Exercising With Your Pet

By Charissa Rexroad, DVM

Pets are more fun if you can enjoy activities together, especially outdoors in the summertime. Exercising is a great way to spend time with them. Pets not only serve as a great motivator to get you out to exercise, but also can make the whole experience a lot of fun.

Walking, running, swimming and hiking are a few exercises that you can do with your dog. Walking with your dog is probably the most common type of exercise because any dog can go on a walk as long as it is leash-trained. It is a fairly easy form of exercise and can be done in your neighborhood or at a park any time of the day.

Running is more aerobic and requires a pet in good body condition that is very well trained on a leash. Just like people, dogs have to build up their mileage before they can run long distances. So start slow with a dog that isn't used to running by building up in half-mile increments every one to two weeks. For example, start running 1 1/2 miles per week divided up into three equal sessions so that you are running a 1/2-mile three times a week. The next week, increase to a total of two miles divided equally during the week. Keep increasing your mileage until you meet your goal.

It is not recommended to get up to a high mileage with dogs less than 1 year of age. Their bones are not finished growing until around 12-14 months. Such repetitive motion can have detrimental effects on growing bones and cartilage. Mechanical stress can cause fissures within the cartilage and lead to osteochondrosis, a pathologic process in growing cartilage, characterized by excessive thickening. This condition causes lameness and pain that must be treated with anti-inflammatory medication. If severe enough, pieces of cartilage may break away from the bone and need surgery for removal.

Also, dogs have a higher chance of getting overheated because they do not sweat as people do to lower their body temperature. Dogs have some sweat glands located between the pads of their paws but they lose a majority of their heat through panting. So it is important to have plenty of fresh water available for them during and after the run. Avoid running in the heat of the day. Early morning or late evening is best. Watch your dog during the run. Signs of overheating and exhaustion include, excessive panting, brick red mucous membranes and tongue coloration, refusal to go any further, lagging behind or collapse. Also avoid feeding your pet at least two hours before running. Large breed, deep-chested dogs, such as Labradors, Greyhounds or German Shepherds, are prone to "bloat," a condition where the stomach gets distended with gas and then twists. This cuts off blood supply to the stomach and is fatal if not treated promptly. The dog will get a very distended abdomen, act uncomfortable and try to vomit unsuccessfully. Watch your dog closely for any of these symptoms, especially after any exercise.

Swimming is also an excellent activity for dogs of any age. It is a great workout for dogs and doesn't stress any of the joints. That is why swimming is so good for older dogs that may have arthritis or hip dysplasia. If swimming with your dog in a large lake or river where boat traffic is high, place a brightly colored life vest around the dog so it can be spotted easily. Animal life vests are available at most pet stores and on-line. Have plenty of towels to dry your pet off before they get in your car or go inside the house. Ear infections are associated with dogs that swim because water gets trapped in their ear canals and leads to an overgrowth of yeast and bacteria. If possible, place a drying solution in their ears to avoid water retention in the canals. Drying agents can be purchased at your veterinarian's office or pet store.

Hiking can get you and your dog closer to nature. Before going hiking, make sure your pet is up to date on vaccinations and has a current application of flea and tick preventative. Always check your pet after it has spent time outdoors to make sure there are no ticks. Ticks can transmit many diseases, such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis, which can be fatal. These diseases can be transmitted if the tick is attached for 24-48 hours. If ticks are on your dog, use tweezers or gloves to remove them. While hiking, dogs are more likely to encounter snakes and other wildlife. Be prepared. Try to always have your dog in sight. If you suspect your pet has been bitten, take it to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Snakebites can cause excessive sloughing and even death if from a venomous snake.

Keeping your pet safe, happy and healthy is the most important thing no matter what type of exercise you are doing. Some pets enjoy running. Others enjoy swimming. Some dogs live to fetch. Some don't like to do much of anything. Don't force your dog to do an activity if they don't like it. Neither one of you will have fun. Your dog may do better in the company of other dogs. If that is the case consider taking it to a doggie day care or to a park that allows off-leash areas with other dogs. But above all, have fun and enjoy your dedicated exercise partner.  

Charissa Rexroad, D.V.M., is a veterinarian at Crestwood Veterinary Hospital. She and her husband, Kerry, have two yellow labs and five cats. She enjoys running and golfing. For more information, call 241-4117.