The Harrogate Vet Physio Hydrotherapy Centre
Dragon Court Business Park, 168-170 Skipton Road, Harrogate, HG1 4PS
(through the petrol station next to the Coop)
What is Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy is a supervised, controlled, water-based therapy.
We have two forms of hydrotherapy at The Harrogate Vet Physio:
1. Pool Based Hydro.
We have a specially built 6m by 2.5m heated pool, suitable for any size and age dog. There will be a fully trained therapist in the water with your dog at all times, checking their heart rate etc. and keeping them safe. Pool based hydro is completely not weight bearing so is great for arthritic dogs and overweight dogs - no extra stress is being put through their joints.
2. Underwater Treadmill Hydro.
This is a slightly more controlled type of hydrotherapy, where the dogs walk on a treadmill inside a glass tank which fills with water to a certain height. There will be a therapist in the tank with your dog at all times making sure they are comfortable. UWTM are great for re-educating gait patterns and is suitable for dogs recovering from surgery.
**Underwater treadmill bookings are being taken from mid-November 2026**
Which is right for my dog?
Once we get your dog booked in for it's initial assessment and we see your dog, we'll be able to tell you which type of hydrotherapy will be more suited for your pup. There are a few conditions where one of the options is better than the other.
What conditions can hydrotherapy help?
The answer: pretty much all of them!!
Some examples include:
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Arthritis and joint inflammation
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Hip and elbow dysplasia
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Ligament and tendon issues and tears
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Luxating patellas
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IVDD
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Degenerative myelopathy
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FCEs and strokes
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Muscle weaknesses and injuries
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Post surgery rehab
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Obesity
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General fitness and health
There are so many benefits of hydrotherapy which is why it is so helpful in treating a whole range of conditions.
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Low impact which allowing joints to reach their full range of motion
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Strengthens muscles by utilising waters natural resistance - allows the dog to build muscle faster than on land
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Reduces swelling - hydrostatic pressure acts like a natural compression wrap
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Increases circulation which improves the blood flow to damaged tissues
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Increases cardiovascular fitness
What to expect
In order to book a session, you will need a referral form signed by your vet. Click here to download a copy.
Once we have recieved this, let us know your availability and we can get you booked in!
Your first session will be a physiotherapy assessment and treatment. This gives us the chance to do a full head to toe assessment of your dog and work out what we need to do. Dogs with conditions usually suffer from compensatory issues like sore back muscles, as physios we treat the whole dog not just the issue at hand so this gives us an hour to work out what's going on.
This session is taken at your dogs speed - if they need longer to warm up to us, that's absolutely fine. We want your dogs to be happy and confident here so they can get as much out of their session as possible.
An initial assessment takes 45mins to an hour and costs £50.
During this hour, we will find the problems, treat the issues and send you home with some homework!
We will also have a good chat through a treatment plan and work out how often you need to come and what for!
If you are coming for a fun and fitness session, your first session will be in the pool (you get to skip this step but you still do need a consent form).
Your second session with us will likely be a combination of physio and hydro. We will reassess your dog (and make sure you've been doing the homework...yes, we can tell!) and then get them in either the treadmill or the pool for their first swim!
Insurance
Most insurance companies will cover hydrotherapy however you will have to check your individual policy to be sure.
How it works - you will pay for your sessions here and then receive an invoice which you wil send off to your policy provider to get your money back. Due to high demand and not enough hours in the day, claims will be done every couple of sessions. We cannot guarantee we have time to claim after every single session.
