Hi, My lab is 11 years old now and she has noticeably lost muscle in her back legs and I've been hunting the web to find tips or exercises to do with her to help build those muscles back up and I came across this website - http://slimdoggy.com/back-leg-exercises-for-your-dog/ and they do seem to make sense to me, has anyone done anything similar with their dog? She has dodgy hips, maybe some osteoarthritis, and she did hurt her back quite badly 2 years ago when playing with the hose pipe so that game has been banned now. I give her quite a few supplements to help all that - collagen type 1 & 2, ground up flax seed, tumeric and also half a sardine everyday with her Retorn salmon cereal free dog food Thanks
What does your vet say? Have they given you advice? Is she in pain at all? They can help with that I'm sure.
Our boy - much younger, now almost 6 years old - has a slipped lumbar disc. We have found that leash walking has been excellent for strengthening his hind area - he has rippling muscles of steel now. The walks are brisk (for the human) and last about 30-45 mins at least 5x week (other walks are off leash), and include a lot of uphill (we live on a mountain slope). Apparently slow walking uphill is excellent for building muscle strength in the hind area, and being on a leash at human speed, albeit brisk for us, seems to have been good for building muscles on our boy. He’s also on excellent food: human grade raw meaty bones, meat, and organs. Plus fresh veg and fruit (he begs a lot!!!! But we’ve managed to keep him slim).
My small rescue girl has pretty rubbish rear end joints, especially one knee , the Xrays showed the picture clearly . I`ve had her on a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement for three months , plus an ever decreasing dose of Vet supplied anti inflammatory medication . I was also advised to walk her up and down hills ( nothing too taxing ) plus she also has hydrotherapy occasionally . The effects of all the aforementioned , has been fantastic , she rarely limps now and can easily manage a respectable 2 miles ! Good luck x
After she hurt her back the vet said avoid walking up stairs, always use a slope, and I have noticed than when she does walk up stairs she is slow/ struggling at the top, recently I have been carrying her upstairs. I've also noticed she is slower when walking up slopes than downhill or on the flat, the website I mentioned says going up short hills is a good way to build up muscles in the back legs. The vet also said several short walks, avoid long walks. Hurting her back and the muscles going in her back legs are 2 different things, but I think the muscles loss has got worse as she has walked less after hurting her back. She used to jump on my bed every morning whereas now she can't. She does love to swim so will take her swimming more again, but its a steady walk uphill from the beach to home so shes always slow then. I'm thinking of driving her there and back. My friend is a chiropractor and he has looked at her and loosened her back up but he said it was damage from a long time ago
I strongly suggest further investigation by your Vet, an Xray at the very least. I'd be afraid anything you do to build up muscles in the legs might aggravate a condition that stems from the back. As per my VEt and my last Lab girl who had "significant spinal stenosis" and invertebral disk disease. Another acute episode in her back and my Vet said she'd need surgery. Pain meds can help but can lead dog and owner to overdo exercise since the dog doesn't feel the hurt but the condition is still there.
Sorry, Maybe I should have been clearer her back has been x-rayed and everything checked etc etc and the vet says its just old age no operation needed just recommended more supplements The last time I took her to the vet for a lump on her leg that turned out to just be a fatty lump she said about her losing muscles and then the other day it just came to me I should be able to do something to build them up, I'm going to try teh uphill walking with her, there are quite a few little steep slopes near me that are ideal
