Hydro.vet

Hydro.vet Hydrotherapy and rehabilitation for animals based in Portishead, South Bristol

Physiotherapy can make a world of difference to your dogs comfort and quality of life 🐾Give us a call to see how physio ...
27/02/2026

Physiotherapy can make a world of difference to your dogs comfort and quality of life 🐾

Give us a call to see how physio could be of benefit to your dog 🐶

🌟 February Star of the Month – Kimmie! 🌟Meet gorgeous Kimmie, a very sweet Springer Spaniel who has completely stolen ou...
03/02/2026

🌟 February Star of the Month – Kimmie! 🌟
Meet gorgeous Kimmie, a very sweet Springer Spaniel who has completely stolen our hearts 💕
Kimmie came to Hydro.Vet after suddenly going lame on her left front leg. Surgery was an option, but together with her vet and owner, a 6-week trial of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy was chosen to see if surgery could be avoided.
With weekly hydro and laser therapy, Kimmie made huge improvements in her lameness, strength, and comfort ✨ She’s now walking up to 2–3 miles on the lead twice a day with no visible lameness and has recently started off-lead exercise again — a big milestone!
Kimmie was a little unsure when she first came to us, but now she absolutely loves her sessions and comes in with a wagging tail, excited for every treatment 🐾
We’re so proud of you, Kimmie — what a superstar! ⭐

27/01/2026

Hydrotherapy provides a low impact form of exercising, to keep their muscles strong and active in the face of arthritis and other painful conditions 🩵
Hydrotherapy is gentle and supportive on their joints, improving comfort, increasing strength and protecting their quality of life. 🌊
An arthritis diagnosis does not mean the end, just the start of a new journey ❤️🐶🐾

Meet our December Star of the Month: Barry! 💦 🌟 Barry is one of our much-loved regular hydrotherapy clients. He’s been v...
05/12/2025

Meet our December Star of the Month: Barry! 💦 🌟

Barry is one of our much-loved regular hydrotherapy clients. He’s been visiting us since early 2024 to help manage his osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia. Unfortunately, in October he experienced a painful flare-up in his spine, suspected to be caused by underlying intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
With an intensive treatment plan—including laser therapy, pain relief, and strict rest—Barry made gradual improvements. Last month, we were reintroduced him to hydrotherapy to help rebuild strength in his back legs.

Over the past two months, Barry has made an incredible recovery and is now back to his cheeky, lovable self, mostly thanks to the dedication and commitment of his wonderful owners. We definitely think Barry is deserving of this month’s star award 🌟

Ringo the Rehab STAR 🌟Meet Ringo, the determined little chihuahua who joined us earlier this year with suspected IVDD (I...
28/11/2025

Ringo the Rehab STAR 🌟

Meet Ringo, the determined little chihuahua who joined us earlier this year with suspected IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). This condition was affecting the strength and coordination in his back legs, making movement a challenge.

IVDD occurs when the discs between a dog’s vertebrae begin to degenerate or herniate, placing pressure on the spinal cord. This pressure can lead to pain and disrupt communication between the brain and body, resulting in symptoms such as unsteadiness, weakness, poor coordination, and in severe cases, even paralysis.

To support Ringo’s recovery, his owners were provided with a tailored home exercise program that included balance training and exercises to strengthen his hindlimb muscles. Alongside this, Ringo attended regular hydrotherapy sessions in our underwater treadmill.

Hydrotherapy offers a safe, low-impact form of exercise that’s especially helpful for dogs with IVDD. It encourages a more natural walking motion, and the repetitive movement in water helps retrain the nervous system—leading to better coordination and increased muscle mass.

Just a few weeks into his rehab journey, Ringo began showing promising signs of progress, such as:

Less scuffing of his hind paws
Better exercise tolerance
Improved balance when stepping over thresholds
Using his weaker (right) leg to support himself when urinating
Noticeably better coordination in his hind legs
Over the three months of hydrotherapy, Ringo’s progress continued steadily. His walking confidence grew, his hindlimb muscle mass improved, and he became noticeably stronger. Although some wobbliness remains due to permanent spinal cord damage, it certainly doesn’t slow him down—as you’ll see in his videos!

Common questions we often get asked about laser therapy 🐾
18/11/2025

Common questions we often get asked about laser therapy 🐾

🐾 Meet Michael — our tiniest hydro.vet client! 💙At just 9 months old, little Michael was diagnosed with Legg-Calvé-Perth...
14/11/2025

🐾 Meet Michael — our tiniest hydro.vet client! 💙

At just 9 months old, little Michael was diagnosed with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, a condition most common in small breeds like Chihuahuas. It affects the blood supply to the hip, causing the bone to weaken and collapse.
In October, Michael underwent a femoral head and neck excision (FHNE) — a surgery that removes the damaged part of the hip to eliminate pain and create a “false joint” supported by muscle and scar tissue.

He’s now started gentle physiotherapy to improve movement in his left hind leg, rebuild lost muscle, and work on his balance and coordination. Soon, he’ll begin hydrotherapy, using the properties of water to strengthen those tiny legs and speed up recovery. 💪💦

We are looking forward to watching Michael’s progress over the coming months! 🐶

🌟 Star of the Month – Poppy 🌟Meet Poppy, our lovely labradoodle who’s been working incredibly hard on her recovery journ...
10/11/2025

🌟 Star of the Month – Poppy 🌟
Meet Poppy, our lovely labradoodle who’s been working incredibly hard on her recovery journey. 🐾
Poppy was originally referred to us for arthritis management, but shortly after, she unfortunately ruptured her cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) and required orthopaedic surgery to stabilise her knee. Her recovery wasn’t straightforward, and it took some time to find the right pain management plan — but once we did, we were able to start rebuilding her strength through hydrotherapy. 💧
Poppy was initially quite nervous about hydro, but her confidence has grown with each session. She’s now showing great progress in her hindlimb strength and is gradually returning to her normal routine.
Alongside her weekly hydro sessions, Poppy also follows a tailored remedial exercise plan at home, and her commitment to her rehab has been fantastic.
She still has a little way to go, but we’re really proud of how far she’s come. Well done, Poppy!

Now the weather is turning colder, it’s important to keep your dogs warm after their hydrotherapy sessions! 🍂🍁Keeping th...
23/10/2025

Now the weather is turning colder, it’s important to keep your dogs warm after their hydrotherapy sessions! 🍂🍁
Keeping them warm when they are finishing off drying is important to keep their muscles warm post exercise to help prevent stiffness and pain. We find either a fleece or towel material works best to help wick away the moisture as they dry off.

Here is the lovely Oscar modelling his fleece for us - he was all toasty to travel home after his session earlier today 😍

Another 5⭐️ review from one of our clients 🐶❤️
09/10/2025

Another 5⭐️ review from one of our clients 🐶❤️

Meet Chester – Our October Star of the Month! 🌟Chester, a 10-year-old working Cocker Spaniel, was referred to us due to ...
01/10/2025

Meet Chester – Our October Star of the Month! 🌟

Chester, a 10-year-old working Cocker Spaniel, was referred to us due to pain in his right elbow, which was causing lameness, stiffness, and changes in the muscle tone around the affected joint. On top of that, poor Chester was also showing signs of early osteoarthritis in both hips, leading to further discomfort and mobility issues.

Following his initial physiotherapy assessment, Chester was prescribed a tailored home exercise programme focused on gentle strengthening exercises to correct muscle imbalances. We also recommended a bit of weight loss to help reduce strain on his joints, along with anti-inflammatory medication to ease his pain. To support his recovery further, hydrotherapy was introduced to improve his joint mobility and strengthen the muscles that support his hips and elbows.

Since starting his treatment, Chester has lost over half a kilogram, his mobility has significantly improved, and his owner reports he’s now much brighter, more comfortable, and full of energy again!

Chester is a fantastic example of how effective a multi-modal approach to managing osteoarthritis can be.

Well done, Chester – we’re so proud of your hard work and amazing progress! 🌟

Address

Harbour Road
Portishead
BS207BL

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 7pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 7pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4pm
Thursday 9:30am - 8pm
Friday 8:30am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

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