The importance of certain exercises can not be stressed enough. It is imperative that we do not overdo it. It is so easy to undo what the specialist has just spent hours fixing! The hardship on your pet is not worth it!

The main goal at the early stage after surgery is controlling  swelling and limiting muscle atrophy. Pain control is also important and you may be needing to use some medication that the doctor has provided. Torn cruciate exercises are very gentle and non-taxing on your dog. They primarily involve:  

• stretching of the limbs
• slow assisted walking on leash, on level ground.

If your dog is undertaking the conservative approach to their torn cruciate, they need to follow a program similar to one that has just had surgery. It is very important that a dog is not overworked in this recovery stage. In Chapter four of my ebook I get into much detail about the protocol of torn cruciate exercises and what is best for a 100 lb dog or a 10 lb dog. Continue reading →