Hydrotherapy. Pre session advice

Please do not feed your dog for at least 3 hours before their swim, this is to reduce the risk of complications such as vomiting, bloat or gastric torsion.

Your dog should be up to date with their annual vaccinations however we cannot be responsible for the contraction of any condition that should have been covered by annual vaccinations. At Peak District Canine Massage and Hydrotherapy we are extremely strict about hygiene and cleanliness within the centre, however due to the high numbers of dogs coming into the centre we cannot make any guarantees in regards to infection.

Your dog will be given a full health check at the beginning of each session, if we feel that your dog is in any way unfit for treatment we reserve the right to postpone the appointment.

Whilst we understand how difficult it is to keep dogs totally clean especially during winter months, we would appreciate them being as clean as possible for their hydrotherapy treatment.

What to expect during your dogs hydrotherapy session.

At your first appointment your dog will be assessed and given a full health check, he/she will be allowed to become familiar with the new environment whilst you as the owner will be given the opportunity to discuss your pets’ condition and any concerns you may have. Before the hydrotherapy session your pet will be fitted with a harness or buoyancy aid and showered to remove any excess debris from the coat.

During your pets hydrotherapy session you may be asked to assist by encouraging your dog if they are unsure or reluctant, we will never ask you to leave your pet alone with us, however for safety reasons we do not allow owners to accompany their dog into the water, we also do not allow multi dog swimming. If you bring more than one dog to the session it is in most cases preferable to leave the extra dogs in the car. Our parking is in full view of the centre and therefore totally safe for your dog.

At the end of your dogs’ treatment he/she will be showered to remove excess chlorine from the coat and dried with a towel and blow dryer. Some dogs don’t enjoy the dryer in which case we will get them as dry as possible with the towel.

It is often worth investing in a coat for your dog to travel home in especially in the colder months so that they don’t get chilled on the way.

Hydrotherapy Post Session

Please keep your dog warm post session.

Observe your dog carefully post session, do not allow them to become stiff, if they wish to lie down for long periods of time encourage them to stand and move around the house occasionally.

If you have any concerns or questions after your dogs treatment please do not hesitate to contact us.

Massage

As with Hydro please make sure your dog has chance to toilet before his massage treatment.

If your dog has recently had vaccinations you should delay massage therapy for 2 week’s.

Please do not treat your dog with any spot on flea or worming treatments for at least 10 days before they are due to have massage.

On your first appointment please allow yourself an hour and a half to be with us. Prior to your pets’ first massage we will spend time doing a full body palpation to assess areas of injury or discomfort. We will also ask lots of questions regarding your dogs’ lifestyle, activities and discussing any concerns or questions that you may have. Subsequent treatments will be approximately 45 mins to 1 hr.

During your pets massage treatment we may ask you to reassure your pet if necessary, however, your dog is very attuned to your body language, if you are at all nervous or apprehensive your dog will take that as a reason for her to feel the same. Therefore we would ask that initially you sit back and relax (with a cup of tea or coffee) and avoid eye contact with your dog, this will show her that you are happy with the situation and thus help her to relax and gain full benefit from the treatment. Rest assured we will NEVER request that you leave the dog alone with us. Your reassuring presence is essential.

We are happy to have other family dogs and children in the room during a massage treatment as long as they are able to sit quietly and not disrupt the calm atmosphere required for this therapy.

Post Massage advice.

As your dog restores its natural balance and begins to heal itself you may notice what is known as The Healing Crisis. This is characterised by a temporary increase in symptoms during the cleansing process, these can be mild or severe. Your dog may feel and appear worse for the first 24 to 48 hours and you may therefore conclude that the treatment is not working. However these symptoms are actually a sign that the treatment is being effective and that the body is going through the process of cleansing itself if impurities, toxins and other muscular inbalance’s.

This is a perfectly normal reaction and allows the start of cellular regeneration.

Signs and symptoms may include:

• Lethargy
• Increase in sleeping
• Unusually quiet
• Increased joint or muscle pain
• Possible lameness for 48 hours
• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst

After your dogs massage he may have a light meal at the normal time but no long walks or energetic exercise for the rest of the day. Allow your pet to guide you on how much exercise they want over the following few days, do not force them if they appear to be reluctant to go far.

General information

Please do not bring your dog for any therapies if they seem to be generally unwell, in particular if they are suffering from any of the following:

• Diarrhoea
• Sickness/vomiting
• Infections
• Open wounds

Payment is due at the time of each treatment. We accept cash or cheques made out to Cathy Ollerenshaw.

Peak District Canine Massage and Hydrotherapy only accept patients that have signed veterinary referral.

Our main aim at peak District Canine Massage and Hydrotherapy is that both dog and owner has a therapeutic, enjoyable and safe experience.

We look forward to meeting and welcoming you to our centre.