🐾 Mobility — watch the little changes
Changes in mobility can be subtle, particularly when you see your fluffy every day. Sometimes it's not an obvious limp — it's simply that they're starting to do things differently.
Keep an eye out for:
Taking longer to get up after sleeping
Hesitating before stairs or jumping into the car
Slipping or stumbling more often
Shortening their walks or wanting to turn home earlier
Walking more slowly or falling behind
Shifting their weight away from one leg
Standing or sitting differently
Struggling to find a comfortable sleeping position
Panting or seeming unsettled after relatively little activity
No longer following you around the house as much
Losing interest in walks or activities they normally love
Don't automatically put these changes down to “getting old.” Changes in the way your fluffy moves can give us valuable information about how they're feeling.
What can you do at home to help?
Small changes around the home can make a surprisingly big difference for a fluffy whose mobility isn't what it used to be.
🐾 Get a grip
Slippery tiles and timber floors can make getting up and walking much harder. Try non-slip runners, rugs or mats along the routes your fluffy uses most.
🐾 Make getting up easier
A supportive bed that's comfortable but not so soft that they sink into it can make standing easier, particularly after a long sleep.
🐾 Rethink the stairs
Watch how your fluffy manages steps and stairs. A ramp or simply reducing unnecessary trips up and down can make life easier.
🐾 Help them into the car
If they're hesitating before jumping into the car, don't keep encouraging them to make the jump. A ramp or step can make getting in and out much easier.
🐾 Keep moving — but change the walkies
Slowing down doesn't necessarily mean stopping. Depending on your fluffy's condition, shorter, more frequent walks may suit them better than one long walk. Let your fluffy set the pace.
🐾 Keep an eye on those nails
Overgrown nails can affect how a fluffy places their paws and moves. Keeping nails at an appropriate length can help them maintain better footing.
🐾 Watch their weight
Extra weight means extra work for a body that's already finding movement more difficult. Maintaining an appropriate body condition is an important part of supporting mobility.
🐾 Take a video
This is one of our favourites. Once a week, take a short video of your fluffy walking from the side, front and behind. Gradual changes can be difficult to notice when you see them every day, but much easier to spot when you compare videos.
How we can support mobility
For some of our fluffies, acupuncture and MPS therapy may form part of their individual supportive-care plan.
Acupuncture may be used as part of veterinary supportive care to help with comfort and mobility, while MPS therapy can be considered where scars, adhesions and areas of soft-tissue restriction may be affecting comfortable movement.
Because sometimes helping a fluffy move more comfortably can make a meaningful difference to the things they still love doing — getting up to greet Mum, wandering around the garden or enjoying those precious little walkies. ❤️🐾
