Posts Tagged ‘Fitness’

The Health Care Debate

Monday, December 28th, 2009

While the government struggles to find a way for Americans to get good health care, pet owners must rely on their own resources to take care of their furry, finned, or feathered friends.

What can you do to defray the cost of good medicine?

Prevention really is the best policy.   Spend your time and money on annual exams for your pet and you’ll keep small problems from becoming big & expensive health issues.  Routine parasite prevention and vaccinating for your pet’s lifestyle will also optimize your pet’s health.   Find a veterinarian you trust and get guidance on creating a healthy life with your dog.  (Of course, at DogRunDog we think that includes running …)

Do you need pet insurance?    No question, it can ease the pain in your pocket if your dog gets hit by a car or your recently adopted mutt  decides to chew his way through his new life.   More than a dozen companies now offer pet care policies.  It’s even an employee benefit at some corporations.  Check out www.petinsurancereview.com to compare policies, prices, and options.

If your pet needs a prescription a few options can  bring down the price per pill.  

One possibility is a written prescription for an online pharmacy,  but buyer beware: check the the product and the  label to make sure you receive the right drug at the right dose.  

Price matching with online pharmacy products is offered by some veterinary clinics,  especially for  flea/tick/heartworm prevention medications.  When you get a product through your vet, the manufacturer  stands by their product if anything goes wrong (it doesn’t work as expected or your dog has a reaction).

Human pharmacies can  fill some pet prescriptions and you  get discounts for AAA memberships (yes! even on pet prescriptions).   Look up www.aaa.com/prescriptions for more information.  Walgreen’s has a family program that can include your pets: for a small membership fee you may save big.

When you’re watching your budget, every money saving strategy helps.  I hope these tips help you keep your pup healthy and active.  Run, dog, run!

Liz Devitt, DVM

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Does age matter?

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

If your dog runs with you, age may be an important  factor in long- term health for your pooch.

Too young?

Young dogs don’t have fully developed bones, and the concussive force of running on hard surfaces for long distances may have ill effects on their developing  joints.   As a veterinarian, I worry about placing too much stress on puppy knees and hips too soon.  The problem is, no one has done any studies to determine a “safe” time to start ramping up with running.

It gets even harder to choose a good starting age when you take into account the diffferent rates at which dogs reach maturity.  There ARE studies that show that yorkies have finished bone growth- or have closed their growth plates- by five months of age.  Great Danes don’t finish bone growth until eighteen months, even though they continue to fill out for at least another six months after that!  Generally, the smaller the breed, the faster they reach maturity in terms of bone development.

Just because bones are done growing doesn’t mean a pup’s  ligaments are ready for a regular run schedule.  No one has studied the effect of “organized exercise” – on a leash and running beside the owner-  on developing ligaments, either.

How can you help your pup run off all that energy when he isn’t  ready to run with you, yet?

Plenty of play time is clearly in order.   Encourage chasing and fetching on soft surfaces as long as you both hold up!  Get your pup ready for the day he’ll be ready to start running beside you by getting him socialized with other dogs, teaching him good leash manners or how to wear a harness, and working on verbal commands.

Check with your veterinarian to determine when your pup has growth plate closure and enough joint maturity to hit the road with you.

Too old?

Exercise helps all of us age more gracefully. The key is to do enough to enhance mobility and not so much that we get run down and injured.  The same is true for your dog.

If your senior runner has a touch of arthritis, start your runs with a warm up walk.  Adjust your work out distance to end before your dog scuffs his toes or limps on that rear leg.

Consult with your veterinarian and find out if there is a particular diet or supplement that might increase your older dog’s agility.   Laser therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, and massage have all been shown to improve joint function.   It works for us…it can help your hound.

Prescription anti-inflammatories may also be in order.  That’s a decision you’ll make with your dog’s doctor.  (Remember:  MOTRIN, Ibuprofen, and many other human anti-inflammatories can be extremely toxic to your dog.  Even regular aspirin can cause stomach ulcers in dogs.  Please don’t use medication for your pet before you check with your vet).

Enjoying the “middle years”?

Make the most of them!   Your dog will love the time he gets to spend on the run with you.   Make sure he maintains good coat and body condition, shows no lameness or pain after each run,  and always looks ready for the next outing.

Dogs are great, at every age!

Liz Devitt, DVM

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Fat or fit?

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

Canine fitness isn’t determined just by pounds or percentages of fat.  Similar to human athleticism,  it’s a combination of body condition, heart health, and the physical and mental ability to enjoy activity.  Check this quick list to evaluate your dog.

BODY CONDITION

Veterinarians use a body condition scoring system, with a number range from 1-5, to evaluate a dog’s weight.  Take a look at your dog.  Three is the ideal score.  You can feel the ribs, but not see them.  When viewed from the side, your dog’s body tucks up at the waist, and when seen from the top the body tapers after the last rib; a score of “2″ means too thin and you can see the ribs;  excessively thin dogs rate “1″  and other bones are easy to see.  On the other end of the range, a dog rated “4″  has a layer of fat padding all of his body and it’s hard to see the “waist”.   At “5″  a dog is obese and looks more like an ottoman, with no tuck at the waist or taper to the sides.

Condition  isn’t just a matter of cosmetic appearance.  A few extra pounds can significantly increase the chances of joint and ligament injury, add stress to the heart, contribute to dental disease, diabetes, and a host of other health problems.  Pudgy pets don’t live as long as their leaner pals, either.  Sound familiar?  Our doctors say (or should say) the same things to us.

Running with your dog is a great way to keep your dog burning calories.  But just as you consider your fitness level before you begin to train for a race, take note of  your four-legged running partner’s fitness level before you go too far & too fast.

HEART HEALTH

Do you know your dog’s resting heart rate?  Most runners have an idea of when their heart is working hard, but never give much thought to what’s happening  under their dog’s furry chest.

The easiest way to check your dog’s heart rate is to place your hand along the lower ribcage of their left side, just about where the elbow meets the chest.  (The heart lies between the 3rd-6th rib.)  You can also check the femoral pulse by lightly placing your fingers, palm side to your dog, high on the inside of the thigh, and feeling for the strong pulse of the femoral artery.

Big dogs have resting heart rates (RHR) of 70-100 beats per minute.  Medium dogs are about 80-110.  Small dogs 85-120.    But, everyone is an individual.   Find out what’s normal for YOUR dog and then check him before you run and after you’re done.  If  your dog can’t get back to a normal heart rate within 5 minutes, it’s time to cut back on the speed or distance- or both.  Don’t forget that excitement can elevate anyone’s heart rate.  So check the RHR in the calm of morning to make sure it isn’t abnormally high.  Just as you might think twice about knocking out your usual training when when your morning heart rate is too high, give your dog the same consideration.

Don’t train by heart rate?  That’s fine.  It still helps to know where your dog’s normal values are, because it’s a rare running dog that declines to join you when the shoes come out and the leash is in your hand.   Better to have some guidelines for his health so you can be proactive on your dog’s behalf.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

There’s a long list of things that could define physical health.  This is my quick visual check list: ease of motion/no lameness, easy  breathing/no cough, wheeze, or hard panting; no food left in the bowl or unusual draining of the water dish;  normal stool and ability to urinate; a glossy coat and bright eyes.  If some of these items are off your radar screen, I’d encourage you to take note,  for your dog’s health.

MENTAL HEALTH

If your dog isn’t always eager to go when your running shoes come out, or he/she doesn’t want to go the whole distance, lags on the leash, or simply sits down…then something’s up.  The best thing about running with your dog is not having to hear complaints about going over the same ground as you did yesterday.

So if the tail isn’t wagging or the dog paws are dragging…make sure you find out why.

Our dogs deserve our attention to their health.

Liz Devitt, DVM

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