By Dr. Rebecca MacMillan BVetMed BSAVA PGCertSAM MRCVS

Exercising your arthritic dog carefully is essential. After all, we want to keep these dogs moving so that they maintain muscle mass and a healthy body weight. But at the same time, we don’t want them overdoing things and making their sore joints even more uncomfortable. It’s a balancing act!

While your own vet is always best placed to advise you on your pet’s care, I have put together some general tips that may be helpful to consider. You should come away feeling more informed about how you might manage your dog’s condition, as well as having a few talking points to discuss at your next appointment.

Little and often is key

Generally, arthritic dogs will do much better having multiple shorter walks per day than they do having one much longer walk. This gives them time to rest between periods of exercise and means that they are less likely to overdo things. Dogs are not very good at knowing their limitations and it’s down to us to make sure our pets are receiving gentle and controlled exercise.

Keep a consistent routine

The mistake many owners make is to give their dog short walks during the week and then go for a much longer one at the weekend, when they have more spare time. While your dog may seem keen and able to exercise (thanks to excitement and adrenaline!) most of these dogs will struggle later that day or the next. So, stick to those shorter and more frequent walks all of the time, even at weekends.

Consider the terrain

The terrain has a big impact when exercising your arthritic dog. Shifting sand, unstable pebbles or sharp rocky ground can all make walking more physically challenging for dogs. For arthritic dogs, it risks jarring or twisting painful joints, but it can also be much more tiring. Additionally, walking up or down steep hills can put added pressure on joints, so your dog may also struggle with this.

Try hydrotherapy or physiotherapy

Many dogs with arthritis will start to suffer from muscle atrophy (wasting of the muscles). This can lead to further weakness and mobility issues. Physiotherapy involves exercises prescribed by professionals to target specific muscle groups and problem areas.

Hydrotherapy is similar but these exercises take place in water. This has the additional benefit of being low impact which is great for uncomfortable joints. Swimming can be a great form of exercise for animals with joint disease, as it supports their body weight while still allowing them to improve and build muscle mass.

Avoid sharp twists and turns

Take care when throwing balls or playing games that involve lots of running sharp twists or turns. This is a tricky one as dogs will often be happy and keen to play. Their joint pain is masked by excitement and adrenalin. However, later on, they will be much more uncomfortable, due to the extra inflammation caused by this high-intensity exercise. If you can’t avoid this type of play altogether, you should at least try and reduce the amount of time spent doing it. And take things at a steadier pace generally, your dog will thank you later.

Think about the weather

Just as with people, some dogs’ joints seem stiffer or more uncomfortable in cold weather. You could think about investing in a cosy dog jacket for your pet, especially if they are thin or have a short coat. When you get home from a wet walk, make sure your pet is gently towel dried, so they warm up again quicker. Slippery icy or snowy conditions can also be challenging for dogs with mobility issues, so skipping a walk or two might be best during a really cold snap.

Caution with swimming on walks

While swimming is a great form of exercise that many arthritic dogs enjoy, we need to take care. The swimming that your dog might do while out on walks rather is far less controlled than they would do in a hydrotherapy centre. Your dog may jump into the water fine, but arthritic joints can make climbing back out again a challenge, especially if there is a steep bank. Water currents that they used to cope with find previously, could now be too strong for them.

If your dog is a keen swimmer, make sure you find them somewhere they can enter and exit the water gradually. If water conditions look rough, then keep your pet on a lead to avoid them accidentally getting into difficulties.

Travelling to your walk

If travelling to your chosen walk requires a car journey, then you may need to invest in a ramp to help larger dogs get in the vehicle more easily. This can take training and patience to get your pet used to it. Smaller dogs can usually be lifted in and out. Jumping out of a car becomes uncomfortable for some dogs with arthritis, and downright impossible for others, so you need to adjust.  Your car should also have padded comfortable bedding as a hard floor will be uncomfortable for sore joints to lie on.

Follow your vet’s recommendations

I cannot stress this one enough – follow your vet’s advice! If your pet thinks your dog is sufficiently uncomfortable enough to require pain relief then follow their recommendations. This will help them to exercise more effectively and give them an overall better quality of life.

Some owners don’t believe their dog is in pain, despite having a limp or stiffness. This type of pain creeps on slowly with dogs learning to cope and put up with it over many months and years. Dogs are stoic, they don’t usually cry out or go off their food. We shouldn’t let them get to the point where they do.

Your vet will be able to advise you on the different treatments available and what might suit you and your dog best. Weight loss regimes or joint supplements may be discussed, as well as anti-inflammatories and other painkillers.

Summary

Exercising your arthritic dog is essential to maintain muscle mass, stop weight gain and support their mental well-being. But we must take care not to cause joint flare-ups, with increased inflammation and pain often occurring if your pet does too much. By adapting your approach to your pet’s exercise regime, you will be able to find the right balance to suit their needs.

Having a conversation with your vet about your dog is an important part of this, as pain relief, joint supplements or a weight loss diet will help them exercise much more effectively.

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