animal chiropractic care

Elderly Dogs

June 18, 2024June 18, 2024by danieladler

As our beloved furry friends age, they deserve our utmost care and attention to ensure their golden years are comfortable and enjoyable. Just like humans, dogs go through various physical and mental changes as they get older. To provide the best quality of life for your senior dog, it’s essential to adapt their care routine to meet their evolving needs. In this blog, we’ll explore some valuable tips and insights on how to take care of an elderly dog.

Regular Veterinary Check-Ups

Just as with humans, preventive healthcare is paramount for senior dogs. Schedule regular check-ups with your veterinarian to monitor your dog’s health. These check-ups can catch potential issues early, ensuring prompt treatment and a higher quality of life.

Balanced Diet

Diet plays a crucial role in your senior dog’s health. Consult with your vet to determine the best diet for your dog’s age, breed, and any specific health concerns. Senior dog food often contains nutrients tailored to their needs, including joint support and easier-to-digest ingredients.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity can exacerbate health problems in older dogs. Keep a close eye on your dog’s weight, and if necessary, adjust their diet and exercise routine accordingly. Maintaining a healthy weight can alleviate strain on their joints and organs.

Adequate Exercise

While senior dogs may not be as energetic as their younger counterparts, regular exercise is still essential. Adjust the intensity and duration of walks or playtime to match their energy levels and physical condition. Low-impact exercises like swimming can be gentle on aging joints.

Also try to manage your expectations when it comes to their capabilities. Don’t try to make your older dog go on those extended hikes you used to be able to do together. A good tip is to keep your walks short but repetitive if able. For example, instead of one 30 minute walk a day, three 10 minute walks spaced out throughout the day is much better.

Joint Care

Arthritis and joint pain are common in elderly dogs. Provide joint supplements, as recommended by your vet, and consider providing soft bedding to alleviate pressure on their joints. Additionally, ramps or steps can help them access higher surfaces more comfortably.

Dental Care

Oral health is often overlooked but critical in senior dogs. Regularly brush their teeth and provide dental chews or toys to help prevent dental issues that can lead to pain and infection.

Mental Stimulation

Mental health is as important as physical health for senior dogs. Engage their minds with puzzle toys, interactive games, and new experiences. This can help prevent cognitive decline and keep them mentally sharp.

Adapt the Environment

Make necessary modifications to your home to accommodate your aging dog. Many modern style flooring types can be quite slippery and treacherous for dogs which can result in falls. Non-slip rugs or mats can provide stability on slippery floors, and ramps can assist with navigating stairs.

Be Mindful of the Weather

Extreme temperatures can be tough on older dogs. Ensure they are comfortable in hot weather with access to shade and water, and keep them warm in colder months with cozy bedding and shelter.

Chiropractic Care

Last, but definitely not the least, consider adding chiropractic care to your dog’s wellness plans. One of the most common reasons dogs are euthanized is mobility problems. If you can maintain your dog’s ability to move freely and keep them comfortable you can extend the time until it becomes necessary to say goodbye.

Conclusion

Caring for an elderly dog can be a rewarding experience as you provide them with a comfortable and loving environment in their later years. By following these tips, consulting your veterinarian regularly, getting regular chiropractic care and being attentive to your dog’s changing needs, you can ensure that your senior canine companion enjoys a happy and healthy retirement.

So You’re Thinking About Getting a Dog

September 21, 2021August 21, 2023by danieladler

This pandemic has led to a lot of families deciding to welcome a new furry family member into the household. With a lot of time spent in the house and many people working from home, it seems like an ideal time to consider adding a dog into the mix. That’s great that more people want to get a dog, however, it is serious business that requires careful thought prior to making that jump. Here are some things to consider when deciding on getting a dog:

1. Costs

Have you carefully considered the cost of owning a dog? Between the original purchase price, vet bills, training, food, toys, accessories and chiropractic care (of course) the bills add up. Are you prepared to cover the cost of ownership for the entire length of your dog’s life?

2. Breed

While we all may have our preferred breeds, you need to ask yourself if it is the right breed for you and your family’s lifestyle. Just because you find a particular breed the cutest, it may not be the right one for you. I can’t stress this enough: Do Your Research! Certain breeds may be far more susceptible to various health problems and therefore cost you more (see point 1). For example: dachshunds, although quite adorable, are quite susceptible to major back problems that require expensive surgeries (think tens of thousands of dollars). Would you cover the costs if that occurs?

You also need to know breed temperaments and activity levels. If you’re a sedentary person, a German Shorthaired Pointer would not be wise. Do you mind lots of shedding? Do you or anyone in your house have allergies? How trainable is the breed you would like? These are all questions you must have answers to before selecting a dog. I can’t stress this enough so I will say it again: Do Your Research!

3. Permanence

You’re working from home now and have quite a bit of freedom to go for mid-day walks and spend some quality 1-on-woof time but will that always be the case? Think about the future, will the drive to have a dog still be there in 2, 3, 5, 10 years? Dogs are a long-term commitments and the decision to get one shouldn’t be made without considering potential changes in life. Don’t make a spontaneous decision to get a dog.

4. Adopt vs. shop

Going back to the question about breed, is breed all that important to you? Would you like to give a dog in need a good family home? There are numerous rescue agencies out there that would love to find forever homes for dogs in need. There are also quite a number specific to certain breeds so even if you have done your research and chosen a breed, you may be able to find a rescue agency dedicated specifically to that breed. If you do intend on getting a dog from a breeder, research the breeder and make sure to seek out a reputable breeder.

So if you are going to add a dog to your family, please don’t make it a spontaneous decision. It’s a serious commitment that takes serious consideration.

And when you do get your new puppy, consider chiropractic care to help them have a full and active life!

Pet care

Hip Dysplasia and Chiropractic Care

July 21, 2020August 21, 2023by danieladler

I regularly get asked what chiropractic care can do for a dog with hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a large cause for concern in many pet parents as it can greatly impact the quality of life and quality of movement of their dogs. There are benefits that chiropractic care can provide to help dogs with hip dysplasia.

What is hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is essentially poorly formed hip joints. The hip joint is a ball and socket type joint much like the shoulder. However, unlike the shoulder, the hip joint is a much deeper cup which provides stability to the joint. Often due to genetics, the hip joints do not form properly. This creates abnormal movement in the joint that can lead to early degenerative changes, movement problems and pain.

Symptoms of hip dysplasia can be quite varied but can include:

“Bunny hopping”
Reluctance to go up stairs
Pain
Stiffness
Decreased activity/early fatigue

How is it Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of hip dysplasia needs to be made by your veterinarian. There are in-office tests your veterinarian can do that will determine the presence of a problematic joint. These can include manipulating the joint to test laxity issues as well as perform x-rays. There are quite a number of treatment options to consider that your veterinarian should discuss with you. They can include surgery, physical rehab, nutritional supplementation and medications.

Chiropractic Care and Hip Dysplasia

For those that don’t want to pursue the surgical route, chiropractic care can help. While chiropractic care cannot alter the shape of the hips or fix the problem in this case, there are benefits it can offer to help improve your dog’s quality of life.

A major side effect of hip dysplasia that is often not discussed is that your dog will need to compensate elsewhere for the lack of hip mobility. This can lead to problems up the kinetic chain. Targeting and improving the secondary effects is the goal.

Dogs are supposed to be rear-wheel drive animals. When walking and running, they are supposed to push themselves forward with their hind legs and use their front legs to carry most of their weight. When the hips aren’t driving themselves forward like they are supposed to, the front legs take on the burden of pulling. Now the front legs are having to support most of the dog’s weight AND be the driving legs for forward motion. Quite often in a dog with hip dysplasia, you will see low muscle mass around the hips with thick muscles around the front legs. This type of movement puts a lot of stress through the shoulders and neck and can cause neck pain. Chiropractic care can deliver relief to soreness that will develop throughout the neck and shoulder complex.

As well, problems with hip movements often lead to issues in an area called the thoracolumbar junction (T/L junction). In the spine, the low back (lumbar spine) moves differently than the thoracic spine (mid-back). At one point, both those areas meet and subjects that one spot to multiple forces. It is an area that often becomes sore and tight as dogs try to compensate for lack of proper motion through the hips. Chiropractic care reduces tension through this area to help reduce their back pain.

So essentially, while not being a cure for hip dysplasia, chiropractic care is a great addition to help ease the discomfort and wear and tear it causes throughout the body.

Elderly Dogs

So You’re Thinking About Getting a Dog

Hip Dysplasia and Chiropractic Care

What is hip dysplasia?

How is it Diagnosed?

Chiropractic Care and Hip Dysplasia

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