Taking Good Care of Your Dog

Online Audio Interview! They Say it’s a Dogs Life. New Studies Show That We Might Just Be Spoiling Our Pups Rotten With Inactivity & Treats, Leading Them to an Unhealthy Future. It’s become an epidemic, not just among humans but more recently among America’s K9s – weight gain, laziness and immobility. We think our dogs have the life as a majority of their days revolve around eating and sleeping but in reality, just how healthy can that be? Whether they prescribe walking, running, jumping, fetching or chasing squirrels, thousands of veterinarians nationwide are joining forces this summer to get their fat, old, inactive and arthritic canine patients up, out and playing again. Dr. Bernadine Cruz of Laguna Hills Animal Hospital in California is spearheading the effort among her peers who are interested in helping the dogs that need activity the most: senior and arthritic dogs. An estimated 10 million dogs are afflicted with canine osteoarthritis in the United States, and many more are considered high risk for developing arthritis because of their age, breed and weight. “We’re targeting much of the U.S. dog population with this initiative,” said Cruz. “Getting or keeping them active and on their paws is the best way we know to keep them healthy longer.” The program, with 4,000 U.S. veterinary practices participating, is called Steps to Play More and revolves around a simple device – a dog pedometer. The specially calibrated pedometers for dogs can have the same exercise-motivating effect for pets that pedometers have had for the millions of people who have used them for their own exercise. Pet owners can now measure their dogs’ activity levels and see progress with each “step” their dogs make. Dog owners can get free Steps to Play More dog pedometers at their veterinary clinic or online at StepsToPlayMore.com. Dr. Bernadine Cruz is a Veterinarian at the Laguna Hills Animal Hospital in California and also an active council member of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Topics covered. On average, how much exercise does a dog need each day? Does the breed change this? How can you keep track of how much exercise your dogs are getting? What is the best way to get an arthritic dog up and moving? What are some of the most resourceful exercises for overweight and/or arthritic dogs? Is it good to challenge them on a daily basis??