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May issue
May issue
Thursday, 6 December 2012
Casing the joint
I’ve been doing local agility classes with my 7 year old Lab x for the last three years and he loves it. However I’ve noticed that he’s started showing signs of stiffening up, especially in this cold weather. It’s not severe enough for medication but I’m looking into supplements...
What would you advise to help keep him supple, we’d both love to be able to carry on with the classes?
As a canine massage therapist I often suggest a glucosamine supplement which contains at least 500mg per day. There is also evidence for the effectiveness of Omega 3 Fish Oils in keeping joints supple. Before exercise you could place warm towels over your dog to make sure the muscles are warm as they will then be more flexible and do some warm up exercises such as repeated sit to stands, sit to downs and turning in figure of eights. Following exercise walk your dog around for a few minutes to cool down and using massage techniques over your dog will help remove any lactic acid and also help identify any sore spots. Rub the flat of your hand all over your dog in the direction of the hair growth using gentle slow movements. In colder weather a coat can help to prevent muscles tightening and memory foam beds are great for providing good support while resting and sleeping.
As a canine massage therapist I often suggest a glucosamine supplement which contains at least 500mg per day. There is also evidence for the effectiveness of Omega 3 Fish Oils in keeping joints supple. Before exercise you could place warm towels over your dog to make sure the muscles are warm as they will then be more flexible and do some warm up exercises such as repeated sit to stands, sit to downs and turning in figure of eights. Following exercise walk your dog around for a few minutes to cool down and using massage techniques over your dog will help remove any lactic acid and also help identify any sore spots. Rub the flat of your hand all over your dog in the direction of the hair growth using gentle slow movements. In colder weather a coat can help to prevent muscles tightening and memory foam beds are great for providing good support while resting and sleeping.
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