Was totally skeptical about hydrotherapy for my arthritic lab - after 6 sessions i'm a complete convert

Greta is 11, a yellow lab, and has had hip arthritis diagnosed since she was about 8. For the last year she was really struggling in the mornings - stiff getting up, not wanting to go on walks, hesitating at stairs. We had her on Librela injections and joint supplements and it was managing but not reversing anything. Her vet mentioned hydrotherapy kind of casually and I honestly thought it sounded like a luxury thing for dogs with rich owners.

We started 6 weeks ago, once a week sessions in an underwater treadmill, and i am not the same person i was before. Within 3 sessions she was bouncing - actually bouncing - when we pulled into the parking lot. She started asking to go for walks again instead of giving me the look when i got her leash out. This morning she came downstairs without stopping halfway and looking at me like "please don't make me do this." That's been the main tell for me because the stairs were the thing that really showed how much pain she was in before.

The cost is real - about $65 per session - but honestly it's comparable to what we were spending trying different supplements that didn't do much. If your older dog has mobility issues and your vet hasn't mentioned it, it might be worth asking specifically. I wish we'd started two years ago.