Winter Bliss: Let Happy Joints Sleigh the Day
Lubricated joints is essential for a healthy happy dog. Keep your dog moving with these entertaining activities and therapeutic healing options. Ensuring a life of tail wags and a healthy joint care journey!
1. Go for daily walks to keep up on exercise. Moving the joints stimulates the production of synovial fluid which is key in keeping your dog’s joints healthy and active.
2. Water therapy or swimming is great for dogs with arthritis or extra weight since it eases the pain and stress on the joints but allows the dog to move increasing blood flow to the area.
3. Get your dog a heated pet bed to help reduce stiffness or place a heating pad in the bed. Heat increases blood flow allowing relief from stiff joints and for further muscle relaxation.
4. Cover surfaces by with rugs or carpet runners to prevent slips and falls reducing the risk of inflammation caused by injury. As dog’s age inflammation builds up and dogs are not able to bounce back as quickly. Inflammation disrupts the normal production and balance of synovial fluid in a dog’s joint.
5. Give your dog a massage therapy session to loosen stiff muscles and improve circulation. Rubbing the thigh or glute muscle using your thumbs and applying gentle pressure will help make your dog feel more relaxed.
6. On a daily basis, give your dog supplements daily which contain glucosamine and chondroitin both which sulfate help build cartilage formation and prevent synovial fluid breakdown.
7. Train your dog to balance on unstable surfaces to help strengthen core muscles. Stronger muscles result in stronger joints. Muscles help to absorb the stress that joints typically bear from direct impact.
