Aqua Dog and Cat Rehabilitation, LLC - Flanders, New Jersey

Amanda R

We had an uncomfortable and unpleasant visit to Aqua Dog. Our dog is recovering from knee surgery after a torn CCL, and had done rehab once before at different facility that's far enough away that we thought we'd check out Aqua Dog since it's much closer.

After some initial questions by a woman who never introduced herself (I'm guessing she was the vet?), she proceeded to (I think) give me a demonstration of why walking my dog with a harness instead of a collar is bad. So my dog, very excited about being in a new place and after seeing another dog inside, is scrabbling on the concrete floor while being held tightly next to this person she's never met before, and is being picked up by the harness handle (she's a 50 pound lab/pit), tail tucked and cowering - I asked for her to please stop, that my dog and I were both uncomfortable and that I didn't like the way my dog was being handled. We were told by her surgeon to avoid all kinds of slick flooring, keep her on carpet, put runners down when we can't, no jumping/running/slipping, etc., so seeing her scrabbling for purchase made me really nervous, on top of the way she was being picked up and put down by the harness strap. The person told me I was overreacting and to get my dog a collar. Really strange and unpleasant, and I still don't quite understand what was going on or who this person was. She then passed us off to someone else and we didn't speak again. I'd think that even if she thought my opinion was wrong, she could have explained who she was and why what she was doing was ok instead of more or less throwing her hands up at me.

The time after with exercises and massage was fine - the woman was really nice but again, didn't tell us who she was until the end. I had been assuming she was the vet up until she told us she was the massage therapist.

There were no questions asked about how recovery had been going thus far beyond the question of how many walks we were doing per day and for how long.

I'm not sure if I caught them on a bad night or if my dog's surgeon and I are being overly cautious with my dog's recovery. I guess I was expecting more conversation about recovery and my dog before jumping into exercises, and to not feel quite so uneasy with their approach. Maybe we just didn't click since it seems like a very popular rehab center.

Priya Parmar

So much to write about this rehabilitation center. Dr. Kris is compassionate and knowledgeable of dogs, period. She was the reason my dog, Molly, a pit mix, was able to regain mobility in her hind legs. My regular vet in Staten Island, NY (mis)diagnosed her with degenerative myelopathy (DM) and told me she’d eventually be paralyzed in all four limbs, as there was no cure. I found Dr Kris and started Molly on hydro- , e-stim, and physical- therapy to prolong the inevitable paralysis. Soon after our weekly sessions began, Dr Kris started having doubts about the diagnosis and suggested I get further testing THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED BY MY VET IN SI. Long story short, Dr Kris was correct. Molly had a treatable mass on her spine. After treatment from specialists, Molly regained 90% of her mobility back. This is all thanks to Dr Kris’ keen observation, experience, and expertise.
Molly received weekly treatments here with Anita, who is hands down the sweetest, most caring therapist Molly has had. Anita was not intimidated by Molly’s size or stature, or her tendency to “speak” abrasively to anyone entering the facility. Molly was affectionately known as “kitten” by Anita, who worked diligently with her week after week. She was very hands-on whether she joined Molly IN the water tank or was on all fours herself on the mat massaging Molly’s legs and/or giving e-stim therapy. She also worked with Molly on the main floor area performing physical therapy exercises. Anita took copious notes and videos of Molly’s sessions each week, consulted with Dr Kris when she wasn’t present, and gave me valuable information and instructions for exercises to perform at home. Her knowledge of a dog’s anatomy and neurological functions are quite impressive!!
Cost of weekly therapy is very reasonable, especially if purchasing a package (10-12 session packages). If I could give them 100 stars, I would!! Molly was treated with love, care and respect, as if she was one of their own. Traveling the hour from SI to Flanders was well worth the weekly drive. If your beloved dog has mobility issues, trust they will be in loving, knowledgeable hands.

nancy dorrien

My 3-year-old dog had knee surgery and was still limping for whatever reason 2 months later. We're so happy we found Aqua dog and cat rehabilitation. After our fifth visit it was clear that she would soon be walking without a limp because of the wonderful care she's gotten here. The rehabilitation therapy and aqua therapy has done wonders. Now instead of being discouraged we're hopeful for her long life without a limp.

Noreen Rocco

Awesome, attentive staff even to the hardest of clients! Our 8 year old Rottweiler has been attending ADR for some time after a double ACL tear. While she can be the most uncooperative, ADR is the place she loves. She has come a long way under their care and we couldn't ask for anything more! Highly recommend!!!

shickey718

After a sudden knee injury our dog couldn’t run or jump, limped around and acted like she was in constant pain. 6 standard sessions once a week and Lillie is all but back to 100% health. Their knowledge, patience, and love of animals is constantly on display.

Anita and Sam were wonderful to work with and by session 4, Lillie was so excited to see them and to do the therapy.

This is a total success story, where I had pretty high hopes for the therapy and even then, they exceeded those expectations! I highly recommend this therapy and center for any mobility injuries

Jennifer

I loved the therapy here but they need a better system... my dog is afraid of other dogs, we were always left waiting after our appointment time because the previous ran over but when ours was near the end we were rushed out (including into below freezing temps) so another dog could come in. Or dogs were let in distracting my dog from rehab. I'm sure Dr Kris is wonderful but I barely met her and when I did, she didn't introduce herself but immediately began questioning my dog's diet. We're here for rehab, obviously my dog isn't getting exercise!

Tyler Barth

We learned about this place from the vet, looking to find a way to give our Cody a little more time on this planet. He'd just injured his leg, and as a nearly-12 year old lab, he didn't have many options. Aqua Dog gave Cody three more years with us, all the while being professional, affordable, caring and entertaining. He was able to run free as if he were still a puppy, and gave him a lot more energy than dogs his age would normally have. He passed away very recently, but I'll always cherish the days we spent together. It's all thanks to Aqua Dog that we got this extra time. I'd give this place 100 stars if I could.

Cody Barth
12/4/07-9/7/22

Patricia M. Davis

My vet recommended Aqua Dog after my dog injured her back leg. She was 14 years old, severely arthritic and was barely able to walk. My vet recommended rehabilitation for the injury and suggested we might also use them to build up the strength in her back legs. I have seen how physical therapy/exercise programs help older adults regain their strength and independence. My dog, was still alert, stubborn and independent, so we felt we needed something that could help regain her ability to walk. The laser therapy, massage and exercise in the water tank definitely made a difference. My now fifteen year old dog enjoys a better quality of life through regular exercise with us and physical therapy at Aqua Dog. The facility and care from staff is excellent. Aqua Dog staff was great in getting my dog back on her feet, and have helped us with suggestions and recommendations over the year. I highly recommend them.