Exercising Dogs With Osteoarthritis
There are some types of exercise for dogs with arthritis that are better suited to them, because they need to be. A dog dealing with arthritis or Osteoarthritis is already experiencing enough, so the right kind of exercise can be hugely impactful on their life. So, here’s everything you need to know about exercise for dogs with arthritis…
Should Dogs with Osteoarthritis Exercise?
It’s a really important question, because it seems like it has an obvious answer. If your dog is struggling with Osteoarthritis and movement, that movement should be what they avoid – but it’s actually seen as beneficial to encourage movement. Exercise for dogs with arthritis can be safely done.
Short answer, yes – exercise is considered essential
It's sort of like keeping your car well oiled to function properly. When a dog moves, it encourages the production of synovial fluid, which is the liquid in the joint that helps to reduce painful symptoms and keep the joint healthy.
Keeping a lean weight when dogs get the right amount of exercise helps to reduce the amount of extra pressure on their joints. When they’re regularly using their muscles, it also helps to keep them strong, so that they’re not putting additional pressure on their joints. Plus, when they’re able to move outside and sniff around, it’s widely known to help keep them calm.
Benefits of exercise for dogs with Osteoarthritis
There are more benefits that come with exercise for dogs with arthritis than you’d think.
Maintains the synovial fluid in the joint
If a dog has arthritis, they more than to not have enough of synovial fluid in the joint to help it function as it usually does. When they move and exercise, the fluid helps the joint feel and function smoother. It’s also known to give the cartilage a helping hand. Cartilage in the joint doesn’t have its own blood supply, so to give it the nutrients it needs, it tends to rely on the synovial fluid.
Builds muscle mass
When a dog has stronger muscles, they’re a helpful, stabilizing force for a dog’s body. It ends up putting less pressure on the joints and stops the muscles from atrophying – which is essentially a loss of the muscle mass. Healthier muscles, healthier joint health.
Releases endorphins to reduce pain
When a dog exercises, just like us humans, their body releases endorphins. These are chemicals that help the body deal with pain.
Weight loss
When a dog maintains a lean weight, overall, they tends to put less pressure on their joints. So, exercising keeps them using the energy they’ve got properly and keeps them at a healthy weight.
Helps mental well-being
When dogs are on a walk or exercising outside and have time to sniff their surroundings, it actually helps them to relax. It's widely know that sniffing stimulates the brain and keeps their cognition in good health.
Risks of too much of the wrong exercise for dogs with arthritis
Exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis can sometimes do more harm than good, but it all depends on what that exercise is.
“If a dog already has Osteoarthritis, doing too much exercise can fatigue the body, causing stress,” says Dr. Valerie Henry, DVM. “Stress can make the body not function correctly. If the dog is doing exercises that do not benefit the area that has Osteoarthritis then the dog will be hurting and other areas will potentially get injured.”
How Osteoarthritis Affects Movement in Dogs
As most of us know, Osteoarthritis, a condition that affects a dog’s joints and overall mobility and it’s incredibly painful for our pups. But, how does it really affect their movement and how we exercise dogs with arthritis? Let’s get into it…
What Osteoarthritis does to joints
A healthy joint has an important tissue at the end of the bones, called cartilage. Cartilage absorbs a lot of the shock from movement, so when they move, it’s as smooth and pain-free as possible.
Whether it’s down to getting older and natural ‘wear and tear’ or a dog has experienced other factors, like becoming obese or having experienced an injury or surgery, sometimes, this cartilage wears away.
When the cartilage wears away, the bones can then start to interact with each other. This causes a lot of friction, which can then trigger a cycle of inflammation and then ultimately, pain.
When the cartilage breaks down into literal pieces, it tends to sit in the synovial fluid. The tends to body registers this as a foreign invader, so it sends a signal to defend against this, usually causing inflammation in the joint.
Exercise for dogs with arthritis should aim to try and maintain the integrity of the joint as much as possible, to try and avoid causing further inflammation.
Why inactivity can make arthritis worse
When a dog tends to stop moving, it can actually make their Osteoarthritis seem and feel worse.
That all-important joint fluid can become thicker and less effective at supporting bones and cartilage in the joint.
It also affects a dog’s muscles. The less they move, sometimes, the more their muscles can lose their mass – otherwise known as muscle atrophy. When this happens, their joints tend to experience increased pressure.
Some dogs can experience weight gain. When dogs are overweight, this adds more pressure for their joints to carry, which can, in most cases, cause inflammation.
Finally, when a dog moves less, they’re not using the other elements that are in the joint, like the connective tissues, ligaments and tendons. These can become shorter if not regularly used, which affects a dog’s flexibility and range of motion.
So, exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis is super important and should be taken seriously.
Understanding pain vs stiffness
This is a tricky area to understand, because the two look very similar.
When a dog is experiencing stiffness, it tends to be after long periods of rest or if the weather’s cold outside. A good test that most dog owners tend to do, is observe their dogs after they get up or start moving in the first five to ten minutes to see if their movement looks smoother. Sometimes, in these cases, the synovial fluid takes time to ‘warm up’, so after those few minutes, they should look like their movement is smooth.
A dog tends to experience pain during movement or exercise and it usually gets worse the more they move. If they’re moving around it starts to get worse, this is usually a sign of pain. Dogs can also start to pant or lick their joints to express their pain, tremble and act more aggressive or withdraw. There are a few early signs of arthritis to take a look into while you're here.
It’s important if you’re concerned about knowing if it's stiffness or pain your dog is experiencing to consult your vet.
Best Types of Exercise for Dogs with Arthritis
So, what does the research say about the best types of exercise for dogs with arthritis? Let’s delve deep into peer-reviewed research that can help point you in the right direction.
Underwater treadmill therapy exercise for dogs with arthritis
According to a pilot study published in the National Library of Medicine, the dogs in the study showed measurable improvements in joint range of motion after 10 underwater treadmill sessions. Overall, they found that it reduces joint load and increases range of motion – all supported by studies on aquatic exercise in dogs.
Swimming exercise for dogs with arthritis
According to a controlled study published in the National Library of Medicine, structured swimming exercises over weeks improved clinical signs and biomarker profiles for dogs with hip Osteoarthritis.
Physiotherapy exercise for dogs with arthritis
Another study published in the National Library of Medicine recommends walking, range of motion (ROM) exercise and strength exercises as regular, low-impact exercises for managing Osteoarthritis.
General scientific guidance on exercise for dogs with arthritis
Focused on ways to exercise a dog with Osteoarthritis, you’ll find guidance and primary studies on the benefits of walking and swimming as exercise for dogs with arthritis at the link above.
Check DVM360 out, too. They're great resource that summarizes the evidence of exercise and hydrotherapy and their benefits for dogs with Osteoarthritis – all based on American Animal Hospital Association guidelines.
Exercises to Avoid for Dogs with Osteoarthritis
There are some types of exercise for dogs with arthritis that are best to avoid. Let’s get into it…
High-impact activities to avoid when exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis
- Ball launchers and using ‘chuck it’ toys – this causes a sprint, followed by a hard break.
- Frisbees and jumping – this puts a lot of pressure on their joints when they land.
- Running up and down stairs.
- Wrestling with younger, faster dogs – there’s no guarantee of how gentle this will be, if this could cause more pressure on their joints.
- Scurrying on hardwood flooring.
Sharp turns and stops to avoid when exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis
- High-speed fetch – this can put pressure on their joints as described above.
- Agility weave poles and tunnels – their legs push off at different angles and speeds here, which could potentially irritate joints.
- Zoomies on hardwood, laminate flooring.
- Wrestling with younger, faster dogs.
- Chasing laser pointers.
Jumping, stairs and slippery surfaces to avoid when exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis
In everyday life, these are the types of movements and exercise for dogs with arthritis that should be avoided or improved with helpful tools like ramps or helpful harnesses. Specific examples include; jumping on and off the couch, getting into and out of the car, steep stairs and super slick flooring.
FAQs
Should you exercise a dog with arthritis?
In short, yes, you should exercise a dog with arthritis. But, your vision of what exercise might actually involve might change. A healthy dog without arthritis is able to move without any pain, so they are more likely to take on high-impact activities like running and frisbees and fetch.
When a dog has arthritis, moving is more difficult. They experience a lot more pain when they move. It does depend on how severe their arthritis is, but overall, they should be moving and exercising in a more low-impact style. So, a slow, shorter walk or swimming, tend to be better options for them.
Exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis has benefits, but it’s the type of exercise, the intensity and how long they exercise for that tends to be better for a dog with arthritis.
Can I walk my dog with Osteoarthritis?
To keep things simple, yes, it’s generally acceptable to walk a dog with Osteoarthritis. But, what will change is how and for how long. A dog with Osteoarthritis is dealing with a lot of pain in their joints, which can make movement look and feel incredibly painful.
While it may seem counterintuitive to walk a dog with Osteoarthritis, it has a lot of benefits. It supports and maintains the synovial fluid that lubricates the joint, keeps their muscles and the muscle mass healthy. Plus, going out into the world and letting them sniff around provides benefits for their mental well-being.
The changes that are usually made for walking a dog with Osteoarthritis, include; shorter walks (for example, three 10 minute walks instead of one 30 minute walk), letting them warm up for 5 minutes before going on a walk, trying to actively look for more firm, level and joint-friendly routes and surfaces (try to avoid things like deep mud and slippery grass).
Does exercise make Osteoarthritis better or worse?
This question has two answers. Exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis can make their Osteoarthritis worse, but it can also help. It depends on the severity of a dog’s Osteoarthritis, the intensity of the exercise and the amount of exercise.
Exercise can make Osteoarthritis better, by helping maintain the synovial fluid in the joint. When this liquid is functioning properly, it supports the joint by cushioning the impact a joint experiences, as well as provides nutrients to cartilage in the joint, which doesn’t have its own blood supply. So, at a cellular level, when a joint is properly lubricated, movement is smoother and less painful.
When a dog exercises, they also work and strengthen their muscles. This is super important, because a sore joint needs all the support it can get. A strong, active muscle helps this.
Exercise also keeps a dog at a healthy weight. The ideal weight for a dog is to be lean. If you feel the side of their stomach, you should feel a light layer of fat and then their ribcage. When a dog is overweight or obese, this can actually put a lot of pressure on their joints and make the state of their joints worse.
Exercise can make Osteoarthritis worse, when it’s the wrong type. For example, if they are doing high-impact exercises, this can cause further damage. Sharper turns are harsh on the joints and so are hard to grip or uneven surfaces.
What can I do to help my dog with Osteoarthritis?
There are lots of great ways that you can help a dog with Osteoarthritis.
At home, you could try making a few modifications. The goal is to try and make the flooring and heights more accessible, so you can try to use things like yoga mats where they walk frequently or things like foam stairs and ramps, so they can move between the sofa and the floor easier. You can also try and raise the height of their food bowl, so they’re not bending down and over to eat. The distribution of weight is a little more even this way.
The most important thing you, as a dog owner, can influence, is their weight. When they have a balanced, well-proportioned diet, this contributes to them maintaining a lean weight. The more weight they carry, the more likely they are to experience inflammation and therefore, pain. There are tons of supplements that contain Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM that support this diet, too, so try and look into adding these to their diet.
Shorter, low-impact exercise is also another way you can help your dog with Osteoarthritis. They should get as much movement in as possible, but ensure it’s the right kind and the right amount. Consult your vet for more detailed guidance.
If they are experiencing more severe Osteoarthritis, there are more extreme treatments, like injections. Consult your vet for more information.
To Sum Up
Exercising dogs with Osteoarthritis can be beneficial, but there’s also types of exercise for dogs with arthritis that aren’t as beneficial. It’s all about making smart swaps.
From switching to high-impact activities to more low-impact, maintaining a lean weight and including supportive supplements, there are a few ways to really make your dog’s quality of life better. All you have to do is make a start.
