Hydrotherapy and skin conditions
There are some situations when hydrotherapy needs to be delayed.
It is important to make sure there are no surgical wounds that are still healing. Read more HERE. Sutures should be removed at least 48 hours before wounds are immersed in water. While hydrotherapy is very beneficial for helping in surgical recoveries, it is not indicated until we have a water tight wound seal.
Skin conditions can sometimes be difficult to manage while undergoing a hydrotherapy program.
Some dogs are prone to skin and ear infections and as such, it can be important to take care when exiting the pool and the hydrotherapy sessions to make sure that pool water is shampooed out of the coat and the coat is blow dried.
Bacteria on skin love to be warm and moist, so preventing bacterial skin infections requires good skin care after the swim.
If your dog has an active skin infection it is best to avoid the pool, until the infection is cleared.
Using a drying ear drop, similar to the drops for swimmers ear are also helpful for preventing ear problems. Please be aware that these drops are a little acidic, so not great if you already have an ear infection – they will sting. So make sure the ears are healthy before using a product like this.
If you are unsure, probably best to ask your local hydrotherapy centre, Dog Overboard or Dr Lindy at New Life Vet.
