{"id":258280,"date":"2022-05-31T04:35:25","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T04:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevillagevet.com.au\/?p=258280"},"modified":"2024-05-01T11:30:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T01:30:06","slug":"exercise-for-senior-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevillagevet.com.au\/2022\/05\/31\/exercise-for-senior-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise for Senior Dogs<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Photo Credit: pxhere.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe they can\u2019t run, jump and spin anymore but there\u2019s lots you can do with your\u00a0arthritic<\/a>\u00a0dog!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if your dog shows signs of arthritis, it\u2019s still important to keep them active. There are many benefits in exercising your older dog, such as mental stimulation, heart health, maintenance of weight and keeping their muscles strong and supple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contrary to popular belief, lack of regular exercise can lead to further stiffness and injury. Maintaining a\u00a0healthy weight<\/a>\u00a0is one of the biggest things you can do to help your dog avoid the pain of arthritis.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best rule for exercising your older dog is this: little and often. It\u2019s important to keep those joints mobile, and several short walks throughout the day is much more effective than one long walk. In fact, one long walk once or twice a week can often make your dog feel much worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your dog is limping, it\u2019s important to seek advice and treatment from your vet to help devise a safe exercise program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Types of Exercise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gentle walks on grassy and uneven turf<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Uneven turf helps with \u2018proprioception\u2019 \u2013 the involuntary muscle contractions involved with keeping balance. Soft surfaces such as grass will help reduce the impact on their joints. Don\u2019t over-do walks, and always be on the look-out to see if your dog needs a rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swimming at the beach or pool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Non-weight bearing activities such as swimming will still work their muscles and heart, but without the impact on sore joints. We like to introduce swimming slowly and may even recommend a flotation vest!<\/p>\n\n\n\n