A HEALTHY PET – A HAPPY OWNER

Animal rehabilitation

and a sports center

Physiotherapy for pets in water, for

animal rehabilitation and conditioning.

ABOUT US

George’s story

The idea of opening a small animal rehabilitation clinic was inspired by Donatas’ dog, a Brussels Griffon named George, who is the beloved pet of the owner of “Grifonas.”

Donatas:

“Our journey began in 2018 while we were living in England. At the time, George was five years old, and as usual, we took him for a walk in nature. During the walk, he was playing with other dogs when a large dog suddenly jumped on his back. George let out a whine and immediately began limping noticeably, even dragging his hind legs. Alarmed, we rushed him to the nearest veterinarian. After an initial examination, the veterinarian diagnosed George with a hip dislocation and presented us with two treatment options: surgery or hydrotherapy to strengthen the muscles supporting his hip joint. Until then, we had never heard of hydrotherapy for dogs, but we decided to give it a try. After just a few weeks of hydrotherapy sessions on an underwater treadmill, we noticed significant improvements—George was limping much less and could stand on his hind legs with increased confidence. After three to four months of consistent therapy, his limp had nearly disappeared, and we were thrilled with the results. Following his initial recovery, we continued hydrotherapy sessions to maintain his muscle strength, prevent further limping, and reduce the risk of another hip dislocation.

Over the years, we frequently visited Lithuania for one or two months at a time. During these stays, George had to take breaks from hydrotherapy, as there were no underwater treadmills available in Kaunas. Even during these short gaps, we observed a decline in his condition, with his limp returning until we resumed therapy upon our return to England. This experience highlighted just how crucial hydrotherapy was for his recovery and long-term well-being.As we began considering a permanent move back to Lithuania, we realized the need for a hydrotherapy center in Kaunas—not only for George but also for other pets in need of high-quality rehabilitation after injuries or surgeries. This realization ultimately led to the creation of our small animal rehabilitation clinic.”

SPECIALISTS

Austėja
Šermončiūtė

During my studies and various internships, I observed a significant lack of physical rehabilitation options for small animals in Lithuania, particularly in Kaunas. As the owner of two sporting dogs that regularly participate in dog sports (specifically dog frisbee), I developed a strong interest in canine fitness, injury rehabilitation, and prevention – especially after encountering these challenges firsthand. Naturally, after earning my master’s degree in veterinary medicine, I chose to further specialize in small animal rehabilitation, with a focus on hydrotherapy and laser therapy. This has led me to become a certified small animal hydrotherapist and laser therapist, I have interned with one of the top physiotherapists in Poland and continue to deepen my knowledge by attending various seminars and courses.

In 2023 finished my master’s studies in veterinary medicine and became a qualified veterinary doctor.
In 2025 completed level 3 hydrotherapy courses in the UK and became a certified small animal hydrotherapist.
In 2025 finished laser therapy training at K-laser training facility in Barcelona.

HYDROTHERAPY

Hydrotherapy – water treatment

Hydrotherapy means healing with water. It is physiotherapy in water, meant for animals’ rehabilitation and conditioning before or after surgeries, after traumas, as well as for weight loss. Each patient gets an individually tailored exercise regime that, in conjunction with veterinary treatment, can increase the speed and quality of recovery after traumas or surgeries. The buoyant sensation of weightlessness and the calming resistance of water offer small animals painless and safe physical exercise.

Hydrotherapy can have many positive effects such as:

Increased cardiovascular fitness

The heart must work harder to meet the increased demand for nutrients by all the muscles which are being worked during this treatment;

Pain relief and reduction of swelling

Water hydrostatic pressure has an anti-inflammatory effect. Due to the temperature of the water (between 26 – 32°C), the warm water increases blood circulation to the muscles or other injured places, increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients and flushes away any waste products thus relieving swelling, inflammation, and pain;

Reducing muscle stiffness

Hydrotherapy in warm water provides a non-weight bearing environment that enables the animal to move freely in the water, increasing the circulation and reducing stiffness;

Increasing muscle strength and tone

Swimming tones most of the major muscle groups and improves the general overall fitness of the dog which is vital for body stability and traumas prevention. Movement in the water is more difficult due to the resistance of the water. Encouraging pain-free limb movement against the resistance of water improves muscle bulk;

Joint mobilization, increased range of movement

Water allows animals to move without pain, and they can make more, and broader movements compared to on-land exercises, thus increasing their range of movement. In addition, this helps to develop a better gait pattern;

Prevention of secondary complications after traumas and surgeries

Muscles start to atrophy (waste) already in the first few days after a trauma or surgery. Hydrotherapy sessions can begin as soon as the wounds heal enough, usually in the first few weeks after the injury. During the healing process, hydrotherapy is the safest form of exercise for these patients. Encouraging pain-free limb movement against the resistance of water improves muscle bulk and muscle wastage will decrease. The recovery rate and quality will improve due to increased circulation in damaged tissues, decreased inflammation, swelling and muscle atrophy;

We work with the most modern underwater treadmill for hydrotherapy sessions

Tudor Neptune. It works quietly and efficiently, has an incline and decline feature, and all its controls are automatic. Each patient receives an individually tailored hydrotherapy program which is saved in the treadmill’s software for future sessions and can be adjusted if needed.

Mental stimulation and increased quality of life

Hydrotherapy can be used not only for rehabilitation, but also as a mental stimulation, fitness, and conditioning for dog shows or sports. Since this is a passive form of exercise, which does not damage the joints – dogs that cannot handle exercising on land for various health conditions, can get their exercise safely during hydrotherapy sessions. This is especially beneficial for dogs with chronic joint diseases and young large breed dogs.

Before starting a hydrotherapy treatment, the patient must be seen by a veterinary orthopedic surgeon; he will evaluate if the patient is fit for this kind of therapy and will provide a reference. Healthy dogs, without any known health conditions, can be seen by our rehabilitologist and get an evaluation before starting treatment.

Whenever possible, we highly recommend scheduling a socialization visit before starting treatment. This visit allows your pet to become familiar with our facility, staff, and equipment, ensuring a more comfortable and positive experience during future sessions.

LASER THERAPY

Laser therapy is a special type of light therapy that helps speed up healing by stimulating natural processes in the body. Using specific wavelengths of light, it encourages cells to work more efficiently, reducing pain, inflammation, and recovery time. The best part? It’s a non-invasive, painless, safe, and quick procedure.

Laser therapy is a great option for pets dealing with:

skin, nerve, joint, and internal health issues, as well as those recovering from injuries or surgery. It’s commonly used for orthopedic, neurological, and dermatological conditions, wound healing, making it a versatile and effective treatment.

Laser therapy has a wide range of benefits, including:

Boosting cell metabolism, improving blood flow, reducing pain, inflammation, and edema, supporting nerve function, accelerating wound healing, as well as minimizing scar formation, and strengthening the immune system.

We use the K-LASER Cube 4 VET laser

One of the most advanced veterinary lasers available. It works with four different wavelengths of light, allowing it to reach all types of tissues for maximum effectiveness.

Laser therapy should be prescribed by your veterinarian or by our rehabilitologist after a checkup. The number of sessions, along with their frequency and duration, will be customized based on your pet’s condition and specific needs, as well as progression during treatment.

PREPARATION

Preparing for a hydrotherapy session

At our facility, we aim to make the treatment as calm and fun as possible for Your pet, therefore, we strongly suggest booking at least one socialization visit before starting the treatment. During this visit, we won’t perform hydrotherapy treatment. Your pet will become familiar with us, our facility, equipment, its sounds, and smells. Bring your pet’s favorite snacks and a toy. During this visit we will do our best to create positive associations with hydrotherapy for Your pet and treatment sessions will go smoother in the future.

What to know before going to a hydrotherapy treatment:

Obtain Your veterinarian’s reference for this type of treatment;

Do not feed Your pet for at least 2 – 3 hours before the planned treatment time;

Your pet must be walked before arriving to the facility to avoid unfortunate incidents (avoid long walks to not tire out the dog too much);

If You have Your pet’s favorite snacks – make sure to bring them to the session. If your pet is allergic to anything – let us know beforehand and bring snacks that do not cause any allergies;

If possible, try to arrive at our facility approximately 10 minutes before the treatment is scheduled to start, that will give Your pet enough time to familiarize itself with the surroundings and settle down a bit;

Hydrotherapy session usually takes about up to 20 minutes, but Your pet will be ready to go home in about an hour, therefore You should plan Your time accordingly. After the treatment session Your pet is rinsed* and dried**, and depending on Your pet’s size, fur type and character – all these procedures can take up to an hour.

*Atfer the hydrotherapy session we will rinse off Your pet with water. If You want us to bathe it with shampoo as well – inform us when You are booking the session, additional fees will apply. If your pet has sensitive skin or is prone to skin allergies – You can bring a shampoo that You use at home.

**If Your pet is not accustomed to being dried with a pet hair drier, try to get it socialized at home with the sound of Your hair drier. This will help Your pet to be calmer during the fur drying at our facility. Fur drying will be done in a separate room, and we will ask You to do this by yourself.

CONTACTS