The Pool
The spacious pool (17ft x 8ft) can be used by even the very largest of dogs. It is also fitted with swim jets to increase the turbulence of the water. These can be set and used appropriately, allowing greater resistance for your dog to swim through.
As your dog is treated using water, the weight free environment enables exercise without the normal stress being put from their joints.
The water in the pool is heated between 28°C - 32°C as this is the optimum temperature to administer hydrotherapy. We try to keep our water closer to 32°C, to ensure that the water is nice and warm for your doggy, we also find that dogs respond better to the warmer temperature.
Each dog will swim with a lifejacket or harness depending on their buoyancy.
The Aquatic Treadmill
This state of the art equipment allows for a more controlled level of exercise for dogs who are recovering from orthopaedic or neurological conditions or for who are rehabilitating after surgery. It is also extremely effective in aiding weight loss.
The speed of the treadmill, and the level of water, can be altered to achieve the best results.
The clear glass sides allow for great assessment of range of movement and condition of your dog.
It is a perfect way to introduce dogs who are unsure of water. It is a gradual movement from land to water, reducing the stress on the affected limb.
The water in both the treadmill and pool are tested 3 times a day to ensure correct water quality and a clean environment for hydrotherapy to take place.
There is a toilet on site and seating should you wish to sit back and relax whilst your dog has its swim. You are more than welcome though to give your dog lots of encouragement which will help the dog get more out of it's session.
Environmental Responsibility
Here at Fit Paws Hydrotherapy we aim to reduce our impact on the environment. We are not grid connected so produce our own electricity through a wind turbine and solar panels. These produce all our electricity on site all year round. We have also installed a large biomass boiler to produce all our heating including heating the pool. The biomass boiler uses renewable fuel sources to generate plenty of heating for the entire centre as well as the kennels, cattery and house.