Lorrie Shaw

Our joints and muscles really take a beating throughout our lives - at a certain age, we all feel those little bouts of stiffness and inflexibility and it can be frustrating. Since taking up yoga and (sometimes) mat Pilates myself, I certainly can tell a marked difference in my range of motion and flexibility. It's having that increased ability that makes my life easier and pain free.

Have you ever thought about how much wear and tear that your dogs' joints endure throughout their life? Some breeds fare less well than others and as they age, decreased mobility contributes to digestive difficulty and other issues. The bottom line is the better mobility, the more healthy your dog will be for a longer period of time.

Who doesn't want that?

I always encourage my clients to spend active time with their dogs (and cats) to keep those joints and muscles as fluid as they can be, extending their healthy years. One client in particular took a very holistic approach to their dog's mobility, which interested me greatly. I picked her brain to get the facts about her experience with canine hydrotherapy since this is a fairly new field. Canine hydrotherapy was implemented to help my pet client - a lab mix of advanced age, regain the ability to walk unassisted due to her age related issues, as well to address post-operative rehabilitation needs.

Using a modified heated pool, the hydrotherapy session can use a combination of underwater treadmill, swimming and other exercises (depending on each dog's needs). The act of being underwater, as you may be aware is beneficial as it does not put weight or stress on the joints. It's also beneficial for obese dogs whose joints may already be taxed because they can get the exercise they need so that there can be successful weight loss. Hydrotherapy can be utilized as a tool in post-surgical rehab, agility training in healthy dogs, addressing the effects of degenerative myelopathy (a neurological disorder similar to multiple sclerosis), exercise for aging dogs who are struggling and other cases.

While my client was researching facilities there wasn't much in the way of information and there are very few facilities available. In the Ann Arbor area, only 2 locations could be found. The first was the Animal Neurology Center (http://www.animalneurology.com/) and secondly, ARF (http://www.arf-animal-rehab.com/). In fact in my own research, canine hydrotherapy seems to be more popular in the U.K.

The Animal Neurology Center in Commerce, MI was the facility of choice for my pet clients' care due to her specific needs. ANC has an underwater treadmill (heated) and implements in-hospital exercise programs. When talking with their chosen therapist Jerri, my client noted that she seemed ‘very knowledgeable and engaged in her field' and regularly attended training. The therapist would actually get in the underwater treadmill and support the dog. Jerri would push, but was also very considerate of not working the dog too hard. Each visit included other exercises too, not just time on the treadmill. A unique program was designed with the intention of getting my pet client back up and on her feet.

ARF seems to be an excellent center as well. Equipped with a heated resistance pool, underwater treadmill and exercise facility, ARF also employs the practices of acupuncture and electrical stimulation, which I think is quite interesting. Dr. Jan Masica, who is very involved with the canine community, runs ARF located in Dexter, MI. Dr. Masica is very active in agility training as well.

Upon asking my client ultimately what to look for when choosing a facility, she believes that and I'll quote... "I honestly found that the best guidance I had was my gut and heart. When I was looking for information, there was little I could find other than the generic "hydrotherapy is helpful" kind of information. I also believe that this is such a recent field that an owner has to make sure they are comfortable with what the facility wants to do to the dog. In other words, make certain that you (the owner) are comfortable with the amount of time the dog spends swimming, walking on the treadmill, etc. It is tiring for them and hard and you know your dog better than any facility ever will. Find a level that you feel is best for your dog and stick to it. The other piece of advice I have is mostly for dogs in rehabilitation from an injury/surgery (like ours). Owners should make sure they can invest time to work on the rehabilitation. It is just like PT for a human injury. I spent probably 30-45 minutes/night working on our dog's legs in addition to the underwater treadmill visits. I think the combination is what got her up and walking on her own. If we'd just done the treadmill visits, I don't think it would have been enough for her."

Another facility that I have located is SylvaniaVET in Sylvania, Ohio

This information is certainly not a personal endorsement of any specific facility or modality. In my day to day work, I get the opportunity to learn a lot from my clients' experience with their pets and I feel an inherent obligation to pass along what I discover. I implore you to research what works best for you and your pet, and if in reading this, you have information that you feel would be helpful to someone else please post it (you can do so as a reply).

I ran across this fun local blog created by Westarbor Animal Hospital in A2. Many of my clients have Westarbor as their primary care vet for their pets. This pet sitter thinks that this blog ought to be a fun, informative resource for people in the community and elsewhere.

Follow them on Twitter!

Enjoy!

Many clients over the years have had dogs who have had mobility issues due to age, post-surgical recovery, illnesses like Degenerative Myleopathy or injuries. It's hard, needless to say, but pups still need to get around, right? It's sad to watch dogs struggle with trying to walk or balance, and it's physically challenging for their caregivers to assist them with traditional assistive methods like a sheet sling.

One very cool assistive device that has always made life easier in these cases is the Bottoms Up dog harness. A neoprene padded leash, it fits around and under the back legs to offer stability and safe mobility around the yard, on walks... even up and down the stairs. Additionally, this device keeps you from stooping over, saving your back!

Available in two sizes, 12-125lbs and 125-185 lbs., the Bottoms Up can be purchased online and even some vets retail them. Easy to put on and remove, this pet sitter loves this product.

This weekend was a luxuriant one... spring on the horizon, an unsually warm Friday by Michigan's standards - and with Saturday and Sunday being rather rainy and blustery it really capped things off nicely. Why you ask? It's the best time to cook, in my experience. Anyone who knows me know my love affair with cooking. With my crazy schedule, I have been very resourceful in putting together some cool menus from gatherings to busy weeknight meals.

I was so inspired today... I made a frittata with fresh tomatoes, sauteed onion, artichoke tapenade, roasted green beans and leftover grilled (what we call BBQ'd) chicken, after Chris and I having our respective Open House and pet sittings to do. Delish and simple eating. (I admit I used a lot of leftover stuff from in the fridge... no sense in being wasteful, right?)

University of Michigan football season is a big deal around our house! We attend as many games as we are able to each year and despite a lackluster year in '08 we are looking forward to an exciting '09 season.

The progress on the renovations on the 'Big House' seem to be moving along. I for one will be glad that there will be more restrooms when all is said and done. (I noted that "wider seats" are in order too; we'll see about that!) Check out the renovation progress live on the Stadium!

If you've never had the experience of going to a U of M football tailgate and a game, you must! We almost always go to the first home game each year and tailgate. I was lucky enough to have a home game fall on my birthday this past season and the tailgating was fun - good food, great company! U of M fans are a warm, welcoming bunch and it really is a fun family event as well.

See you at the game!