Benefits Of Exercise For Oldies

[sandgrubber]

I'm confused about walking my oldie. I'm an oldie myself (late 60s) and the doctors tell me that keeping up an exercise regime is one of the most important things I can do to maintain health. I tend to walk, run, or power walk even if it hurts . . . and I think on the whole, exercising reduces the pain.

Does the same pertain to old dogs? For example, can you forestall the weak back end problem by keeping up walkies? There may be a tradeoff between pain (which the dog hides as best as it can) and the pleasure of walkies. If the dog 'chooses' to accept the pain, is it possible that the dog is doing the best thing? Is there any evidence that exploring and physical activity tends to keep dementia at bey for dogs . . . as it seems to for humans?

[ChristineX]

One of my problems, as my two have gotten older, is that they don't say Ouch, or show pain until they are at the point of already having collapsed - so I make that decision, which is, less activity but a few more games inside.  It's one of the challenges in owning Irish Terriers.

[rubiton]

Our old dog was still going for walks right up to the day we lost her.  The difference between her and the younger one was he (younger one) went for a walk on the lead where I decide while with her we had an area that she basically was walked up and back.  She was off lead because I could run faster than she could when she tried to do her old dog bolt.  Anyway some days it was a meander so we were back fairly quickly as Id turn her around so we came back other days she'd bound off the full distance of the area (round trip 1200m).    SHe was on joint powder, Cartrophan courses, the joint treats from the supermarket and treated with rapigel if she went lame.  Theory was the exercise would help strengthen the soft tissue supporting the arthritic joints.

In the end she slipped and broke her leg - the kidney disease ultimately ended in weak bones but you'd never have guessed the way she was bouncing around that day.  Yes she had weakness in her hind end (but that got a lot worse in her last 6 months afer she possibly had a third but very minor dog stroke) and couldnt stand up when the leg went as the other wasnt strong enough.  Exercise probably actually helped her going as long as she did and in the end she could have slipped anywhere at anytime even getting up from the floor in the house could have done it.     Some days she was slower than others as mentioned but she also had a massive tumor on her spleen which may have contributed to the days she was slow as they can leak - again walking would have made a difference.

I think its just a matter of if they want to go for a walk go but stay close to home and see how the dog recovers after the walk (our old dog she'd often want to play 'chasey' when we got back - if she wanted to we did - regardless of if it was a long or short walk for her).

[helen]

I know that my old girl warms up a bit after some exercise, so that has to be a good thing. I think that you just need to learn your dogs limits which isn't too hard to do

[Tassie]

My agility/tracking/rally BC girl is a month and a half short of her 15th birthday.    While we don't do formal walks every day. I live on a sloping acre and a quarter block, so a few ambles round the place gives her a bit of varied exercise, and she's happy enough to go for a leash walk around streets or in the park where our dog club is. 

I did take her with me for a consult a couple of months ago with the rehab vet who has started in practice down here, to see if it would be OK for her to do underwater treadmill sessions (I was starting it up with my 8 year old boy).   I also asked about the strengthening and conditioning exercises which we were already doing.   The answer was yes .. she was good for all of those.   And to continue on the supplements we were using.   Since Kirra has early stage kidney disease, NSAIDs are out, so our holistic vet made her up a kidney sparing herbal arthritis pain relief powder.

So she's had 7 sessions of UWTM now .. we've worked her up slowly, gradually increasing time and pace (though still slower than the boy.   We do that once a week .. and she apparently likes it, and is doing well.  I'm really happy with what I'm seeing.   Her shoulders seem stronger, and she reaches nicely.   And now when she's standing, there's hardly ever any eastie/westie foot placement.    Her rear end seems to be strengthening too, from the treadmill and the other exercises.

While she sleeps a lot, and is getting quite deaf and doesn't see all that well, she's always up for some "training", since that involves treats.

I certainly think that if the dog is up for it, and you have vet clearance, exercise for the oldies is a good thing physically and mentally, and I'm a big fan of cross training, particularly for keeping the core, spine and rear assembly as strong as possible.

[Daisys Mum]

My 11 year old Kelpie doesn't show me when she has had enough.. she is an energiser bunny :/ she just keeps going.

We usually take her for a walk everyday around the block.. she loves it.

Presently she is on strict rest after hurting her neck so no walks for now and trying to keep her quiet is a challenge.

I have noticed lately that she isnt as agile as she used to be so I have had to shorten her daily exercise.

[Brandiandwe]

Our beloved Benny was walked every day until the end. It was by himself, and just up and down the street by the end but it was important. My vet advised me to keep him moving because of his arthritis. But it also gave him some mental stimulation, and gave me some lovely time with him. It also helped to keep his bowels moving, although with less exercise, I also changed his diet to make it softer so the output was easier for him too.

 

He also enjoyed going on car rides to parks where we would have a bit of a stroll then a sit on a rug together enjoying the outing. Again, he enjoyed the mental stimulation of different smells, and also some quiet time with me. 

 

Bittersweet memories.