Understanding Arthritis in Dogs
Pain from arthritis will ”switch” off surrounding muscles which mean the joint becomes more unstable and more painful. This starts a downward spiral of pain and weakness. Then there can be additional muscle loss simply if your dog is a senior. This is called sarcopenia. As humans, and dogs, get older our muscles naturally get smaller and weaker adding to pain and further loss of function. Strengthening exercises helps break this cycle and helps rebuild muscle loss. Real-Life Success Stories![]() Marlie, 1 year old Diagnosed with hip dysplasia and predicted to need surgery in 6 months. With exercise and care, Marlie has been able to avoid surgery (saving her mumma about $15,000), her muscles have built up again and she is less stiff and sore. Winter, 9 years old Winter was slowing down on her walks but with exercise therapy she was able to walk further and faster and jump higher. Want to start some exercises???Start with these...... Cavaletti Poles These poles are excellent for improving balance and coordination. They encourage your dog to lift their legs higher, which strengthens the muscles supporting the arthritic joints, and also helps loosen stiff joints. Two Up This exercise involves your dog placing their front paws on an elevated surface, which helps build strength in their hind legs. Guide your dog up and down the step. More energy and strengthAfter about 3 weeks of exercises your dog’s muscles should become visibly a bit bigger and you should notice that they move better, like a little pep has returned in their step!! Remember though - the rules for muscle growth is that they need to be regularly, they need to be challenging enough and they need to be targeting the right muscles. Want to know how to do all the right exercises, in the right quantity and the right amount of difficulty? Check out the course “Home treatment for arthritic dogs”, there is an 8 week exercise program that slowly increases with difficulty to keep those muscles growing and getting stronger! It also includes lots of other strategies to help you manage your dog’s arthritis - like Weight Management, Supplements, Home Modifications and Laser Therapy. Meet your instructor!Hello!
I'm Kylie Marks, a husky mum, physio, and exercise advocate for dogs. I believe that with easy and cost effective exercises, we can help our dogs move better, experience less pain, and live longer!!
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AuthorDr. Angelique Barbara is the founder of Angel's Animals LLC, a company that has developed online animal bodywork courses for both owners and professionals. Dr. Barbara's unique teaching style along with the dynamic layout of the courses allows people of different educational backgrounds from all over the world to benefit from her knowledge. Archives
May 2024
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