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Details of canine hydrotherapy pools and treadmills in 22 hydrotherapy centres in the United Kingdom
Author(s) -
McCormick Wanda,
Oxley James Andrew,
Spencer Naomi
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.104887
Subject(s) - hydrotherapy , animal welfare , library science , medicine , computer science , biology , alternative medicine , ecology , pathology
Canine hydrotherapy has been noted to be beneficial for dogs with various neurological and orthopaedic conditions (eg, paralysis, hip dysplasia), soft tissue injuries, as well as in aiding in weight loss and improving a dog’s general fitness.1–5 The hydrotherapy industry has been noted to have increased dramatically over recent years.6 Two of the most commonly found pieces of equipment within hydrotherapy centres are pools and underwater treadmills (referred to as ‘treadmill’ from this point forward), the latter of which has become increasingly popular (see Waining et al 6). This could be due to a treadmill being smaller in size, possibly less expensive in comparison with a pool facility, which has been noted to require an investment of circa £35,000,1 or for some other reasons. Despite the increased awareness and popularity, there is still limited research on how hydrotherapy is best used when managing specific conditions,7 and very little known about specifications of the equipment used and general practice management. This research aimed to explore features of the equipment currently in use within UK hydrotherapy centres in order to highlight any variations and identify the potential need for guidelines for hydrotherapy facilities.A questionnaire was distributed by email to the main contact of 146 Canine Hydrotherapy Association registered centres within the UK from April 1 to May …