Osteoarthritis: Bad to the Bone

"At my age, I have an achy, breaky everything."

Your childhood was probably a lie if your grandparents did not have at least four throw pillows with that quote. Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common reasons for sick visits.

• The Goal: We cannot cure it, but we can improve your pet's quality of life and increase their lifespan by years.

1. What is it?

The "Bad to the Bone" Situation

Osteoarthritis in a canine stifle.

• The Anatomy: Cartilage acts as a cushion for your joints, preventing bones from grinding against each other.

• The Problem: With age and weight, that cushion breaks down. This causes inflammation, changes in joint fluid, and pain.

• The Result: A "bone-on-bone" situation that hurts. A lot.

2. The Signs: "Ehhh, we'll see."

Noticing a limp is alarming, but most owners (myself included) usually say, "Ehhh, we'll see how it goes over the next few days."

• The Fluctuation: Arthritis pain comes and goes with weather and activity.

• The "Stoic" Factor: Make no bones about it—most pets are incredibly tough. By the time they are limping consistently, they have likely been in pain for a long time.

• Diagnosis: It is often a "Diagnosis of Exclusion." We rule out ACL tears, fractures, and Lyme disease first. X-rays confirm the bony changes.

3. The Treatment: Step One (The Hard Truth)

"O Lawd He Comin" Your beloved chonk of a yellow lab that "only gets table food occasionally" is at risk.

• The #1 Treatment: The most effective thing you can do is weight loss.

• The Stat: Over 50% of pets in the US are obese.

• The Math: Your vet can calculate exactly how many calories they need.

  • Rough Formula: (Body Weight in kg ^ 0.75) x 70 = Resting Calories

  • Easier Way: Ask us to do the math for you, or visit the Pet Nutrition Alliance.

4. Supplements: The "Extras"

"Everyone is selling something." An average healthy pet on a balanced diet does not need supplements. However, for arthritic pets, they can help.

• Glucosamine/Chondroitin: Helps repair cartilage and reduce inflammation.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Great for joints (and skin!).

• Adequan: An injectable product that helps protect the cartilage itself.

• Alternative Therapies: Water therapy, acupuncture, and cold laser therapy are fantastic non-drug options.

5. Pain Management: The "Good Stuff"

When supplements and weight loss aren't enough, we bring in the big guns.

The Classics

• NSAIDs (Carprofen, Meloxicam): These manage pain and inflammation effectively.

  • Warning: NEVER give human pain meds (Tylenol/Advil) to your pet. You will end up with a much bigger problem than a limp.

The Future (New!)

• The Injections: New monoclonal antibody injections are changing the game.

  • Dogs: Librela - I recently wrote an update on this medication.

  • Cats: Solensia

• Why we love them: They target nerve growth factors to stop pain signals, have very few side effects, and (best of all) you don't have to pill your cat.

Summary: A Joint Effort

Aging is normal, and arthritis is often a part of that (just ask my knees). You are your pet's advocate. Whether you notice your cat isn't jumping up to steal tacos anymore, or your dog is slow to rise, let us know. If we make a joint effort to manage the disease, it won't be such a pain in the butt... I mean hips.