During the summer many people go on holidays and bring the family dog. As well as encouraging owners to follow the usual Veterinary advice during hot weather, we as Vet Physios have further recommendations to support your dog’s health and avoid ruff trips.
How could our holiday impact my dog’s health?
Holidays can be very exciting for dogs as they enjoy new walks, sights and smells! However, their increased adrenaline levels combined with the change in routine often leads to them doing more exercise than usual. Extra time spent walking up and down hills or playing/swimming in water is particularly tiring, especially if it is not usually part of your dog’s exercise routine.
If dogs have health conditions such as osteoarthritis, hip/elbow dysplasia, cruciate ligament damage, and IVDD, the increased activity may cause these health conditions to worsen. Additionally, muscular fatigue in healthy dogs increases their risk of soft-tissue injuries, such as sprains and strains.
How can I support my dog?
Try to provide similar levels of rest and exercise to that of your dog’s normal routine; this will help to reduce the impact of new activities. Have regular breaks and limit activities such as playing fetch, hill-walking, and running on the beach to allow for rest and recovery.
Ensuring good quality sleep is particularly important so that your dog can fully recover. If your dog is crate-trained, bringing their crate provides a safe, familiar place to decompress. Providing supportive bedding in a quiet area allows for comfortable rest and helps reduce the risk of fatigue.
As Vet Physios, we can give more tailored advice on your dog’s fitness and health, helping to strengthen him or her and reducing the impact of any health conditions. We can also advise on lifestyle and environmental changes to support long-term health and recovery from injury.
Physiotherapy is generally covered by all pet insurance companies for diagnosed conditions. If you would like to discuss how physio could benefit your animal and more about the process find out more here, or contact us for more details.
To find out more about Shackleton physiotherapy, our backgrounds and work (Domestic animal rehabilitation, zoo consultancy, conference talks, workshops and training), click below.