Exercises for your Arthritic Pets

If your pet has arthritis, then you will want to encourage that dog or cat to exercise his or her limbs every day. You will have to help your pet with this endeavor because he or she probably will not be motivated to do so on his or her own. Helping your pet to stay active despite arthritis can help the lessen pain on achy bones or joints. Before you start helping your pet with arthritic exercises, it is important that you consult your veterinarian. You will want to make sure that your pet is physically fit before you start changing the animal’s exercise routine. If your vet approves exercise, then you should try to help your pet practice low-impact exercise.

Activities like walking or swimming can strengthen muscles and keep ligaments and tendons flexible while preventing obesity and circulating blood to stiff joints. A 15-30 minute walk or swim at least five days a week is a great way to start. You will want to make sure to give your pet a short warm up before the actual exercise so that your pet will move easier once your start the actual exercise session. Veterinarians often suggest taking an arthritic dog for a swim as often as possible. If you have a cat with arthritis, chances are that your feline won’t want to take a dip in the pool. Instead, you may want to encourage your cat into gentle sessions of play.

Make sure that none of the activities involve jumping, leaping, or running. After your exercise is complete, you will want to let your pet cool down. Try to calm your animal and help them to reduce their heart rate to an optimal resting place. If your pet seems exerted during exercise then you will want to lessen the severity of the activity. You may want to stop exercising your pet and take him or her to the vet if you notice that your pet always seems to be in pain or is not able to exercise as he or she used to. Make sure to have a local vet that you can contact when your pet’s arthritis acts up.