• 🐶 Hydrotherapy changed Ronnie’s life

• 🥰 What is hydrotherapy?

• 🐾 Toilet paper with a mission

• 🦴 DOTD - Meet Bella May Beautiful

• ❤️ A special word from our pups

Did you know…

Does your dog help heal your cut faster by licking it?

(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)

A sweet two-year-old Golden Retriever mix named Ronnie can walk again thanks to hydrotherapy.

Last June, Ronnie found himself at the RSPCA Lancashire East Branch after his owner passed away. As if that loss wasn’t hard enough, something else went wrong.

Staff quickly noticed something was off—Ronnie was wobbly during walks and would hop on his back legs. X-rays later revealed that both of his hip joints were partially dislocated, explaining his discomfort and why he was overcompensating in other areas of his body.

Ronnie was diagnosed with hip dysplasia, a condition that causes one or both hip joints to develop abnormally as a growing pup.

To help him, local rehabilitation expert and supporter of the center, Amy Taylor from Taylored Pet Therapies, generously offered a free treatment plan. This included weekly hydrotherapy sessions and specialist massages.

When Amy first saw Ronnie, he could only walk comfortably for about five to ten minutes, and it was clear he was in pain. Hydrotherapy became the reason for Ronnie’s recovery. The underwater treadmill allowed him to strengthen his muscles without putting extra strain on his joints, helping him regain mobility. Amy said, “It was like teaching him to walk again.”

Thanks to these treatments, Ronnie has made incredible progress. He now enjoys three 20-minute walks a day and loves playing with his tennis balls in the off-lead pen. His team shared that despite all he’s been through in his short life, even his medical condition won’t stop him from living a full and active life—especially with the right support.

And now, we have some wonderful news to share: Ronnie has been adopted! While we don’t know the details of when or by whom, we’re thrilled to imagine him being loved for who he is and enjoying his new life—happily running on his own four paws!

Hydrotherapy for dogs is a fairly new practice, but it’s making waves for a reason! Besides how adorable pups look splashing around in water aerobics, this therapy offers real benefits. Curious about how it works and whether it’s worth trying? We’ve got all your questions covered!

What’s Hydrotherapy All About?

Hydrotherapy, in simple terms, is water therapy. For us humans, it might mean a range of activities from swimming laps and water aerobics to relaxing in a hot tub or sauna. The beauty of water exercises lies in their dual benefits: buoyancy helps lighten the load on joints while resistance strengthens muscles and builds endurance. Warm water can ease aches and promote healing, while colder water offers a refreshing challenge for working dogs.

For pups, hydrotherapy looks like swimming or walking in water. Think of it as a way for your pup to exercise without the jarring impact on their joints. With an underwater treadmill, dogs can get a low-impact workout while floating weightlessly, or they can 'run' with their feet touching the treadmill surface, all while the water’s buoyancy takes the edge off their sore limbs. The power of water is pretty magical, isn’t it?

The concept of water therapy dates back to ancient times, but hydrotherapy for dogs is a more recent practice. It all began with racehorses, who benefited from walking in water to aid their recovery. Soon, the practice extended to greyhounds and then to all dogs in general.

The Benefits

The amount of different conditions and situations that hydrotherapy can help with is amazing.

• Post-Operative Recovery: Helps heal and strengthen muscles after orthopedic procedures.

• Arthritis Relief: Eases the pain of osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia.

• Neurological Support: Assists with conditions affecting the nervous system.

• Weight Loss: Provides a low-impact workout for overweight pups.

• Muscle Atrophy: Helps combat muscle wasting from conditions like Cushing’s disease and diabetes.

Although you can’t really modify swimming exercises for dogs, adjusting the depth of the water and the speed of the treadmill lets you customize hydrotherapy activities to fit your pup’s specific needs.

Hydrotherapy for Conditioning and Prevention

Hydrotherapy isn’t just for recovery or healing; it’s also a great way to improve physical conditioning and prevent injuries for active or sporty pups. The water's resistance enhances muscle strength and endurance with less strain on their joints. However, hydrotherapy should always complement, not replace, regular exercise.

If your pup naturally loves water and swimming, hydrotherapy can be both fun and beneficial for them. However, if your pup isn’t a fan of water, it’s important not to force them. If you and your vet believe hydrotherapy would be helpful, you can seek guidance on how to gently introduce them to it.

Have you ever tried hydrotherapy for your pup? How was your experience? Let us know!

Every 24 hours, 27,000 trees are cut down to make toilet paper. To us, that feels like way too many — and Honeycomb agrees. That’s why this small, female-founded brand created luxury, three-ply toilet tissue made from bamboo. It feels just like regular high-end toilet paper, but doesn’t harm trees.

So why bamboo? It’s the fastest-growing plant in the world — growing 100 times faster than the average tree — which means thousands of rolls can be produced in the time it takes for a single tree to grow back.

Even better? Code DIG30 will give new customers 30% off their first order for the next 24 hours.

Get started here.

This is Bella May Beautiful — a beautiful Standard Schnauzer! In this "glam shot," Bella is 11 years old. Her family had the honor of welcoming her into their family at 8. Bella quickly fit right in with her 5-year-old (and bigger) Schnauzer brother, Ozkar Euless, along with her three kitty siblings. Joyful, athletic, and incredibly smart, Bella lived up to her name in every way.

At age 14, Bella lost her hearing, but her brother Ozkar stepped in as her "ears," and thanks to years of using hand gestures alongside verbal cues, Bella adapted beautifully. Sadly, Ozkar passed in April this year, and Bella was lost without him. Despite all the love and attention her parents gave her, she never fully recovered from his absence. At 15, with other health issues emerging, Bella joined her brother Ozkar at Rainbow Bridge. Her parents know they must have had a glorious reunion — what a heartwarming vision that is! Thanks for sharing a part of Bella’s life with us.

In the time it takes to read today’s edition, an estimated 93 trees will be cut down to meet toilet paper demand. Honeycomb is helping to change that with luxury, three-ply tissue made from sustainable bamboo. It’s biodegradable, plastic-free, and will be delivered straight to you.

New customers can use code DIG30 for 30% off their first shipment. Expires tonight.

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Daily Dig is inspired and brought to you by our wonderful dogs. Our dogs, and all the other pups out there, make the world a happier, brighter place. ❤️

With lots of love,

Stitcher, Minnie, & Finnegan 🐾

🦴 A Little Treat

🤔 Did You Know: There’s mixed evidence on whether dogs help heal wounds. While a protein in their saliva can speed healing and gentle licking may clean debris, their saliva also contains bacteria that can cause infections. It's best to avoid letting your pup lick your cuts.

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🥰 Spread positivity: Do you enjoy starting your day off with our community? If so, please consider forwarding this email to help us spread our love of all things dogs!

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