Nestled off a quiet country road is the Canine Country Club, a dog centre like no other.
Opened by Mick Murphy in 1995 in Sallins, Co Kildare, it offers rehabilitation for injured pets in a state of the art hydrotherapy pool.
Mick told the Irish Mirror: “I saw a gap in the market during the recession.
“I realised that while insurance was offering hydrotherapy for dogs, there wasn’t anywhere they could get it.
“Everyone said I was crazy in the middle of a recession.
“We have a big waiting list and I hate turning down people.
“But Anne is a very specialised hydrotherapist, it couldn’t be just anyone in the pool with them. The hardest thing is turning people away.”
Hydrotherapist Anne Stewart is adamant it helps dogs get back on their feet. She said: “It helps dogs with cruciate repairs, elbow dysplasia, spinal issues... the list is endless.
“We get a lot of paralysis cases and thanks to the treatment, we get them walking again by getting them on the treadmill.
“The pool is better for arthritic conditions. It’s very rewarding to see the dogs improve over time.”
Poorly pooch Lorenzo, who is 15, suffered bad side effects from steroids that weakened his back legs.
He also has internal disc disruption and had surgery on it when he was just four years old.
The hydrotherapy treatment at the Kildare centre is helping Lorenzo go from strength to strength and owner Dee said he “bounded out the door” on his way to yesterday’s treatment.
Another patient Smartie, nine, an Alaskan Malamute.
Anne explained: “When he comes in, I first do a bit of a massage on him because it’s all about getting their body back in balance.
“Then he walks for four minutes on the treadmill in three stints, which doesn’t seem like a long time but it is a lot for a dog with an injury.
“When he’s on the treadmill, he’s been using his body the wrong way so by massaging him and easing it out we’re making sure he’s doing it the right way and building those muscles back up.”
Mick is also the proud owner of world champion Hovawarts a large breed of German dog and his dog, Guinness, has scooped top prizes in Ireland and Crufts.
- For further information on the Canine Country Club, visit caninecountryclub.ie.
