Water Walkies Hydrotherapy has been three years in the making, with the pair undertaking specialist training in the UK and in Melbourne, but they finally opened their doors in June.

Clientele includes a kelpie suffering anxiety with energy to burn, a daschund recovering from spinal surgery, border collies who love to splash about with toys and a great dane from the Southern Highlands who's recovering from knee surgery.

"We [also] have palliative care where a dog's got a couple of weeks to go and they're in a lot of pain," Mrs Douglas said. "It's heartbreaking but really cool at the same time."

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Hydrotherapy is widely used on humans and can relieve pain, promote physical wellbeing, rehabilitation, weight loss and fitnes.

Mrs Douglas realised the need for such a facility when searching for one for her cat Zoidberg. The closest she found was in Richmond.

All pets will need a referral from their vet as a five minute swim is equal to a five kilometre run on land due to the resistance of the water, they said.

The centre also has a DIY dog wash facility.

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