General Advice
Choose to improve your best friend’s health, even if you decide not to go ahead with treatments. Here are some tips & links.
Environment
Floors
Wooden floors and tiles are easy to clean, but they are like ice rinks for dogs. Regularly slipping on flooring can cause long term problems and pain.
Travel
Trips to your dog’s favourite spot for a walk are brilliant, but jumping in and out of a car puts a lot of pressure on joints and muscles.
If your dog is little, lift them in and out. If they are too big to safely lift, use steps or ramps to help them.
Sleeping
The body heals itself during sleep so it is enormously important that your dog’s bed is comfortable.
- Make sure it has plenty of support
- offer a pillow or cushion
- keep it out of draughty area
- make sure it is big enough for your dog to stretch out (hard plastic beds are often not big enough)
Enrichment
Ditch the bowl!
Use meal times to challenge the grey cells. This avoids adding extra calories and stimulates dogs to move gently and eat slowly. Snuffle mats are a great way to do this and you can easily make them yourself. Here is a link to help
Scent work
Every dog benefits from using their nose. From hiding food in toilet rolls stuffed inside shoe boxes, to teaching passive indications for specific scents. The benefits of scent work can be huge, lots of dopamine is release in the brain when a dog sniffs intently and emerging research suggests it also has benefits for dogs with cognitive decline.
Teach something
You don’t need to be on Britain’s got Talent, but teaching a new trick is fun for you and your dog. Start simple, a hand/nose touch is gentle, suitable for most dogs and really useful in all sorts of situations. Here is a simple YouTube video to get you started
Exercise
Chuck the Chucker
It seems like a great way to exercise a high energy dog, but repetitive ball chasing can be very damaging for your dog’s joints. Swap chucking for fetching a ‘dead’ ball. reward your dog for staying when you roll the ball away from them, then release them to ‘get it’. Gradually up the game until your dog can stay when you throw the ball, release him/her to fetch when the ball has stopped.
Alternatively, don’t throw the ball at all, hide it! Then send your dog to find it.
Adjust Food intake
The less exercise your dog has, the less food is needed. Check your dog’s body condition score, it’s easier to monitor than weight.
Keeping your dog lean is the single most important thing you can do to improve their quality of life. Weight each meal rather than relying on a cup.
Studies evidence that dogs at a healthy weight live more than 2 years longer than overweight dogs.
You love your dog and you can do this to keep them healthy.
Little and Often
For older dogs or dogs with chronic conditions like arthritis, little and often is far better than a trek at the weekend.
Getting Started is Easy
Free Chat
Call or e-mail me and tell me all about your dog! I will do my best to answer any questions you have and explain what happens during the sessions
Book Appointment
Complete a ‘Doggy Detail’ form and reserve an appointment pending vet consent
1st Session!
Once I have the completed vet consent form we are ready to go! Your reserved appointment will be confirmed and I will meet you and your best friend for their first session
Contact Me
If you have any questions you can call me, or send me an email.
Business Hours
If you are worried about your dog, it is important to get your questions answered as soon as possible. Always talk to your vet about emergencies, or if you think your dog has a new illness or their condition has changed.
I am here 7 days a week for general help and advice relating to Galen Myotherapy and will return your call or e-mail within 24hrs.
If you call and don’t get through I am probably carrying out a consultation, so please leave a message and I will call you back.
Appointments Available
Monday to Friday = 6pm – 8pm
Saturday = 10am – 8pm
Sun = Closed