28/11/2024
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It's that time of the year again when we are needing our warm clothes and jackets....But don’t forget providing warmth is one of the most important things you can do for your dog inside and outside the home, helping to keep our fur babies joints and muscles nice and warm during the upcoming winter months.
🥶 Cold joints get stiff and sore. If your dog has arthritis it tends to be worse over winter when it's cold and damp. By keeping your dog warm you can help to alleviate some of the pain of arthritis.
When cartilage between your dog’s joints degrades, this can cause painful swelling and stiffness. The simple act of moving, often becomes unbearable. Arthritis is more common in senior dogs, but it can affect dogs of all breeds and ages. So to reduce pain and help your dog feel more comfortable here are a few steps you can take as those temperatures drop.
🥶 Manage your dog’s joint pain on walks by providing a warm dog jacket. Dog coats come in a range of sizes and include waterproof and windproof options. An ideal coat should be the correct size and well fitted to the individual dog. It needs to reach from the neck to the base of the tail and protect the chest, hips and abdomen.
Remember not to keep them outdoors in the cold for too long. Coats do not protect dogs from frostbites on ears, nose, tail, and paws.
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🥶No matter the weather, your arthritic dog needs exercise throughout the winter to keep joints lubricated and moving. The ideal time to exercise dogs outdoors in the winter, is late morning to early afternoon, as this tends to be the warmest time of the day. Keep it low-impact and don’t over do it. Take them on gentle shortwalks multiple times a day. Keep in mind that slippery ice, snow (if we get it ) and uneven surfaces are particularly tough on the joints of arthritic dogs, so only walk on cleared paths.
Due to reduced daylight hours in the winter it is a good idea to ensure your dogs are seen out on walks in reduced visibility. Fluorescent coats, high visibility leads and lights attached to the collar are just some of the ideas that will help ensure your dog is seen.
If the weather is too harsh to be outside, get your dog up to play and encourage them to move around the house.
Provide mental stimulation indoors by providing them with feeding enrichment or other activities to prevent boredom.
💡 Did you know that 15minutes of mental stimulation equates to 1hour of physical exercise for dogs!
Here are some idea's below to help stimulate you dog;
Lick mats
Filled Kongs
Snuffle mats
Scatter feeding
Hide & seek games
💡Remember to wash paws after every walk, especially if walking in areas where there is grit or salt, as this can be toxic to dogs if licking at paws and can cause burns to their pads.
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🥶Colder temperatures and damp weather might make it harder for your pooch to get up and down or move around comfortably, especially overnight, try to warm them up by providing a pet-safe heated blanket or heating pad for them to sleep on. The little extra warmth may help encourage your dog to get up and move first thing in the morning! A warm towel over a radiator to dry your dog after their walk or a heat pad/hottie to drape across sore joints will come as a welcome relief.
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🥶In this cold, damp weather please don't forget to bring drying coats/ dressing gowns/jackets to put on your fur babies after each session at Gatehouse🥰
Gorgeous Rosie is always prepared when she comes for her Hydrotherapy sessions.
Doesn’t she look cosy wrapped in her warm drying coat 😁🥰🥰🥰
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