Keep your pet warm and dry
Sounds obvious doesn't it? But keeping them warm and dry, especially whilst outside, helps keep the blood flowing nicely around their body bringing all the goodness to achy joints or post-op wounds to aid recovery.
Don't forget to bring their drying robes or coats to their hydro sessions to keep them toasty whilst travelling home!
Warm compress those sore spots
Moist heat is proven to penetrate deeper into the body than dry heat, so if your dog has a sore spot (and doesn't have any skin lesions such as post-op wounds) applying a hot water bottle with a damp flannel over the top for 10-15minutes per day can really help reduce joint pain.
Just be mindful of how hot it can get though - we don't want thermal burn!
Take time to warm up and cool down
For those of you whose pooches are able to exercise off-lead now is the best time to concentrate on effective warm-up and cool-downs during each walk. This could be as simple as making sure they are leash walked for the first 10minutes and the last 5-10minutes. This allows the muscles and joints to warm up in the cooler temperatures before they're subjected to extra loads during running.
Give them a super cosy bed space
Putting extra blankets where they sleep and making sure their bed is free from any draughts can help keep them toasty during the evenings and night times. If you don't have the heating on yet, consider a jumper.
Introduce indoor games
If your dog is a couch potato in the winter months, or if you can't get out in severe weather, indoor games can help ease joint stiffness with gentle exercise.
These can include hide and seek around the house with their favourite treat or putting up a little agility course in the corridor (if your dog is in that stage of recovery) - don't forget non-slip floors only!
If you wish to discuss any specific requirements for your dog, please don't hesitate to get in contact with us! Happy Winter!
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