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, […]
Tag Archives | flexibility
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
By Louise Wilkes on 9th November 2017 in Arthritis in Dogs, Canine Hip Dysplasia, Joint Care in your dog, Massage
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 […]
Elbow Dysplasia
By Louise Wilkes on 19th June 2017 in Fitness, Joint Care in your dog, Lameness in Dogs, Massage, Puppy Care
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
By Louise Wilkes on 26th April 2017 in Arthritis in Dogs, Canine Hip Dysplasia, Joint Care in your dog, Lameness in Dogs, Senior Dogs and Elderly Dogs
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. […]
Cold Winter Nights
As the nights get colder we put on our thicker night clothes and maybe swap to a thicker duvet or use extra covers. We plug in the electric blanket and fill our hot water bottles but what about our dogs? What can we do to help them keep warm during the cold Winter nights? […]
Massage – Proactive or Reactive
By Louise Wilkes on 3rd July 2015 in Arthritis in Dogs, Canine Mobility Aids, Joint Care in your dog, Lameness in Dogs, Puppy Care
There are 2 aspects to massage. The proactive aspect where massage is used when your dog doesn’t have any mobility issues and the reactive aspect where massage is used to address mobility issues resulting from old age, joint problems or accidents. Massage is used proactively from puppyhood right through a dog’s life. With puppies massage […]
