How to Upskill from a Veterinary Nurse to an Animal Hydrotherapist 

Those of you working as Veterinary Nurses will fully understand the importance of providing an expert level of care to injured or unwell animals. Your experience in maintaining and enhancing the health of animals puts you in a great position to upskill to an Animal Hydrotherapist, adding another impressive string to your bow. 

Not only will gaining animal hydrotherapy qualifications boost your career development, but it will also enable you to provide an essential service to the lives of animals in need. So, if you are ready to take that next step or need to know a bit more information before you advance your career, continue reading! 

We have delved into the essence of animal hydrotherapy and how you can upskill from a veterinary nursing position to qualify for small animal hydrotherapy jobs. 

What is Animal Hydrotherapy? 

Hydrotherapy is a term used to describe exercises that are carried out in warm water, with the overriding aim being to help injury recovery, relieve pain, and enhance movement. Small animal hydrotherapy is a process that is designed for a range of different animals, such as dogs, cats, and rabbits.  

Small animal hydrotherapy jobs will involve gently placing the animal in a warm water pool and encouraging them to carry out a range of activities, dependent on the problem area. The warm water offers therapeutic properties that help to alleviate pain and inflammation, as well as improve range of motion, enhance fitness, and speed up the recovery process from injuries. 

The exercises are dependent on the small animal and the types of physical, muscular, or mental wellbeing issues that require treatment. Some animals may require the use of an aquatic treadmill, while others may be better suited to swimming exercises, at least for the time being.  

What are the Benefits of Small Animal Hydrotherapy? 

There are many reasons why studying Level 3 hydrotherapy for small animals is beneficial for your career progression, but it is also beneficial for the animals you will treat! As mentioned above, this therapeutic form of treatment is ideal for targeting a range of problem areas for small animals.  

While the level of outcome depends on the animal and how they react to the treatment, there are core benefits to small animal hydrotherapy, including:
 

• Injury recovery – Many animals suffer injuries, particularly as they age. One of the most effective ways to speed up the recovery process is hydrotherapy given that the water provides resistance. Through movement, animals can build up their muscle strength, something that they would have been unable to do alone after getting injured 
• Fitness – For elderly animals, particularly dogs who can no longer cope with long walks, hydrotherapy is ideal for maintaining muscle mass and a general level of fitness 
• Pain relief – Exercise can be painful for animals who are living with arthritis, dysplasia, and other conditions. By doing exercises in a hydrotherapy pool, these animals will not experience the pain that they would while exercising on dry land 
• Weight loss – Like humans, a combination of a healthy diet and exercise can result in weight loss for animals. The buoyancy of the water allows dogs to exercise without feeling the strain of their extra weight, which would be the case if they exercised on dry land 
• Mental wellbeing – Animals struggle with depression, anxiety, and low moods, just like humans. For those who cannot do much physical movement without feeling pain, their mental wellbeing could be affected. By undergoing hydrotherapy, an animal can exercise more and the release of endorphins should improve their mood 

How to Upskill from Veterinary Nursing to Animal Hydrotherapy Training 

By working in Veterinary Nurse jobs, you will be well aware of the types of injuries and illnesses that small animals face on a regular basis. Now that you have a snapshot of what hydrotherapy entails, you are probably already thinking about how the treatment will benefit the animals that you have helped as a Veterinary Nurse. 

We’ve got you thinking, but to take that next step and get qualified for small animal hydrotherapy jobs, you need to study small animal hydrotherapy courses. You can do just that with Animal Courses Direct. We provide a wide range of online courses that focus on various professional roles within the animal care sector. 

The perfect course for Veterinary Nurses who want to get registered in this new discipline is the Level 3 Diploma in Small Animal Hydrotherapy (Top up for Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses). This is an Ofqual regulated course that offers a blend of online learning and practical training. 

What is Involved in Small Animal Hydrotherapy Courses? 

To work effectively in small animal hydrotherapy jobs, you need to have a solid understanding of the theory behind the process as well as the practical elements involved. Our course is broken down into the following units: 
 

• An Introduction to Hydrotherapy 
• Gait Analysis and Biomechanics 
• Hydrotherapy and Related Conditions 
• Introduction to Small Animal Massage 
• Maintenance of Hydrotherapy Equipment and Water Balance 
• Practical Administration of Hydrotherapy 
• Practical Advanced Aquatic Treadmill Techniques 
• Practical Aquatic Treadmill Therapy 
• Professional Practice Management 
• Small Animal Assessment for Hydrotherapy 
• Small Animal Behaviour 
• Tissue Healing Process 

Unsurprisingly, the practical element of the course will involve you carrying out various tasks that require physical mobility while working with different animals. For example, you will be doing the following: 
 

• Handling different breeds of dogs 
• Kneeling to be face level with dogs under your care 
• Walking through a 1 metre water level while dealing with the resistance and hydrostatic pressure of a hydrotherapy pool 
• 40 hours of practical training 

The practical training portion of our Level 3 hydrotherapy for small animals course can be completed from various locations in the UK, including: 
 

• Oxfordshire 
• Chepstow

The training of our small animal hydrotherapy courses is also available in Texas in the USA and Singapore. 

How Long Does it Take to Become an Animal Hydrotherapist? 

You have two years to achieve your animal hydrotherapy qualifications, but many learners take less than one year to complete the course. You have the freedom to learn the online theory at a time that fits around your schedule, but you will have to commit to certain dates for your practical training. 

Given that you already have Veterinary Nurse qualifications, you should be able to develop these new skills in a faster pace than if you were starting from scratch. Please note that you will need to provide a copy of your veterinary nursing qualification certificate upon enrolment. 

Progress to Veterinary Physiotherapy 

Once you have gained your animal hydrotherapy qualifications, you can take another step forward in your career by training in veterinary physiotherapy. Our Level 6 Diploma in Veterinary Physiotherapy with Hydrotherapy will get you fully qualified, and as you will have a Level 3 diploma in hydrotherapy, you will meet the course’s entry requirements. 

The course is broken down into Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, and you have the choice to study the full course or the parts individually.  

Enrol Today

Take the next step up your career ladder and upskill from Veterinary Nurse to Animal Hydrotherapist. We have the animal hydrotherapy qualifications you need to add this impressive string to your bow. To find out more information about our Level 3 hydrotherapy for small animals course, give us a call on 01202 006 040 or contact us online. Alternatively, click below to discover our fantastic range of courses.