Hydrotherapy is used as part of the rehabilitation program for post-operative and post injury patients. It is also increasingly used as a treatment option for the management of chronic conditions and obesity. Being well informed about the potential benefits will enable you to provide better information, help and advice to your clients.

• Join Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner Angela Griffiths for three 2-hour sessions
• Essential practical tips from our expert tutor
• For veterinary nurses (vets welcome too!)
• Comprehensive notes to download
• Self-assessment quizzes to ‘release’ your 8 hours CPD certification (don’t worry, you can take them more than once if you don’t quite hit the mark first time)
• 12 Months access to recorded sessions
• Watch the recordings at a time more convenient to you
• Superb value for money – learn without traffic jams or rota hassles
• Watch the recordings on your iPad
• This Mini Series was originally broadcast in March 2015

Programme

Hydrotherapy – What is the Point?

Hydrotherapy is increasingly used as in veterinary rehabilitation treatment programs for dogs. Understanding how hydrotherapy works, the aims and benefits ensures that the right groups of patients are targeted for treatment. Being well informed about what to look for in a hydrotherapy centre – including facilities, professional registration/membership and necessary qualifications – will enable you to provide better information, help and advice to your clients.

What you’ll learn:

• The history of hydrotherapy
• The aims and benefits of hydrotherapy
• The science behind hydrotherapy – understanding how hydrotherapy works
• Which groups of patients can benefit from treatment?
• Is hydrotherapy treatment in a pool or water treadmill the best option?
• How to find a hydrotherapist : the good, the bad and the ugly

Referral for Hydrotherapy

What information should the hydrotherapy centre be asking for and why? Understanding the contraindications and precautions for hydrotherapy will help to ensure that all relevant information is passed on and that hydrotherapy treatment is appropriate for that patient. Vet nurses have an important role as part of the multi-disciplinary care team and understanding the effects and benefits of hydrotherapy can have an enormous impact on client compliance.

What you’ll learn:

• What hydrotherapists need to know about your patients and why
• Contraindications for hydrotherapy
• Precautions for hydrotherapy
• The importance of assessment prior to treatment
• The multi-disciplinary team – your role and working together to get the best results for your patients
• Immediate/short term effects of hydrotherapy
• Long term effects of hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy for Specific Conditions or Patient Groups

This session gives you an overview of treatment options and considerations for the specific groups of patients most commonly referred for hydrotherapy – whether for conservative  management of life long conditions or to aid with recovery following injury or surgery. Pre-operative familiarisation and strengthening can have huge benefits for patients where surgery is planned.

What you’ll learn:

• Obesity – working together to achieve and maintain weight loss
• Osteoarthritis – multimodal management and the role of hydrotherapy in a treatment plan
• Maintaining mobility for geriatric dogs
• Hydrotherapy for orthopaedic conditions – shoulders, elbows, hips and stifles, pre and post-operative treatment
• Spinal cases –  how differently do we treat conservative and post-operative management cases?
• When to refer and how to support and monitor dogs with degenerative myelopathy

Course Feedback:

“Content was excellent. Good overview of hydrotherapy, good use of video”

“Useful revision for me and clear info for trainees in the practice to gain more knowledge”

“Clear to understand and follow”