Arthritis in pets – is it an old age disease?

ONE of the most common scenarios seen in small animal veterinary practice is an older dog gingerly walking into our consult room. The 13-year-old Labrador with arthritic elbows, or the 11-year-old German Shepherd with bad hips are typical examples of this.

But it may surprise you to know that arthritis, or degenerative joint disease, doesn’t only affect older dogs.

In our practice we often come across younger dogs with early onset arthritis, either a result of genetic disease or from some form of trauma during the early growth months.

We also see arthritis in dogs who have had surgery on joints, or damaged the joint in a traumatic way leading to early arthritis.

We are also increasingly seeing cats with arthritis, in my opinion this condition is often underdiagnosed in older cats as owners feel the less active cat is just slowing up and resting more rather than stiff or sore.

Diagnosis of arthritis initially involves a combination of relevant history (age, previous accidents, breed etc) as well as a thorough clinical examination including palpation and manipulation of the suspected areas of concern and watching for signs of lameness or abnormal gait at different walking speeds.

If we are concerned about arthritis in one or more joints we always recommend x-rays. Under sedation or general anaesthetic multiple views of the joints are x-rayed to allow a definitive diagnosis of arthritis to be made. X-rays also allow us to rule out other possible causes of lameness including dislocations, fractures or bony tumours.

There are various treatment options available for arthritic animals, and your vet will discuss the benefits and rationale behind each of these.

We recommend a four-step approach to managing the arthritic dog or cat.

Firstly, strict weight management, keeping your pet at the lower end of a healthy weight. This reduces loading through the joint and shedding a few pounds can dramatically improve the animal’s mobility.

Secondly we recommend a controlled exercise program – keeping the animal fit and active, but not allowing over exercising which can lead to increased stiffness and pain.

Thirdly we use one of a range of antiinflammatories often on a daily basis, sometimes with the use of additional analgesics or pain relief medications.

These are prescription only drugs and would need to be discussed in more detail with your vet.

And lastly we look at the various options for supplements, diets and supportive care suitable for the individual animal.

So how does an owner spot the signs of arthritis?

Most dog owners walk their dogs two or more times a day, and often become aware of increased stiffness after exercise, reluctance to complete their normal walk or noticeable lameness at home or out on a walk.

As I’ve already mentioned cats are a bit more challenging, but reluctance to jump on or off higher surfaces, awkwardness getting through cat flaps, difficulty toileting or decreased playfulness are all signs.

In all cases where you have concerns about your pet’s behaviour or symptoms please arrange a visit to the vet where we can start the process of diagnosing a potential problem that with the management approach discussed above can greatly improve your loved one’s quality of life.

Michael Morrow owns and runs St Vincents Veterinary Surgery, a small animal practice providing personal care for pets in and around Wokingham since 2005. Visit www.stvincentsvets.co.uk to find out more, or find us on Facebook.

Save the date for our Open Day

Please join us at our OPEN DAY on Saturday, November 17, from 2pm to 4.30pm to meet the team, have a guided tour of the practice and enjoy refreshments whilst chatting to our exhibitors.

Well behaved pets welcome.