Did you know arthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain in pets – especially as they age?

Just like humans, our furry companions can develop joint issues that affect their comfort, mobility, and quality of life. One of the most common forms is Osteoarthritis (OA) – a complex condition involving inflammation and degeneration of one or more joints.

OA is typically diagnosed through a combination of a thorough physical examination, palpation (feeling the joints to localize pain and assess mobility), and additional diagnostic tools such as x-rays or other imaging technology.

What causes OA—and how can you spot it early?

There is no single cause of OA. Many factors influence its initiation and development including:

• Body conformation (how a pet is built)
• Body condition/weight (overweight and obesity are highly correlated with OA)
• Abnormal joint development
• Injury history (fracture, ligament damage, muscle injury, joint infection, damage/erosion of cartilage)
• Orthopedic surgery
• Nutritional history

In fact, most pets with OA experience a combination of these factors as their OA develops and progresses.

What are the signs of OA?

Pets can exhibit many different signs when they have OA, and they do not necessarily demonstrate all the same signs all of the time. The most common signs owners may notice include:

• Nutritional history
• Difficulty getting up and down
• Walking stiffly
• Lameness in one or more legs
• Reluctance to go up and/or down stairs
• Reluctance to jump up or down
• Stiff, swollen, or sore joints
• Reluctance to be touched on some parts of the body

Can OA be treated?

Unfortunately, there is no “magic fix” for treating OA. In fact, once OA is in place, we are not so much treating it as managing it because OA cannot be cured. OA is a very complex disease, so we get the best results from combining multiple treatments.

Typical multimodal management of arthritis generally includes the following:

Nutrition

Normalizing body condition is critical, so your veterinarian may prescribe a specific diet to accomplish this goal. There is now prescription diets that can support the joints while helping to normalize body weight and condition. It is important to stick strictly to the prescribed nutritional program.

Supplements

A nutritional supplement may be recommended to help manage your dog’s symptoms such as 4CYTE for dogs. These are natural products not medications, but have great research behind them showing benefits for dogs suffering with joint problems such as OA and can be used long-term with minimal to no side-effects.

Cartrophen Injections for Dogs

Cartrophen Vet is a revolutionary advance in the treatment for arthritis in dogs, it is an injection given by your vet in a similar way to a vaccine with four weekly doses. It has many sites of action within the underlying processes of the arthritis disease which helps maintain joint health, including preserving joint cartilage. It is therefore classified as a disease modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD)

Solensia Injections for Cats

Solensia is an injectable monoclonal antibody therapy administered monthly to control feline osteoarthritis (OA) pain. By alleviating pain, Solensia helps generally improve physical activity level, sociability and quality of life of cats with OA. This new product’s benefits are effective pain relief, combined with a positive safety profile in a monthly injectable treatment. In a clinical study over three months, pet owners observed signs of pain, including physical activity level, sociability, and quality of life. A total of 76% of cat owners reported sustained improvement in signs of pain when their cats were treated with Solensia.

Pain medications

Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are often used against the pain of OA. Your veterinarian will determine if your pet is a good candidate for this class of medication. Occasionally, a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drug will be prescribed instead of a NSAID. The two classes of medication CANNOT be used together.

Gabapentin is a pain medication that addresses chronic pain differently from NSAIDs or corticosteroids, and complements those medications. It provides a way to address the chronic nature of OA pain, and is especially helpful when the patient is older and not able to take a NSAID.

Can I do anything else to help my pet be more comfortable?

There are simple things that any pet owner can provide to a pet with OA that can help with comfort and mobility. These include:

• Soft, padded bedding
• Raised food and water dishes (elbow height)
• Non-skid floor surfaces
• A ramp or stool/step for getting onto higher surfaces
• Adhering to prescribed feeding and medication recommendations

What is my pet’s long-term outlook?

With appropriate management, pets with OA can and do live a normal life expectancy. Your veterinarian can provide specific guidance about lifestyle adjustments.

Can OA be prevented?

With good nutrition, optimal body condition, regular exercise and joint supplements the odds of preventing or at least delaying OA are excellent. Your veterinarian will partner with you to create the best plan for your pet.

If you have noticed any signs of OA in your pet, please get in touch to schedule an appointment with our vets to discuss management options to improve your pets quality of life and slow down the progression of the condition. If at any point in time you have any concerns, questions or queries please call us on 4151 3550.