About us

About Tailwise

Founded by a rehab vet who couldn’t find the place she wanted for her own dog.

A happy tricolour collie grinning in the Tailwise rehab gym

Help every dog and cat move freely, feel calm and love life — at any age.

A smiling woman hugging her spaniel in a sunny golden field

A city where rehab and behaviour care feel as normal as a yearly check-up.

A laughing woman cuddling her dog in a knitted hat on a hillside walk

Who we are

Pepper, a black-and-white rescue dog, grinning on a yellow backdrop
Pepper, Chief Greeter

In 2018, Dr. Maya Ortiz adopted Pepper — a scrappy black-and-white rescue who’d lost a back leg to an old injury.

Pepper needed strength work, hydrotherapy and a little help with her nerves around other dogs. Maya, a rehab vet, couldn’t find one place in Austin that did all three under one roof. So she built it.

Tailwise opened on Larkspur Lane in 2019 with one warm pool, one mat and a very opinionated three-legged receptionist. Today we’re a team of 12 certified specialists — vets, physio and hydro therapists, behaviour coaches — who treat every pet the way we treat Pepper: as a whole animal, with a body, a brain and a big personality.

Pepper still clocks in most mornings. She’s nine, hops faster than you’d think, and personally inspects every new patient.

2,400+
Pets helped since our doors opened in 2019.
96%
Of owners see real progress within 4 weeks.
12
Certified specialists under one roof.
4.9
Average rating from 680 happy reviews.

At Tailwise, every plan starts with your pet, not a template. Four values shape every visit.

Patience Play Science Kindness
Why Tailwise

Why pets (and people) love it here

01

Vet-led, start to finish

Every plan is built and signed off by our rehab vets, then tuned week by week as your pet improves.

02

Fear-free from the front door

Non-slip floors, quiet rooms, no rushing and an endless supply of treats. Nervous pets set the pace here.

03

One roof, the whole pet

Physio, hydrotherapy and behaviour coaching share notes, so your pet’s body and brain get one joined-up plan.

04

Progress you can actually see

Video gait checks and a clear progress report every 4 weeks — no guessing whether it’s working.

05

Homework that fits real life

Ten-minute home routines, demoed in session and sent to your phone, so the good work keeps going.

06

Insurance made easy

Most policies cover rehab. We send itemised invoices and happily file the claim with your insurer for you.

Our team

Meet the pack

Four of our twelve specialists — and the furry colleagues who keep them honest.

Happy tails

Straight from the pet parents

  • Biscuit, a yellow LabradorBiscuit, 9 · Lab
    “After his knee surgery Biscuit wouldn’t even try the stairs. Eight weeks of pool and physio later, he beats me to the door.”
    Sarah Kim
  • Miso, a ginger-and-white catMiso, 12 · cat
    “I didn’t know cats did rehab. Leo got Miso jumping onto the sofa again — on her own terms, obviously.”
    Daniel Reyes
  • Waffles, a small fluffy Shih TzuWaffles, 2 · Shih Tzu
    “Jonah turned our bark-at-everything outings into actual walks. Honestly, he coached me as much as Waffles.”
    Aisha Thomas
  • Juno, a grey WeimaranerJuno, 4 · Weimaraner
    “Juno is a LOT of dog. Her fit plan finally burns that energy off — and she’s dropped the 4 kg our vet kept nagging about.”
    Marcus Lane
Tailwise

Every wag deserves a wellness plan.

Book a visit
Good questions

Things pet parents ask us

Everything you want to know before your first visit.

Not for behaviour coaching or fitness plans. For rehab after surgery we’ll ask your vet for notes — just give us their name and we handle the rest.

A relaxed 60-minute assessment: we watch how your pet moves, plays and reacts, talk through history and goals, then leave you with a written plan the same day.

Yes. Every pet wears a fitted life vest, a therapist is in the water with them, and first sessions are short, warm and full of treats.

Most policies cover rehab and physiotherapy. We send itemised invoices and can file the claim with your insurer for you.