Treatments for Arthritis in Pets

Keeping our older pets acting and feeling younger

The main purpose of treating osteoarthritis is to manage pain associated with inflammation of the joints.  Creating a healthy lifestyle for your pets is the most important component to slowing arthritis.  A healthy lifestyle combined with medical management is important in controlling arthritis induced pain.  Arthritis can be treated with lifestyle changes, medical and surgical treatments.  Medical management for DJD should always be attempted before surgery is warranted.

Options for arthritis treatment:

• Weight reduction
• Exercise modification/ physical therapy
  
• Anti – inflammatory/ joint protective medications
• Surgery

Weight Reducation

Excessive weight on joints causes a lot of damage to the joints.  By decreasing the weight of your pet you can considerably slow cartilage damage and arthritic changes to the joints. 

Exercise modification/ physical therapy

Exercise restriction or reduction should be performed in all pets with arthritis.  However, it has been shown that controlled moderate exercise can maintain muscle, which helps to stabilize joints.   Swimming is an excellent form of physical therapy and is very low impact on the joints. Moderate exercise, such as 20 min leash walks, maintains range of motion.

There are two different types of pain meds recommended by veterinarians for arthritis in our pets; NSAIDs and OADMA’s. 

Anti- inflammatory drugs- Inflammation is the primary cause of pain in arthritic patients.  By decreasing inflammation you can significantly decrease pain in the joints and improve mobility.   

1) Osteoarthritis disease modifying agents (OADMA) – This family of drugs is known as “Neutroceuticals” which are organic nutritional supplements.  Glucosamine/Chondroitin sulfate combinations are the most common OADMA prescribed by vets.  They are extracted from mussels and used by the body to repair cartilage in joints.   

Caution: These products are not regulated by the FDA, so caution must be used when purchasing them over-the-counter. Cheaper and generic brands have been found to lack enough of the active ingredients to be effective.   

There are certain brands that have been tested and are recommended by most veterinarians.   These products have not been shown to cause any side effects and can be safely purchased over the counter. 

See related articles:

Treatments for Pet Arthritis

Arthritis in Older Pets

Cruciate Disease in Pets