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Symptom Checker
This checklist will help identify your dog’s activities and behaviours that might be signs of osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease that can be painful.
This checklist will be emailed to you, allowing you to keep it ready for potentially arranging your next visit to the vet after assessing the results from your symptom checker.
You may be concerned that in the past you have been unable to resolve the problem.
However, with the understanding of arthritis improving all the time, effective treatments and solutions are available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Osteoarthritis is a condition that leads to pain and progressive degeneration of the joint1. It affects many aspects of a dog’s life, including limited mobility, painful joints, and a poor quality of life. Signs can often be subtle, and dogs will rarely yelp, cry, or vocalise the pain they are experiencing. It is therefore important to look out for signs like limping, slowing down on walks, being slow to rise, and having difficulty jumping.
(reference: https://www2.zoetis.co.za/)
Yes. While many cases of osteoarthritis occur in older, overweight and larger breed dogs, the condition can affect dogs of all sizes, ages and breeds. Many cases go undiagnosed because owners assume slowing down is a natural symptom of getting older
Although the disease cannot be cured your veterinarian can recommend treatments and a long term plan to ensure your dog lives a pain free life
While we can’t stop the disease, we can manage the pain and give dogs a good quality of life. Treating pain can help maintain muscle, reduce weight, and improve quality of life – for all dogs with arthritis. Recognising and treating pain can help restore the important bond between pet owners and their dogs. Although the disease cannot be cured your veterinary surgeon can recommend treatments and a long term plan to ensure your dog lives a pain free life.
Find the
best advice
From Our Trusted Vet
Dr Kenneth
Ask our resident vet Dr Kenneth questions about your dog’s arthritis and get the best advice on how to treat your arthritic dog to ensure that your dog enjoys quality of life pain free