South West K9 Hydrotherapy Centre

20/02/2025

To celebrate National Pet Day we wanted to post a photo of our wonderful bunch - can you spot the spaniel? 🐶 comment below with a photo of your pet and join in the celebration 🥳

19/02/2025

Very interesting read!

⚠️ The Truth About Pacing in Dogs: A Sign of Compensation, Not Efficiency

Introduction: Is Pacing in Dogs Really More Efficient?

There is a widely held belief in the dog world that a pacing gait—where a dog moves both legs on the same side of the body together—is more energy-efficient than a trot. That pacing is a restful gait, which allows for energy conservation.

🔎 However, biomechanical studies on both quadruped animals and quadruped robots suggest otherwise. In fact, pacing at trotting speeds is often compensatory, meaning the dog is likely adjusting its movement from a contralateral gait (trot) to an ipsilateral gait (pace) to avoid the torque inherent in a contralateral gait.

🧠 Understanding why this happens, and what we should be doing about it, is crucial for dog owners, trainers, and breeders.

Read the full blog post, with marked up, explanatory graphics, and linked studies on my website.









https://canineconditioningcoach.com/the-truth-about-pacing-in-dogs-a-sign-of-compensation-not-efficiency/

18/02/2025

Little Winston showing his long lost brother Toby that he can swim like a pro too! 🤩🙌🏻👯‍♂️

18/02/2025

As we head into the rest of 2025 we’d love to know what you think 💭

We would greatly appreciate it if you have a spare minute to leave us a google review. We’d love to hear your feedback to make sure we are providing the best service for all our customers. New and prospective customers will also be able to see what you all think of our centre and team ❤️

Thankyou!!

Sam & Courtney 👯‍♀️

4.6 ★ · Veterinarian

13/02/2025

Meet Roo aka The Spaniel with the hairdo ❤️
Roo recently underwent surgery to fuse her front leg, this is called a carpal arthrodesis. It has worked so well and Roo is back to being a happy active girl however when fusing a joint you lose that all important movement, this can throw other joints etc out of whack….. Enter hydro 💪🏼 We see Roo weekly to make sure she is getting the most movement out of all of her joints as well as making sure she is building all muscles in the correct manner.
Roo also has a secondary condition (hip Dysplasia) it is not uncommon for dogs to have multiple orthopaedic ailments and this is why it’s so important to give them the best chance of living life as pain free and as normal as possible 🥰

12/02/2025

Say hello to Milo 👋🏻

Milo is showing off his fresh new hair cut and personalised bow tie 💙 this handsome boy swims with us weekly to maintain his fitness and his muscle mass as he ages. He needs all his strength to keep up with his crazy brother!

12/02/2025

Very interesting article that helps you to easily identify where your dog sits on the scale. It’s very easy for your dog to become over weight especially after surgery as their level of exercise and movement decreases massively whilst their food intake may remain the same. Always consult your vet if you have any concerns about your dogs weight and conditioning but a handy article to keep on your phone!

Dog World Magazine Article - Body Condition Scoring For Dogs

Wondering if your dog may be under or overweight? Every dog’s ideal weight is different. A body condition score is a tool that you can use in between vet visits to monitor your dog’s weight and help them stay in a healthy range.

What is a body condition score in dogs? A body condition score (BCS) is a number that acts as a measure of a dog’s body fat, roughly similar to body mass index (BMI) in humans. There are two versions of the scale. One scale ranges from one to five. The other ranges from one to nine. Some veterinarians, including the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), use the nine-point scale. Others use the five-point scale, which can also be converted into nine points using halves of each number (1.5, 2.5, etc.). Veterinarians often use the nine-point scale for small animals, while the five-point scale is more common for large animals.

To read the full Article from The Dog World Magazine - Page 26 - 29 click on the link belowhttps://www.dogsqueensland.org.au/media/54438/dog-world-february-2025-v1.pdf

11/02/2025

Congratulations little Nelson 💙
Nels completed his learn to swim course with flying colours. Super relaxed at all times (surprising as his brother is crazy for water Cromwell).

Gooo Nelson 💪🏼

09/02/2025

Social media vs reality 😂 another visit from our favourite miniature pinscher!

06/02/2025

Say hello to Banjo 👋🏻 This handsome boy is a lurcher who is coming to see us here at the centre to help with his hind limb weakness. Over time we will aim to build up some more muscle in his hind limbs to give him abit more stability and mobility back so he can get back to giving his younger sister a run for her money 💨🏃🏻

04/02/2025

Congratulations to Blair who finished his swimming lessons today 🥳 his excitement has grown over the last 4 sessions so much so that he can’t wait to bash the water and eat the bubbles! 🫧 Well done Blair! We can’t wait to see you back in a few months for a catch up ❤️

31/01/2025

On Thursday we were treated to another special visit from the most handsome little boy 😍 how can anyone resist his little face?

24/01/2025

Congratulations to little Xumi on finishing her swimming lessons 🥳 although a little nervous on entry Xumi is a very calm and proficient swimmer who glides around the pool with ease. We can’t wait to see her get into the water with her pawrents in the warmer weather ☀️ Well done Xumi!!

20/01/2025

Casper showing everyone that with a little patience and his favourite ball any dog can learn to swim like a pro! Interested in teaching your dog how to swim and gaining some water confidence? Get in touch today to find out more about our Learn To Swim pack 🥳

14/01/2025

Gorgeous 6 month old lab Xumi has been the perfect student 👩‍🎓 Xumi is half way through her swimming lessons and she’s taken to it like a duck to water! We can’t wait to see how confident she is at the end of her block of lessons 🥳

Interested in teaching your dog how to swim and build some water confidence? Get in touch today for more info ℹ️

10/01/2025

Everybody meet Blair 🐶

Blair came for his first swimming lesson today as part of our new Learn To Swim pack and he smashed it! 🥳 Blair is a lovely boy who is super quick to learn and curious to get in the pool and figure out how to swim. We can’t wait to have him back for the next session!

09/01/2025

Toby performing his end of session routine 🙌🏻 every dog that comes into our centre is unique and we’re all about working with them not against them!

Hydrotherapy is for EVERY dog no matter their breed, condition or temperament. Worried that your dog might be the “wrong breed” for swimming or has behavioural issues? Get in touch to see how we can help, every dog deserves good treatment!