PAWS 4 Rehab has opened its canine rehabilitation centre, with bookings filled to the brim and a growing waitlist already under way.

The facility at Gateway Drive offers canine physiotherapy, 3B Laser therapy, rehab and massage, pre-operation and post-op assessments, graded exercise protocols, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy and senior dog strengthening programmes.

Zoom consultations and home visits are also available for dogs and owners who may struggle to travel for on-site treatment.

Director, canine physiotherapist and hydrotherapist Jo Coleman, spent close to three decades as a “human” physiotherapist before turning her attention to caring for dogs.

She ran two practices on the Auckland’s North Shore, and additionally worked a lot in sports physiotherapy, including preparing athletes for the Olympics and assisting elite netballers and hockey players with the Silver Ferns and Black Sticks.

After relocating to Whakatāne four years ago, she turned her focus to canine rehabilitation, completing a formal canine hydrotherapy qualification in Australia and earning a degree in canine physiotherapy from the CRI in the United States.

She spent almost three years travelling to and from Springfield, Missouri to obtain her qualifications in canine physiotherapy – there are only six people with this qualification in New Zealand.

The canine hydrotherapy qualification involves training dogs on an underwater treadmill to improve mobility, relieve pain and support recovery.

She said this treatment was effective even when dogs might be scared of water.

“It involves a normal treadmill in a tank, and once the dog is on the treadmill the tank fills with water so even if a dog doesn’t like water, it won’t freak out. The water is warm too, so it’s not painful,” she said.

“The treadmill has an incline; it can go backwards. It’s the equivalent of crutches for dogs, if a dog is recovering from an operation, injury, and is good if a dog is overweight with stiff joints.”

PAWS4Rehab has a Hydrotherapy Tank on the way and is expecting to have it up and running in April, offering yet another service for any pet’s recovery needs.

She said in her experience; dogs could have similar injuries to netballers.

“Getting a Silver Fern back on the court is similar to getting a working dog back on the farm, or police dogs back on the field.

“Our farmers have very good, qualified dogs that can be worth investing in for rehabilitation after an injury. Even a good hunting dog can be worth investing in for rehabilitation rather than being retired,” she said.

“Dogs want to get better.”

This facility is something of a game-changer for the Eastern Bay, as the closest canine rehab is in Hamilton and has a six-week waitlist.

“We prefer a vet referral for owners, but it’s not compulsory. Some people just have an overweight lab they want to invest in.”

Veterinary technologist Tai Ibbetson will be joining the PAWS4Rehab team in the next month, increasing the number of dog patients the facility will be able to cater for.

She graduated from Massey University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Technology, and since then has gained extensive experience across canine rehabilitation, large and small animal clinical work, and physiotherapy.

Her passion for canine physiotherapy and rehabilitation began during her university studies, and she has since held the role of sole physiotherapist in her previous clinics.

Alongside her work in rehabilitation, she is also a large animal veterinary technician.