Dog Health: Dog Therapy for Injuries

When vets couldn't help Chantal Gray's one-year-old Labrador retriever, Trinity, she knew she had to try something new.

He has dog health problems, he was continually limping, but the vets were baffled because Trinity's X-rays were coming up inconclusive. They couldn't find anything wrong.

That's when Gray did what every Labrador retriever loves to do -- she hit the water.

"Trinity had a soft tissue shoulder injury," says Gray. "And because it's always a good idea for humans to work in water when they have joint injuries, we thought we'd try it with her."

So once a week for the next five months -- Gray hopped in the pool with Trinity at Ottawa's K9 Common Scents, rehabilitation facilitation and aquatics centre for dogs, and worked with Trinity while she strengthened her joints in a relatively painless way.

Five months -- and approximately $700 later -- Trinity had stopped limping.

"It was a good experience," says Gray. "It gave us reassurance that we were doing everything we could to help her recover. Trinity is part of the family -- we hated to see her in pain."

Pet therapy, whether it is hydrotherapy, acupuncture or massage, is a growing trend in the industry. This alternative method is being used to treat anything from joint and back pain and arthritis to anxiety issues.

Working the same way they do for people, these ancient methods of healing are being used on pets as a low-impact method, to aid in mobility and pain management. And more pet owners are adopting this often costly alternative to help their pets get back on their feet.

"It's absolutely a trend," says Kelly Caldwell, editor-in-chief and art director for Dogs in Canada magazine. "It's part of the shift we see in the importance we put on our animals as part of our lives."

Caldwell says opting for alternative therapies for pets can do more than strengthen their mobility and muscles -- it can literally work as a pick-me-up for pets.

"You have to be careful because animals can adopt the same mentality as humans when they are injured," says Caldwell. "When they are sore, they can get depressed because they're just sitting there sedentary. At some point, as the doctor always tells humans after an injury, you have to get up and move around."

Helping your pet recover through alternative therapies is also a great way to get your pet off of costly medications, which is better for their systems -- and our dog health -- in the long run.

And it is also a great way to strengthen the animal-human bond.

"If you view your pet as part of the family, you'll get into that pool," says Caldwell. "You will want to be part of their recovery. There is nothing worse than seeing your pet in pain."

Gray says if Trinity's issue reoccurs, she'll definitely consider hydrotherapy again.

"It is a more natural way to go," says Gray. "The only bad part about it is smelling like wet dog for the rest of the day."

Source: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=526f296a-2364-4bc1-b9f8-2bbb56a0b097