Five, ten, fifteen pounds. If this sounds like your holiday season, you may be thinking of lacing up those running shoes or dusting off that bike seat as a New Year's commitment to exercise more.
Many dogs are weekend athletes.
After a long week, it's their chance to get out and burn off energy. Because of their enthusiasm, many of the popular breeds such as Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, will overdo it. Unfortunately, veterinarians find that weekend warriors suffer more orthopedic injuries. This is caused by sudden twists or sharp change in direction often from playing Frisbee or catch. Plus, some of these dogs have degenerative joint disease such as hip dysplasia and elbow problems.