Dog arthritis how much exercise

Check to see if there are any canine friendly hydrotherapy centers, pools, public beaches, or dog parks with a water feature available in your area.

Walking around the neighborhood or at a nearby park is an easy way to keep our dogs active. Try some short sessions of tug or fetch. Pay attention to your dog afterwards to watch for any signs of discomfort. If your dog has trouble afterwards switch up the routine to something a little gentler. I play fetch with Laika in the living room; the carpet is a nice soft surface, and I bounce the ball rather than encouraging her to jump and catch it.

Try out a few indoor games to see which activities your dog enjoys. Watch your dog afterwards for any signs of discomfort. If your dog is achy afterwards it means they session was too long, or that the activity itself is too high impact. But low-impact exercise such as walking combined with a diet is extremely beneficial to arthritic pets.

Jessica Vogelsang. Dogs with arthritis should not be encouraged to jump or run around excessively. If your dog has arthritis avoid activities that promote a lot of jumping or running such as frisbee and long distance fetch.

You may also want to discourage sitting pretty or having your dog walk on their hind legs since it causes a lot of stress on those joints.

At the end of an exercise take some extra time to relax and concentrate on making your dog comfortable. Heat can help soothe achy joints so I often warm up a heating pad and put it on her hips for 10 minutes. I also give her a nice doggie massage after the heat treatment. All dogs can benefit from more interactive play and mental stimulation.

So throughout the day add in a few extra games and activities for your dog to enjoy in doors. Unfortunately arthritis is progressive, and there will still be days when your dog shows discomfort. Even with precautions Laika still has bad days every once in a while.

And on those days she gets pain relievers and plenty of rest. They relieve inflammation and can help cartilage regeneration. Talk to your veterinarian about pain management options, and find a medication that works for your dog.

We still go for adventures everyday and play lots of tug. Laika still swims, walks, hikes, tugs, fetches, does nose work, and plays lots of games.

It took me awhile to learn that lesson. How do you exercise your arthritis dog? Do you go swimming a lot with your dog? Do you try and get in a daily walk or two? Did I miss any activities you still enjoy with your arthritic dog?

I am not a veterinarian; please consult a professional if you suspect your dog has arthritis or if you want help coming up with a management plan for the condition. This post is meant for informational purposes to show that arthritic dogs can and should remain active. Thanks for this post. Walking seems to be the best activity for her. It came on slowly with Laika and I attributed it to normal aging.

I was really shocked when she got the diagnosis at the age of 3. But luckily we have an amazing vet whose been extremely helpful in encouraging us to try various treatment options. What a great article and so timely right now for Haley. I am going to look into Adequan injections too. Right now I am doing a liver cleanse to help clean out his body of toxins. I have heard from multiple people that they love Rejenease though.

My sister Katie loves walking, she is real slow these days, but she still wants to walk. Quite the contrary! A lack of exercise for dogs with arthritis has several negative consequences, such as decreased flexibility, increased joint pain and stiffness, and poor muscle strength. Low-impact exercises can help improve arthritis by increasing muscle strength and joint mobility, decreasing the need for pain medications , and decreasing stress on joints. Controlled leash walks should be short, perhaps even as short as 5 to 10 minutes.

For dogs with arthritis, short and frequent walks are better than fewer and longer walks. Keep a few extra things in mind when walking a dog with arthritis :. Aquatic therapy is highly recommended as a dog arthritis treatment because it places minimal stress on the joints and improves range of motion, among other benefits. Dogs typically swim with their front limbs, so swimming is especially beneficial for dogs with arthritis in their front limbs.

Your veterinarian might recommend more controlled exercises instead of swimming for your dog. Physical therapy , such as the popular underwater treadmill, comprises a wide range of exercises for dogs with arthritis. The balance board, or wobble board, is another popular physical therapy exercise. As a dog stands on the balance board, they are continually shifting their weight to remain balanced, which strengthens their muscles.

Massages improve blood flow, decrease joint pain, and improve flexibility. Your veterinarian can show you simple at-home massage techniques. You can also seek out a Certified Canine Massage Therapist for professional dog massage therapy.

Arthritis is painful, but affected dogs can still be physically active. Work with your veterinarian to develop the right arthritis treatment plan for your dog. Have fun and enjoy the opportunity to exercise in new ways with your four-legged friend. Arthritis is an infamous problem among dogs. Many vets and dog owners struggle for years, trying to control the lameness, soreness, and reduced activity level associated with canine osteoarthritis It is never easy to see a beloved pet and friend in pain.

Medical treatment of denerative joint disease has greatly improved. Dogs and cats get arthritis just like many of us do. Ideally we want to avoid these periods when are pets are worse following their exercise, so it may be up to us as their owners to limit how much they do. It may suit them better to take them on several short walks each day, rather than one long walk.

Keep their exercise pattern as regular as possible — try to avoid short walks during the week and a really long walk at the weekend. Not only do we need to consider the distance that we walk our arthritic pets, but also the terrain upon which we ask them to walk. Sand, gravel and rocks underfoot can exacerbate an unstable gait, and may be particularly difficult to navigate if your dog is trying to protect certain painful joints as they move. We should also think about the gradient on which they are walking; going up and down steep hills puts excessive pressure on the downhill joints and may be painful for them.

Flat, smooth, even ground, such as a grassy field, is the ideal terrain for an arthritic dog. While we should always consider the weather when we walk our dogs, it becomes even more important to do so if your dog has arthritis. It is well documented in people that cold, wet weather exacerbates arthritic pain; the same appears to be the case with dogs.

Their joint pain generally worsens as the temperature falls. This may mean shorter walks through winter, the need for jumpers or coats and perhaps even increased pain relief following veterinary recommendation.

As mentioned above, the adrenaline which is released while they are doing such activities can initially mask the pain, which is only felt later when they get home and the inflammation in their joints has been exacerbated by the high intensity exercise.