Holly’s First Hydrotherapy Session
Auntie Jo has worked with dogs with Cerebellar Hypoplasia before and is an expert in working with dogs with various disabilities and additional needs, and you could see that from the moment we arrived. Jo was very good at reassuring Holly and after a little shower to wash her paws, Holly was taken into the treadmill.
Holly was quite unsure when the water gradually rose around her, and she did look around for a way to escape, but after some reassurance and her favourite paté on offer, she began to relax.
As the treadmill started to move, Holly was a little unsure but did get into a good pattern of walking and again seemed more at ease.
This first session was about getting Holly used to the water, and treadmill and starting to build a relationship with Jo. Over the next few sessions, Jo will assess Holly and create a therapy plan that will benefit her and hopefully reduce the effects of hip dysplasia.
In June 2022 Holly was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia and after some discussion, it was recommended that Holly received water treadmill therapy from a registered animal Hydrotherapist. So, in October 2022, Holly met Jo Handley-Howard from Synergy Small Animal Rehabilitation.
Holly bounded into Jo’s clinic all excited, sniffing out her new surroundings and being her usual excitable self. Unbeknownst to Holly, she was about to experience water in a way she had never experienced it before. Holly doesn’t like water and will do absolutely anything to avoid it. Also, for Holly, the treadmill brought another set of challenges. Holly isn’t able to walk in a straight line at the best of times, so to be on a treadmill in a small confined area was something we were really not sure about.
Those that know Holly well, will know that Holly has always been a very determined puppy and will take most new challenges in her stride so with the help of Auntie Jo, Holly began her first session.
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