Rehabilitation including hydrotherapy and physiotherapy provides significant welfare benefits for dogs recovering from injury and surgery and managing chronic conditions.
Dogs recovering from orthopaedic surgery or managing chronic arthritis and neurological conditions experience significant welfare benefits from rehabilitation. Hydrotherapy provides pain-free exercise that maintains muscle mass during recovery. Physiotherapy reduces chronic pain through manual therapy and modalities including laser and TENS. Rehabilitation accelerates return to normal function and reduces long-term disability. Dogs receiving comprehensive rehabilitation after TPLO or spinal surgery have objectively better welfare outcomes than those with exercise restriction alone. The welfare investment in rehabilitation is substantial but provides durable long-term benefit.