Last Saturday, I got to visit Kent Canine Rehabilitation Ltd, based in Ashford.
Now, don’t let the name fool you, as they do much more than just hydrotherapy. Just visit their website www.kentk9rehab.co.uk to see all they offer.
I was lucky enough to be able to sit in on a session with this lovely working Collie dog, let’s call her P, who was there to maintain her fitness levels but no actual issues.
It was so fascinating to watch the session play out. Charlene, the qualified lady in this picture, is using a ball to work on P’s focus, fitness, and attention, and P is soooo clever and intelligent that she was ahead of the game quite a bit of the time! It takes quite a bit of physical work to swim and is a great non-weight-bearing exercise for them. She can be quite ball focused, so there is work and then there is rest and challenges for her.
The dogs are each showered off after their session and dried also, and you can see from the photo there is a ramp to ease them in, and they also have the ability to adapt the ramp surfaces to cater for elderly dogs or those with injuries too.
They also have an enclosed water treadmill, where the water can be gradually highered over time to get them used to it. I have seen this done elsewhere and it really help nervous dogs get used to water coming up around them. It can be great for post-surgery rehab to build muscle, and for pets with a range of orthopaedic/neurological conditions, but please do always check with your vet to ensure it will be ok for your dog, likely a referral may be required.
I also didn’t realise they offer swimming lessons for dogs too – what a fantastic idea, to help keep your dog safe should they ever fall into water.
So, all in all a great afternoon spent in the company of Charlene, Pixie and her owner, so thank you to Kent Canine Rehabilitation for allowing me to explore what you do to help pets.
I have also left some of my People and Pet Therapy leaflets with them too, so feel free to ask for one if you are there! They are just to the left of the door as you go in!
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