Chronic pain, i.e. pain that is ongoing, often goes unrecognised because dogs rarely cry out or moan. Instead they change the way they sit, stand or move to accommodate their discomfort and carry on. As owners we often put the changes down to old age, the heat, the cold, the long walk they’ve just done, […]
Core Strength – What, Why, How
A dog’s core muscles help it to stand, sit and move with balance and control. To test how strong your dog’s core muscles are get them to stand still and count how many seconds they can remain still without shifting their weight or moving their feet. A strong dog should be able to manage 10 […]
Hip Dysplasia in Dogs
Dysplasia means improper growth and in the dog’s hip this tends to mean the hip socket becomes too shallow and doesn’t hold the head of the femur (thigh bone) firmly in place. This then means there is too much movement in the joint which can wear away the cartilage and cause arthritis and pain and […]
Arthritis in Dogs – 10 ways to help
Yes dogs get arthritis too, in fact it is estimated that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 6 have some degree of arthritis. Here are 10 ways to make life easier for them. Give your dog a soft bed. Memory foam mats are particularly good for dogs with arthritis as they are […]
Arthritis in Dogs
The word arthritis comes from the Greek – arthro meaning joint and itis meaning inflammation. Studies show up 4 out of 5 dogs over 6 years of age have arthritis. This means over 1 million dogs in the UK have arthritis. Arthritis in dogs is a progressive disease – i.e. it gets worse over time […]
Elbow Dysplasia
Dysplasia is the term used when something doesn’t grow properly – in this case the elbow joint. The elbow is the coming together of 3 bones – the humerus in the upper leg, and the ulna and radius in the lower leg. If any of these grow incorrectly the joint will not be able to […]
Joint Pain – 5 clues to help you spot the signs
Joint pain is generally caused by arthritis. Arthritis occurs following damage to the joint and causes extra bony growths to form which wear away the cartilage which usually protects the joint. The surfaces of the bones which form the joint then rub against each other during movement and that causes pain. The damage to […]
Canine Fitness
Canine fitness is important if we want our dogs to be healthy and able to live a comfortable and active life. Dogs, like humans, are becoming more sedentary and can succumb to the same medical conditions as humans if they don’t exercise regularly and eat well. In order to move well dogs need good muscle health. […]
Stress and Anxiety – Ways to Reduce it.
Massage Therapy Massage is well recognised as a way of reducing the effects of stress. It can help remove tension from muscles by lengthening and straightening out the muscle fibres. It can open up the blood vessels which brings more oxygen and nutrients to all the organs of the body helping them to work […]
Stress and Anxiety – Causes and Signs
When a dog feels stressed or anxious it’s body gets ready to respond. This is commonly known as the fight or flight response. The sympathetic nervous system causes the pupils of the eyes open up to allow more light in and improve vision, breathing speeds up to get more oxygen into the body, blood vessels […]