What is an Orthopedic Dog Bed?
An orthopedic dog bed is a bed that is designed to help with any orthopedic problem that a dog might have. It is meant to help relieve pain associated with arthritis and other conditions. It is also meant to help to prevent stiffness and immobility that might be associated with those conditions. In short, an orthopedic bed is one that helps a dog stay active, happy and healthy.
What are They Made of?
High quality orthopedic beds are made of a special material called memory foam. Memory foam is actually a polyurethane foam with special chemicals that make it springy and soft. It may also be listed as viscoelastic. Lower quality beds that use the orthopedic label may be made of chunks of foam rather than a solid piece. They may be made of other materials, none of which will provide any benefits whatsoever.
Since there are no real laws governing the use of the term “orthopedic” for dog beds, the label can be put on any dog bed. It is important to be a good consumer and to actually investigate what the bed is made of, including the inner layers.
Testing the Bed
With your own bed you probably got on it and maybe turned over a few times. Maybe you bounced a few times. Since you can’t do that with a dog bed, your testing will have to be modified slightly. Press down on the bed and then monitor how quickly the foam inside springs back. If it springs back immediately it is not memory foam and may not provide enough support for your dog’s needs. Memory foam conforms to the dog’s body and then slowly rises back up whenever he stands. Those two actions are what makes it beneficial. Without them, the bed is not going to help very much.
You should be able to easily remove the cover and it should be machine washable. You can opt to use a secondary cover on the bed if you like but you should be able to wash the main cover because eventually it is going to smell like your dog regardless of what is over top of it.
Orthopedic Dog Beds are the Right Height
Asking a dog with arthritis to hop up several inches to get in and out of his bed is cruel and defeats the entire purpose of having one. The dog should have to do little more than step up a bit to get in to his bed and once he is in it should be able to turn around and get comfortable in whatever position he likes. A bed that is too small may leave him hanging off of the side or may cause him to sleep bunched up or in an odd position. There are size charts with most beds so if you can’t eyeball it and pick the right one, refer to the chart and get an idea of what you need for your own dog.
