This is a great question, and we need to know the answer, in order to help our dogs that have been diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia.
We know that hip laxity will lead to arthritis and that arthritis is painful. And the advice we get from our own doctors when we have arthritis is ‘move it or lose it?’ This implies that movement is good for arthritic conditions.
Have we truly applied this same philosophy to the veterinary space? Are we using exercise as effectively as we could be to help our dogs with arthritic conditions? I think the answer to that question is no…we are not using exercise to help our dogs as much as we could. It’s time to make a change!!
It is a common thing for puppy owners to talk about limiting their puppy’s exercise to prevent joint problems. Some breeders even suggest a restriction on exercise based on the age of the puppy in weeks or months. The reality of these restrictions is that they are not based in sound science.
We know that a slow growth rate in puppies is helpful, to allow muscle growth to catch up with bone growth, and remain balanced…especially in large breed dogs.
Maintaining a lean body weight over your dog’s lifetime is helpful to reducing arthritis over the long term.
But I can only suspect that controlled exercise and a whole body approach to health, activity and fitness will be beneficial for dogs with Hip Dysplasia.
The truth is we still don’t know enough about exercise and the role of the developing puppy and the contribution of activities and or exercise to this disease.
What I have seen over the last decade, is a lot of dogs improving with exercise, gaining strength, improving their activity levels and their overall quality of life through structured exercise. This is not rocket science…it is the mantra of our own health professionals too. Aerobic and strengthening exercises are crucial in our aging population to maintain independence and quality of life. The same applies for our dogs.
That is why I have developed the Hip Health Project.
The Hip Health Project is an exercise program and a research project all rolled into one. It is designed to help you to help your dog live an active life and it’s also designed to collect crucial information from you and your dog along the way. The idea is that with this information we can help to change the advice we give our puppy owners about healthy growth and development. We can also glean information to help dogs diagnosed with hip dysplasia live a full and active life. And last but not least, we can help old dogs who are suffering with arthritis to maintain their mobility and activity levels as long as possible.
The Hip Health Project is delivered via face to face consultations or you can do the course online. When you consider that a total hip replacement is between $10,000 and $12,000 the cost of the program is incredibly good value for money.
Face to face delivery, including 6 modules and video and ebook support is just $750.
Online delivery includes the same video and ebook support and three online or Telehealth consultations for $675.
There are six modules, where I step you through a series of exercises (and teach you how to teach your dog). The program is designed to strengthen your dog’s hips and to help them to move efficiently. The modules are designed to build one after the other.
It’s simple, effective and can help us to learn more, so that we can help more dogs live a full life. And at the same time, your coach is also a fully qualified vet, with extensive experience in orthopaedic surgery and exercise physiology.
If you have a dog with Hip Dysplasia and would like to know more, please CONTACT US through the webpage.
If you would like to know more about veterinary rehabilitation and the techniques we use to help your pet with a range of spinal or orthopaedic conditions, please feel free to contact us through the New Life Vet webpage.
