The importance of warming up first
From swimmers to tennis players, all human athletes know it’s crucial to warm up before putting their body through its paces. The same applies for four-legged exercisers, especially if they have arthritis.
Warming up means getting your dog moving at a slow and easy pace before graduating to anything slightly more taxing. This allows your dog a chance to loosen stiff joints, stretch their muscles, and get joint fluid circulating. The result is greater range of movement and less pain for your dog, along with a reduced risk of reducing sprains and other injuries.
The following simple tips will help your arthritic dog warm up safely:
Once your pup is warmed up and ready to go, it’s time to try out some of the best exercises for dogs with arthritis.
Perhaps the simplest way to exercise a dog with arthritis is to take them for a walk. Of course, this will be a little different to the walks you and your pup used to enjoy when they were younger.
How long should you walk a dog with arthritis? That all depends on what your dog can handle — but know the pace will be a little slower and the distance shorter than what you once would have done. Short, leisurely strolls of 5 to 10 minutes might be plenty for some dogs, while others might be able to handle longer walks.
You should also keep your dog on a leash so you can stop them breaking into a run if they see someone or something exciting. Using a harness instead of a collar can also minimize the strain placed on their muscles.
Finally, while gentle inclines and declines are fine, avoid anything too steep.
Swimming is a low-impact form of exercise, so it’s a great choice for arthritic dogs. Going for a paddle places minimal stress on your dog’s joints while building muscles, increasing joint range of motion, and helping them lose weight at the same time.
The safest way to take your dog swimming is to look for an animal rehab or physio center near you that offers hydrotherapy. A dog-friendly swimming pool is also a good option, but sharing it with other dogs might cause some pets to get a little excited and over-exert themselves.
Alternatively, you could look for a lake, river, or dog-friendly beach near you. But just watch out for potential hazards in and around the water, such as soft sand, seaweed or strong currents.
Their joints may be stiff and sore, but your dog is still a super-powered sniffing machine — so why not use their amazing sense of smell to help them stay active?
Scent games essentially focus on teaching your dog to sniff out specific odors. For example, you might train them to sniff out treats you hide around the house, or play a game of hide-and-seek with you. Playing hide-and-seek with a tennis ball will also work well for ball-obsessed dogs.
Whichever option you choose, putting their nose to work is wonderful mental stimulation for your pup and a simple way to help keep them moving.
Also known as a balance board, a wobble board is best known for its use in agility training to build a dog’s strength and flexibility. But a wobble board can also be a very handy tool to help strengthen an arthritic dog’s joints and muscles.
The idea is that your dog stands on a tilting platform (the degree of tilt is set to meet your dogs needs) which shifts their weight from side to side, strengthening the supporting muscles in the process. An animal physiotherapist will be able to show you how to use a wobble board to help your dog’s arthritis.
Light activities such as walking and swimming help strengthen muscles, keep ligaments and tendons flexible, prevent obesity and circulate blood to stiff joints. Keep them short but regular — 15-30 minutes of activities five days a week is a great start. Swimming is especially great for dogs with arthritis because the water supports much of the bodyweight and inhibits sudden excessive movements. Cats with arthritis, meanwhile, may not be as keen to get in the water but can participate in short sessions of gentle play. Just remember to avoid activities in which your dog or cat has to leap, jump, turn quickly or run. They can cause damage to your pets joints. 3. Warm Up
Just because your pet has arthritis doesnt mean they are necessarily incapable of exercising. Staying active actually helps many arthritic pets that suffer from achy bones and joints. It is, however, vital you follow these five exercise tips before you begin an exercise routine with your pet. 1. Consult Your Veterinarian First
Cool down periods are just as important as warming up for exercise. As your pet completes the exercise routine, they may be all wound up — jumping, running, or rough-housing. This is not good and can in fact be harmful. Try to calm them down and gradually reduce their heart rate to an optimal resting place. Cooling down also reduces stiffness and soreness by assisting the removal of lactic acids in the body. Massaging during “cool downs” improves the stiffness and muscle pain associated with arthritis too. : berna namoglu / Shutterstock5. Watch for Signs of Exertion
Be sure to watch for heavy panting, pain or other signs of overexertion. If they do occur stop the activity immediately and consult a veterinarian. Pushing forward with the exercising can cause injury, especially if your pet isnt accustomed to a lot of activity.
A minute or two of walking or gentle playing before initiating low-impact exercise activities will help pets with arthritis move easier. It also helps reduce sprains, cramps, and muscle injuries as well as gradually increases their heart rate. If your pet is reluctant to start moving because of aching joints, try a little incentive like a small healthy treat or positive affection (petting, hugging, etc.). A positive exercise experience is a happy one. : Elena Stepanova / Shutterstock4. Cool Down
If your dog (and/or you) has been mostly sedentary during your 9 to 5 workweek, it can be tempting to cram in marathon exercise sessions on the weekends to make up for the lost time. This “Weekend Warrior Syndrome” is dangerous for you both, especially for your arthritic dog. Lacking the proper conditioning, your dog’s joints are more prone to injury during these marathon activity sessions, doing them more harm than good.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As is the case for any pet parent whose dog is suffering from arthritis, you know the symptoms all too well. You’ve watched your beloved pet slow down, see their difficulty getting up, and looked on as they limped (especially after exercise and at night). So, it’s not surprising if your first instinct may be to let them relax and rest as much as they like.
We’ll leave you with one last final thing to keep in mind: something is always better than nothing.
Regular exercise is an absolute must for any arthritic dog – it’s just a matter of finding that perfect balance.
So how do you exercise your dog in a way that will give them all these wonderful benefits, while still keeping them safe and pain-free?
Is Walking Good For Dogs With Arthritis? What Other Exercises Can They Do?
Tracy Jaffe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Otis was our bighearted bloodhound, whom we loved dearly. He had an active life playing with our three other dogs and going for long walks every morning and evening with us. But when he was 8 years old, his lifestyle completely changed. He experienced a knee injury that required surgery, and he later developed osteoarthritis from that injury.
As faculty members at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, we see approximately 100 dogs and cats in our hospital daily. Our job is to diagnose and treat medical conditions these animals are experiencing, and when necessary, perform surgery on patients whose condition is severe.
Like Otis, many of our patients suffer from canine osteoarthritis – the most common orthopedic disorder that we see in our clinic. More than 20% of dogs over the age of 1 in North America are thought to be affected by osteoarthritis. Common activities like going for long walks, running and playing often become more difficult for dogs with this condition.