Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy are valuable welfare tools for dogs recovering from neurological conditions including IVDD and degenerative myelopathy.
Neurological deficits profoundly affect dog welfare - inability to walk normally, loss of bladder and bowel control, and progressive weakness all reduce quality of life significantly. Rehabilitation medicine cannot always reverse neurological damage but can meaningfully slow decline, restore function where recovery is possible, and maintain quality of life through mobility aids when complete recovery is not achievable. Dogs that receive physiotherapy after IVDD surgery recover faster and more completely - rehabilitation is not a luxury add-on but a welfare-positive investment in recovery.