriorate from inactivity during recovery. Access to qualified canine hydrotherapy is an important component of welfare-positive rehabilitation.