Caly---congenital hip problems.  Caly had been unable to play with her playmates with severe post play pain.  Swimming is strengthening Caly when all else failed.

It is not as easy as it looks.  Ryder is recuperating from cruciate surgery and all 230 lbs fought the swim lesson

2.  My dog is afraid of water; can you get him into the pool? 

I have worked with a number of dogs that have never been in a pool from a 6 year old, 2 lb Chihuahua to a 7 year old, 230 lb male Mastiff.  A platform lift that can be raised to level with the deck is used.  Your dog can be walked onto the platform and be lowered safely into the water with minimal anxiety.  Occasionally for expedience, I have to lift them onto the platform.  I do not believe in taking a dog down stairs into the pool frontward or backward because of the risk of injury, especially if the dog has had recent surgery!  We have also had success in transitioning the dogs rehab to the owner’s pool after appropriate progress has been made.

3.  What are the qualifications of the therapist?

Jeffrey Flocker holds a master's degree in  physical therapy and is certified massage therapist.  He has completed the small animal rehab certification course through the University of Tennessee Veterinary School and is a CCRP-certified canine rehab practitioner.   This certificate program is the equivalent of an advanced practice specialty.  He has also completed all courses taught by the Canine Rehab Institute in Wellington, Florida

Young whippet being conditioned.  Luna also lure courses around the pool.

Tracker--total hip placement which failed and 2 femoral fractures.  Without swim therapy, Tracker was unable to build the strength necessary to walk without falling.

How often and when a dog comes to therapy is totally dependent on the dog and it’s condition.  Many of my past patients have required less than 6 sessions, because I believe strongly in teaching the owners to take responsibility for their own dogs rehab if possible.  Some dogs require more extensive rehab and may come as much as 3 times per week for several weeks followed by less frequent visits depending on progress.  Many of the dogs I see for wellness and conditioning come once a week for swimming or manual therapy.

Therapy lasts until the dog is well or until the owner feels satisfied with their dog’s progress.  Initial evaluation and treatment usually takes 45 – 60 minutes and costs $125.00.  Each additional 30 minute session is typically $50.00.

Shaggy suffered from severe loss of rear limb function following spinal surgery.  He required assistance to get rear limb rhythm. 

Elf swim conditioning... Elf was the #1 confirmation Skye Terrier in the country and his owner wanted conditioning work in the summer.

While therapy is very beneficial for older dogs, it can be helpful for all ages of dogs.  We have worked with puppies from 8 weeks old who had injuries to the senior canines of 16 years and older.

Sugar is a Great Dane female who had a litter.  The owner wanted Sugar back in her winning form for the National Specialty and since exercising her in the heat of the summer in Phoenix is not an option, she swam 3 times a week to get her girlish figure back.  She won an Award of Merit.

Emma is a  13 year old golden retriever who had cancer in the rear leg.  It was amputated to stop the spread of it.  The swimming was something she loved and helped her gain strength in her other leg.

Sunny came to us with very advanced degenerative myelopathy.  Swim therapy was helpful, but fitting him to a cart provided greater mobilityfor his remaining time.

Tobie--post cruciate ligament repair.  Tobie is a 7 month old lab that tore the cruciate away from the tibia while playing.

Yes, but I strongly recommend that you get instruction from an experienced rehab specialist first.  There are a number of factors to be considered with each swim program.  An experienced therapist will set up guidelines to be followed to avoid problems and help facilitate your dog’s rehabilitation.

Chance was one of the top ranked confirmation Am Staff's in the country when he tore a shoulder muscle turning on an icey surface.  His rehab began with swim therapy to avoid aggravating the healing muscle.

First you must be a veterinarian or physical therapist.        Second you need the proper education and certification.  To obtain that educational info contact www.NESEMINARS.com  or www.animalrehabinstitute.com. If you plan to make this your primary source of income, plan on significant start up costs.  Heated swimming pools and underwater treadmills are not cheap.