Summer has officially arrived in Florida! We have months of hot, humid weather facing us before we can cool off outdoors again. Even though it’s hot we still need to exercise our dogs. They need it, despite the weather. So what can you do to ensure your dog still gets the exercise he needs during the summer months? Here are some suggestions.

An interesting article by Dr. Becker talks about osteochondrosis, an orthopedic disease that occurs in young, fast growing dogs, especially large and giant breeds such as dobermans, retrievers, and great danes. The most common form of the disease is osteochondritis dissecans or OCD, a defect in bone development at the extremity of the bone.

The 2012 survey results published by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) are out and reveal some interesting statistics. Compared to 2011, dogs are doing “slightly” better in terms of weight management. Here are the statistics:

After surgical clearance from your veterinarian, one of the best ways to rehabilitate your dog is by warm water swimming with a trained hydrotherapist. Rehabilitation from broken legs, hip and knee surgeries and some spinal surgeries can be sped up by getting the dog moving appropriately in the water. After surgery, most dogs won’t put any weight…

The AVMA recently released its 2012 US Pet Ownership & Demographic Sourcebook. Every five years a survey is conducted. The statistics are pretty interesting. Of the top 10 pet owning states, Vermont ranked highest at 71% with New Jersey, Utah and Nebraska at 51% of pet owning households.

Along with proper nutrition, grooming and regular veterinary care, a regular exercise program is essential for all dogs, but is even more important for senior dogs. Why is exercise so important for older dogs? First, it helps maintain your dog’s ideal body weight.

My dog Beau, a seven and a half year old 70 pound mix breed was just diagnosed with elbow dysplasia. Most people are familiar with hip dysplasia in dogs, but what about elbow dysplasia (ED)?  Elbow dysplasia is a very real problem in many breeds. Medium and large breed dogs are most vulnerable but it…

There is a great article by Dr. Shawn Messonnier in the April/May issue of Animal Wellness magazine about ways to keep your dog’s immune system healthy. It’s very important for your dog to have a strong immune system to help resist disease, prevent fleas, and help our dogs live longer and healthier.

I was featured on the radio yesterday on The G-Team ( https://gteamradio.com – will be rebroadcast on Sunday at 9am) and the host Karl Gibbons quoted some interesting pet industry statistics that we thought you all might be interested in. Market ResearchSource – American Pet Products Association – APPATotal U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures Year Billion 2013 $55.53 Estimate2012…

There was an article in the Orlando Sentinel the other day that spoke about swimming and how it was never too late to start. The same thing is true with most dogs. A full body workout, swimming is about as perfect as an exercise can get. It’s non-weight bearing, making it easy on joints, and the…

We are the only Orlando dog boarding and Orlando doggie day care center that has an indoor heated pool for dogs. See it for yourself by scheduling a tour!

Rocky's Retreat | 2826 Shader Rd. Orlando FL 32808 | info@rockysretreat.com | (407) 295-3888