The aim of this unit is to provide Candidates with an understanding of Clinical Risk Assessment (CRA), health monitoring, appropriate health checks and canine emergency first aid to maintain the health status and welfare of each canine client receiving clinical hydrotherapy. Candidates will be able to effectively risk assess and optimise safety within a canine clinical hydrotherapy environment, as well as justify the use of this treatment modality. Candidates will need to be able to recognise and manage canine health challenges and first aid emergencies, plus abide by their professional obligation to work within their scope of practice.

The aim of this unit is to provide Candidates with the knowledge and understanding of canine behaviours in the context of the hydrotherapy environment. Candidates will develop skills to evaluate and manage the different behaviours observed by developing and using canine Therapeutic Handling techniques and Clinic Enrichment techniques.

The aim of this unit is to provide Candidates with the understanding of canine functional anatomy and biomechanics essential for therapists to be able to complete a reliable assessment and administer effective clinical hydrotherapy treatment. This knowledge and understanding is pivotal to identifying and improving musculoskeletal (MSK) problems and movement dysfunction.

The aim of this unit is to provide Candidates with an understanding of the importance of breed biology and the predisposition of specific breeds to common canine conditions. With this knowledge, the Candidate can use their critical thinking skills to link this to the consequential pathophysiology.

Candidates will be able to understand the normal conformation of different breeds and the impact that specific pathophysiology has on balance and movement, for a range of common conditions and musculoskeletal injuries. The Candidate will be able to recognise inefficient secondary patterns and sequences acquired in a number of different cases and the subsequent impact this has on the health and wellbeing of these dogs.

The aim of this unit is to provide Candidates with the clinical skills linked to the knowledge and understanding of water testing and devising actionable solutions is pivotal to safe practice, which is both a professional and legal obligation.

This unit will enable the Candidate to find solutions for water management challenges in the canine clinical hydrotherapy setting and is an important part of successful centre management in offering a quality professional service in canine clinical hydrotherapy. Working within the legal framework and implementing effective policies and protocols for safe a current practice is a requirement for all healthcare professionals.

The aim of this unit is to provide Candidates with an understanding of the importance of having a comprehensive understanding of professional obligations, duties and accountability as a professional working in canine clinical hydrotherapy. Candidates will discuss and reflect on some of the moral and ethical conflicts that may be encountered in clinical practice when working as a canine healthcare professional. Candidates will know the importance of working within their scope of practice, understand their imitations and abide by the Code of Practice of their Professional Association.

This unit empowers professionalism to include appropriate interpersonal skills and effective communication skills required from a canine healthcare professional working cohesively a part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Candidates will be able to effectively communicate and act in a professional manner, manage conflict and understand their responsibilities to seek appropriate help and advice.

The aim of this unit is to gain the understanding and skills of the canine assessment processes linked to a clinical reasoned pathway, to ensure accurate and valid assessment findings are achieved. Hydrotherapists need to be able to assess risk effectively, to include evaluating the canine patient’s suitability for hydrotherapy, as well as collecting data and information and understanding the clinical reasoned pathway to process this information.

This unit provides the clinical basis of decision making and selection of appropriate techniques to offer the individual dog a safe and a beneficial treatment plan using relevant risk assessment skills. This unit will enable the Candidate to understand the assessment process for safe practice. It is imperative that at all times Candidates act within their area of professional competencies and understand their scope of practice.

The aim of this unit is to progress the Candidate’s clinical competencies and proprioceptive enriched treatment techniques when using a hydrotherapy pool, to achieve positive outcomes for each canine client.

Candidates will link knowledge and understanding of canine assessment processes, canine behaviour, functional anatomy, breed biology and the pathophysiology of underlying issues to their clinically reasoned selection of aquatic treatment techniques. This unit is clinically and practically enriched to ensure candidates can devise a specific treatment plan to meet each dog’s functional and mobility needs.

The aim of this unit is to progress a Candidate’s clinical competencies and proprioceptive enriched treatment techniques when using an aquatic treadmill, to achieve positive outcomes for each canine client.

Candidates will link knowledge and understanding of canine assessment processes, behaviour, functional anatomy, breed biology and pathophysiology of underlying issues to their clinically reasoned selection of aquatic treatment techniques. This unit is clinically and practically enriched to ensure candidates can devise a specific treatment plan to meet each dog’s functional and mobility needs.