Have you been noticing your dog lagging behind on walks, are they slow to rise, or having difficulty with stairs? It could be that your four-legged best friend is showing signs of a common type of arthritis called osteoarthritis (OA).
Osteoarthritis is non-inflammatory degenerative damage of the bones that make up joints. Many might think that OA only affects older animals but, any dog or cat can get OA, and it can be easily missed or blamed on something else. Osteoarthritis affects dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds.
No one knows your dog better than you. We recommend filling out a short and simple OA checklist and sharing it with your veterinarian here at Catoctin Veterinary Clinic. Our number one goal is to keep your pet happy and healthy.
OA can be very painful. This pain can negatively impact dogs and cats not just physically, but also emotionally. The good news is that this pain can be managed.
If you are concerned OA might be affecting your pet, make an appointment to talk to your veterinarian. During the appointment an effective approach to diagnosing OA and pain management can be discussed to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of your pet.
Please follow this link to complete the online checklist for OA.