Is running okay for a dog with arthritis?

[starrlamia]

oh he's cute!
weight doesnt so much matter as condition, you want him to have a nice tuck and a bit of muscle definition.
Tuck:
http://media.wiley.com/Lux/18/109618.image0.jpg

You want to be able to see his bottom line go up to a waist right in front of his hind legs and you should be able to see it from the side and the top. Best bet is to cut back on a small amount of kibble a day (like 1/4 cup each feeding, are you free freeding or have set mealtimes?). Give it a few weeks at the new kibble amount and see if he drops down, if he doesnt cut a bit more out, or if he drops too much add a tiny bit back i.

[Pogthefish]

Do you know any recomemned brands of food?

[LittleBettaFish]

Don't use Hills, Iams or anything else like that. If corn is in there do not feed it as a lot of dogs have allergies to corn and it basically means the food is crap and full of fillers.

This is the best site I have seen for dog food reviews

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

While premium foods cost more per bag, you usually feed less as they are more nutrient rich and have better quality ingredients.

Swimming is great exercise for arthritic dogs. A dog boarding place about an hour from us has an indoor pool you can take your dogs to do laps in so maybe see if anything near you has a similar set-up.

Our older dog had arthritis and her spine fused, and gentle walks were the best exercise for her. I would not run an arthritic dog as the concussion on the joints (particularly if running on asphalt or the sidewalk) may make things worse.

Cutting down on food, using a premium brand dog food, and slowly increasing exercise is going to help take the weight off. We kept our dog on the lean side as if she was any heavier she would not have been able to get around.

[starrlamia]

good dog foods vary by price, and after the latest diamond scandal there are few I recommend, for premium foods I like Go! and Acana, Fromm is also a good food.

[JKfish]

Pog... Keep in mind that all carbohydrates (wheat), fruits, and veggies are essentially converted into sugars by dogs... Which can lead to diabetese, which is a pain in the butt to deal with. Wysong is a very good brand... Check this out http://www.wysong.net/products/epigen.php :)

[N03113]

Look at http://bluebuffalo.com/ grain free line and also http://www.innovapet.com/ - Both can be found at both petco and petsmart. We feed the cats sometimes Blue BUffalo grain free when I need a quick feeding vs cutting up the raw chicken.

I use that as treats vs staple diet. Remember to get the appropriate kibble size and also, you need to look at just how much you are feeding... for example, with the cats, they get between 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup a day which is like half what you would give on a kibble that has grains... can lead to over feeding again.

Just definately look for grain free.

[Pogthefish]

ok, thanks! If my neighbors let them smim in thier pool with us, would thier fur clog up the whatever? I mean idk if they even would, but would they have any reason not to? (them=both dogs, thunder has a sister)

[JKfish]

hmmm, I doubt the fur would clog up the filter unless they are heavy duty shedding. If you're worried, get a slicker brush or something along those lines and brush them down gently before letting them swim. :)

[Pogthefish]

ok :D i will let them do the lake for now though. Neighbors come at end of june.