January is Walk Your Pet Month! This month-long celebration serves to remind pet owners of the benefits of regular exercise. Walking your dog (or your cat!) can be an easy way to provide your pet with consistent, low-impact exercise, which can lead to improvements in joint health.

Benefits of Regular Exercise

Like people, pets may benefit from regular exercise. Walking is a low-impact exercise that may contribute to weight loss and may delay the onset and/or severity of osteoarthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, walking comes with several benefits which may lead to healthier joints including muscle strengthening, joint fluid circulation, and weight loss. Weight loss is an important factor when it comes to managing pain and lameness associated with osteoarthritis. One study found that weight loss significantly decreased lameness in obese dogs with OA.

How to Exercise Your Pet

Different pets require different exercise regimens, which vary based on several factors. One of your best resources is your veterinarian. He/She can help you build an exercise plan tailored specifically to your pet. That being said, it appears that regular, moderate exercise may be beneficial in comparison to intermittent, intense exercise.

According to Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, “Regular physical activity is paramount in the treatment of osteoarthritis both in humans and animals. A lifestyle of regular activity that is moderated away from intermittent extremes of exercise (such as long hikes on the weekends) and activities to which the pet is not conditioned is essential. Ideally, multiple shorter walks are better than one long one. The same activity every day (or slightly increasing if tolerated) is ideal.”

Cats Need Exercise Too!

When we think of walking our pet, most of us immediately think of dogs. But cats suffer from osteoarthritis too and may benefit from routine exercise. Of course, it is not quite as easy with cats as it is with dogs. Some cats may like to walk on the leash. Others may prefer to play with a toy. Speak to your veterinarian about appropriate ways to exercise your cats to help keep them as healthy as possible.

At VetStem, one of our goals is to educate pet owners about the prevalence and potential severity of osteoarthritis (OA) in our pets.  Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that can be debilitating.  It has even been identified as the number 2 reason for euthanasia.  Though 1 in 5 dogs in the U.S. are affected by OA, there are some steps you can take to potentially reduce or delay the symptoms of OA in your pet. 

In a previous blog, we shared some steps you can take to help reduce or delay the symptoms of OA in your pet.  One of those steps is to provide your pet with regular exercise.  While pets require varying amounts and different types of exercise, your veterinarian can help you to develop an exercise routine tailored specifically to your pet.

Since January is Walk Your Pet month, we thought it important to highlight the potential effects that regular walks can have on your pet’s joint health.  Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine states, “Regular physical activity is paramount in the treatment of osteoarthritis both in humans and animals.  A lifestyle of regular activity that is moderated away from intermittent extremes of exercise and activities to which the pet is not conditioned is essential.  Ideally, multiple shorter walks are better than one long one.  The same activity every day (or slightly increasing if tolerated) is ideal.” 

According to the Arthritis Foundation, walking comes with several benefits which may lead to healthier joints including muscle strengthening, joint fluid circulation, and weight loss.  Weight loss is an important factor when it comes to managing pain and lameness associated with osteoarthritis.  One study found that weight loss significantly decreased lameness in obese dogs with OA.  If you’re concerned that your pet may be overweight, you can refer to this blog or contact your veterinarian. And don’t forget, cats get OA too!  Cats with OA may also benefit from exercise.  Speak to your veterinarian about the best way to exercise your cat.

It is officially November, which happens to be Senior Pet Month!  We wanted to highlight senior pets in this week’s blog as we all know that senior pets may be more at risk of developing osteoarthritis.  While dogs and cats of all ages may develop osteoarthritis, studies have indicated that senior dogs are more often diagnosed with osteoarthritis, in part due to the age-related break down of joint tissues such as cartilage, ligaments, and bone.

There is also speculation that senior pets are more often diagnosed with osteoarthritis because symptoms become more prevalent as the disease worsens.  Therefore, owners are more likely to notice symptoms such as limping and stiffness as their pet ages, which often leads to a trip to the veterinarian for diagnosis/treatment.

Maverick, a Golden Retriever, was adopted at 8 years old with osteoarthritis.  Fortunately, his new parents sought VetStem Cell Therapy for his condition and he experienced an improved quality of life.

It is important to note however that dogs and cats may develop osteoarthritis at any age.  For instance, if a dog is born with joint dysplasia (malformed joints), he is more likely to develop osteoarthritis at a younger age than a dog born with properly formed joints.  One example is Jack who was showing symptoms of osteoarthritis before he was even a year old.

The good news is, VetStem Cell Therapy has shown to help pets, both young and old, with osteoarthritis.  Stem cells have been demonstrated to regenerate joint tissues and reduce inflammation.  They also have pain blocking mechanisms that may lead to increased comfort for painful pets.  If your pet, no matter their age, has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis or is showing signs of the disease, speak to your veterinarian about the possibility of treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy.  Or contact us to receive a list of VetStem providers in your area.

I have devoted previous posts to the important subject of pet obesity and the effects on canine and feline arthritis.  I would like to revisit the subject again with some great new information  from veterinarian and author Dr Ernie Ward.  I pulled some interesting facts out of the article but if you would like to read it in it’s entirety click here.  Dr Ward is passionate about educating pet owners about pet obesity. Why is obesity in pets on the uprise?  Part of the obesity problem is lack of exercise and poor portion control.  According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), when it comes to expressing our affections with food, we are doing our animals a lot more harm than good. Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s not forget about cats. Cats too are living longer healthier lives, but what is not
commonly known is that cats also suffer from osteoarthritis. In fact in a retrospective
study conducted at a major veterinary school, radiographs from 100 cats that were
presented to the teaching hospital for illnesses unrelated to arthritis were re-evaluated.
90% of the cats had radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease. These cats
represented a variety of purebred and mixed breed cats.

How do you know if your cat has arthritis? Read the rest of this entry »