14/09/2025
💦 Toy Play in Hydrotherapy 🥎
Why Less Can Sometimes Be More....
We all know how much some of our dogs love playing with toys in the pool. It’s exciting, rewarding, and can really add to the fun of a hydrotherapy session.
But part of our role as hydrotherapists is to make sure toy play is used carefully, with your dog’s safety and wellbeing in mind.
When dogs get too enthusiastic about fetching, they can accidentally gulp down or inhale more water than is safe. This isn’t just about tummy upsets; in rare cases, it can lead to something called secondary drowning, where water in the lungs causes irritation hours after the swim.
That’s why toy use in sessions is not unlimited. As therapists, we’ll decide:
🐾 If a toy is appropriate for your dog’s session goals.
🐾 How often and how long toy retrieves should be used.
🐾 When to pause or stop toy play to keep things safe.
It’s never about spoiling the fun — it’s about making sure your dog enjoys their swim safely.
