UWTM and anal fistula

[Guest guest]

What are thoughts on getting a GSD into an UWTM with anal fistulas? Is this

safe? Or should we try to keep the water level well below that area?

Thanks for any help,

Day, MPT, CCRP-pending

[Guest guest]

,

There is no contraindication for the dog but there is for the UWT and those who

use it afterwards. In addition, I am certain you have staff in the pool

accompanying critically ill dogs. It is unsafe for the staff and IMHO, you are

opening the practice up to OSHA violations.

We regularly dump , scrub and disinfect our water therapy units, Even so, we

culture these units on a regular basis. In those instances when we cultured

something, we tear tubes and machines apart.

This is not specifically written anywhere in the OSHA regs but there are OSHA

regs that could be construed as covering these potential liabilities if

precautions are not taken.

I consider this dog a liability until that infection is cleared up to a doctors'

satisfaction that it is healing and not shedding enormous amounts of bacteria.

This is a situation where swimming a dog would not only place the staff in

harms way, it would represent a threat to other patients that utilize the

treadmill, even if you dumped the water entirely after it's use in this

particular patient.

[Guest guest]

I would be interested in hearing others' responses as well. I have a new patient

with AG fistulas that hasn't had uwtm yet.

My first inclination is to keep dry and if it is actively draining then no hydro

that day.

-

Hagler BS RVT CCRP CBW CVPP-pending

Sent from my iPhone