The benefits of physical exercise in dogs and cats

The common person relates that physical activity is positive for a healthy life. How could it be otherwise, the same thing happens with our companions at home: animals.
However, it is not always given the importance that gymnastics should occupy within the routine of companion animals, such as cats and dogs.

“Daily exercise reduces the risk of chronic degenerative diseases, which can cause death.”

María E. Zúccaro, veterinary doctor and nutritionist.

**JANO, from Roca**accompanies today’s note

According to the veterinary doctor María Eugenia Zúccaro, the biology of your dog or cat is designed to spend a large part of the day doing low-intensity physical activity with small intervals of high intensity. Wolves and wild cats naturally perform “HIIT” workouts. What does it mean? High intensity interval training that combines anaerobic and aerobic exercises. The “HIIT” mixes both ways of doing physical activity because the two have different metabolic effects and both are necessary and important.
In this sense, explains Zúccaro, the animals walk, explore new territories, socialize, play, added to small periods of intense exercise when they hunt, fight, copulate. This combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise optimizes the capacity and flexibility of the organism.
“Exercise activates metabolic pathways and transcription factors that increase mitochondrial biogenesis”, argues the professional.

Playing is an exercise that contributes both physically and mentally

Among the benefits, the professional mentions that “it helps us a lot to improve the human-animal bond as well, because they always exercise with us in general. Through physical play, this bond can be improved. In addition, you give the animal a motivation, an objective, something for which it can learn and grow”.
Low and high intensity: “You have to think that, in nature, they are on the move, they do high-intensity and low-intensity exercises,” says the expert, and at times of low intensity, they walk through their territory, explore, look for food, water, socialize and connect with other animals. Moving to relieve yourself can also be included in this group of natural movements. On the other hand, when we talk about high intensity, they are those such as hunting, having fights for territory, copulating, intense games, among others.

How to apply it at home?
“The idea is that we gradually increase the time or the strength and resistance of the physical exercise, with the aim of trying to increase the heart rate, and why not, reach 90% of its maximum for short periods,” suggests the professional and take walks combined with jogging or “runs” for 30 seconds in the case of dogs and those cats that are used to it. Also make them play in places with obstacles, ramps, fences, let them run with other animals or play search games, smell, tug of war, hunt.
“All this is worth adapting to both species within the space we have. I recommend a minimum of 30 min daily exercise. It can be done more than once a day, even fasting,” added the veterinarian.

“It is also important to understand that all the exercises will depend a lot on the animal in question. Of course it is different in cats and dogs, but in both cases, physical and mental stimulation is convenient, since the brain is like a muscle and must be stimulated so that it is constantly learning and regenerating. These exercises must be according to the mental development and capacity of each individual. Obedience, search, smell or ingenuity games are a good option. “You don’t want to hide food in a very difficult place for the first time because the animal can become frustrated and disinterested in the activity,” he says. So, in addition to going for a walk or appreciating natural movements, it is very important to exercise to strengthen the muscle and the mind.
Reduces depression, anxiety and improves mood.
Stimulates neurogenesis.

The benefits of exercising:
help the brain to perform a better function.
improves stamina to insulin and blood glucose levels.
increase mass muscle and strength.
Maintains bone density.
improves capacity lung and cellular oxygenation.
Gets better heart function and blood pressure

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