6 Benefits of an Orthopedic Dog Bed

Why are the 6 benefits of an orthopedic dog bed important? National Sleep Foundation data reveal that 50% of your dog’s day is spent sleeping. The other 50%  is divided between lounging around (30%) and being active (20%). As your dog reaches their senior years, they need restful sleep more than ever. 

What are the 6 benefits of an orthopedic dog bed?

Briefly, they are as follows.

• Sound sleep
• Joint protection
• Prevention of elbow calluses
• Restoration of energy and mobility
• Easy access
• Injury recovery

More detail for each of these 6 benefits of an orthopedic dog bed follows below.

Sound Sleep

Elderly dogs often develop chronic sleeping troubles. They are prone to restless pacing and position shifting, as they try to find their most comfortable sleep spot. These are often signs of discomfort or even pain. These issues directly affect your dog’s sleep quality.

Orthopedic beds eliminate these problems. The supportive foam found in these beds is made of thick fabric. It gives your dog all the cushion they need, from head to toe. This specially designed cushion relieves the pressure placed on the sore joints due to old age. What are some other benefits of an orthopedic dog bed?

Joint Protection

Just because your dog does not manifest any signs of pain does not mean they are quite comfortable. Many senior dogs suffer pain in silence. An important thing to remember is canine arthritis in senior dogs is quite prevalent and must be addressed. This a major area where the importance of sleeping comfort will eventually become obvious. It is better, and easier, to prevent joint problems than to have to try to remedy them. Surely, you have heard that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure?

Traditional beds for dogs tend to get weighed down. This creates points of pressure where your dog’s joints are not supported.  Orthopedic beds, on the other hand, are equipped with memory foam. This material eliminates those uncomfortable pressure points from your dog’s sleep time. If you have a large dog, this is especially important to recognize and prevent.

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Elbow Calluses Prevention

Dogs that spend most of their time sprawled on hard surfaces often develop elbow calluses. These patchy and rough sores form as their bodies’ natural response to lying on hardwood, concrete, or tile flooring for extended periods.

These calluses may also appear on their hips, sides of legs, hocks, and sternum. They can become painful and itchy. In worse conditions, the calluses can lacerate and trigger infection. It is certainly best to avoid this if at all possible.

The supportive foam layer in orthopedic dog beds prevents your dog from sinking under their own weight. You can eliminate the risk of pressure sores. Clearly, this ranks as one of the most important of the six benefits of an orthopedic dog bed.

Energy and Mobility Restoration

Dogs that wake up sore, stiff, and tired cannot stay at their best performance during the day. Senior dogs, despite aging, do not need to sit in lethargy throughout their remaining days. A good orthopedic bed improves their sleep quality and, consequently, restores their daytime mobility and energy.

Easy Access/Exit

Orthopedic beds have shape-retention quality. This means that senior dogs can access and exit these beds without any discomfort, given their consistency and familiarity. Compared to traditional beds whose shapes tend to shift daily, depending on how a dog recently slept on it.

Injury Recovery

If your dog has recently gone through an injury or illness, especially those with surgery, the need for them to have an orthopedic bed cannot be said stronger. A comfortable resting spot that will not provide them sores, is crucial to their recovery.

If you liked this article, you may enjoy reading how a community took care of stray dogs. The local businesses opened their doors to them at night and made beds for them out of tires. https://happymutt.org/doors-opened-to-shelter-stray-dogs/