Keeping pets active is essential, but this importance increases with age and developing health concerns. On top of that, Midwest winters can limit opportunities for outdoor fun, especially if you or your pet are not a fan of the cold.
Appropriate activities for each pet will depend on their age and pre-existing health conditions, so figuring out exactly what types of movements are best for their pet can be challenging for some pet owners. The same can be said for training. Working with and training your dog has many benefits, including solidifying the bond with the people they train with and acting as a great enrichment activity that fulfills mental and physical stimulation needs.
While the benefits of movement and stimulation are undisputed, actually planning and sticking to effective movement and exercise schedules is a lot easier said than done for most pet parents. The good news is that we have some great recommendations to help exert energy for your pet and maintain their summer endurance. Let's explore some ways to keep them moving!
Aurora K9 Fit: Dog Rehabilitation & Wellness in Aurora, Ohio
A hidden gem within our practice is the rehabilitation services offered through Aurora K9 Fit. Located at our Aurora Veterinary Clinic, treatment through Aurora K9 Fit is available for both established patients and those referred to us from outside veterinary care. These services are structured to cater to each pet's individual needs, considering their age, health conditions, and fitness levels to provide the best outcomes.
Most owners appreciate the need for rehab after surgery or injury, but there are opportunities to facilitate weight loss, maintain muscle mass, or start endurance training, too. The programs we utilize include sessions with our Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioners, who guide pet owners and their pets through the exercises and provide advice and recommendations whenever possible.
To best serve the needs of all kinds of dogs, Aurora K9 Fit has a great variety of tools and options to get your dog moving, including an underwater treadmill, e-stimulation, and ground exercise equipment to create purposeful movements. The duration and cost of the program vary depending on the pet's needs and the chosen services -- we do our best to have something for every dog!
Our underwater treadmill is the most impressive piece of equipment in our toolbox. It is a safe modality for puppies, adults, and senior dogs when used properly and under the supervision of veterinary professionals. According to one of our Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioners, Lerrissa Schmalzried CCRP, RVT, your pet will be able to burn three times more calories in water versus land. Utilizing the underwater treadmill allows different muscles to be engaged. The buoyancy of the water provides more stability, allowing the pet to increase the flexion and extension of their joints as they move. The water temperature is maintained at 85 degrees F, which increases circulation and muscle relaxation, furthering the flexibility of the joints. This magic temperature is great even for our brachycephalic or "smushed face" dogs because it doesn't lead to overheating of their body either!
Customization can take a therapy session and turn it into endurance training. During sessions, adjustment to the speed and incline or utilization of water jets can create more resistance. According to Schmalzried, studies have found that movement at a 20% incline has been shown to facilitate muscle building. Traditional swimming is available, but it is dependent on the dog's weight due to the tank's size. Whether you are looking to facilitate low-impact weight loss, alleviate cabin fever, or create and maintain endurance, the underwater treadmill is an amazing tool.
For patients unable to complete purposeful movements, the e-stimulation machine can create a muscle contraction. This simulates the movements the animal cannot create on its own, allowing for muscle mass redevelopment and maintenance. Other resources available through our rehabilitation practitioners include ground exercise work via Cavaletti rails, physio balls, and tilt or wobble boards.
What You Can Do to Exercise Your Dog At Home
During a consultation with our rehabilitation practitioners at Aurora K9 Fit, your pet is evaluated to establish their current abilities and muscle mass. From there, a plan and goals can be created. To be successful, the plan must be approachable.
Our practitioners will work with you to create a home exercise plan that is tailored to your pet's needs, considering their age, health conditions, and fitness levels. Implementing a positive change through physical exercise cannot just happen once a week when you come into our facility; it needs to be worked on at home, too!
At-Home Tools for Exercising Your Dog
Although we can direct you to traditional but often expensive equipment, we champion using objects you already have. Multiple ways exist to create alternative walking surfaces that activate muscles with weight-shifting and balance-targeting proprioception. Careful arrangement of memory foam pillows or removing couch cushions to create a stable surface is one example. Gravel that is pebble-like, sand, and grass are also great surfaces to utilize for your pet versus hard concrete, which is very harsh for the joints.
Cavaletti rails can be created at home with broomsticks and old paint cans to have your pet slowly maneuver over them. Figure 8 arrangements can be made with any objects in your home, including chairs, ottomans, boxes, etc. Think of ways to combine the individual exercises into an obstacle course for a challenge as your pet progresses through the treatments. No matter how you implement these exercises, they must be completed slowly or on a leash to keep your pet safe and achieve the desired benefits. Therapy through physical movement is so impactful for your pet.
Other exercises Schmalzried recommends are sit-to-stand exercises to target thigh muscles, slope walking to target flexion and extension of the front and back legs, using stairs in your home, and cookie stretches. Yes, cookie stretches are as great as they sound. Put your dog in a sitting position and have them track a cookie or treat as far as they can, only moving their neck left, right, up, and down! This stretch targets the cervical portion of the spine, i.e., the neck! Just like for us, stretching is important.
Aurora K9 Fit for Dog Nutrition and Weight Loss
Aurora K9 Fit rehabilitation services extend past exercises, advocating for the importance of nutrition, too. When the overall goal is weight loss for your pet, a food calculation provides a tailored recommendation; whether this includes the amount of calories or the type of food, your pet now has a plan. This plan is now coupled with an exercise program designed by our rehab practitioners to utilize low-impact exercises and an underwater treadmill while your dog is dropping their extra weight. They can take thigh and abdominal circumference measurements to set realistic goals and track progress numerically for your pet.
Research done by the Purina Institute has proven that your dog being at an ideal or ideal-lean weight can increase their lifespan by two or more years. Improving fitness through healthy movement will not only make your pet happy but can ultimately increase the years you spend with them.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding our rehabilitation services through Aurora K9 Fit located at the Aurora Veterinary Clinic, nutrition, or weight loss, please give us a call to set up an appointment with one of our veterinarians or Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioners. Remember, our rehab practitioners consult on cases seen by veterinarians outside of our general practice, too!