Arthritis Services

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that progressively weakens your pet’s joints as the protective cartilage between their bones wears away. The condition mainly affects senior pets for various reasons, including genetics, obesity, and unhealed injuries. Our veterinary team can create a personalized pain management plan to help your pet deal with arthritis.

How does my pet develop osteoarthritis?

The cartilage between your pet’s bones acts as a cushion, protecting the bones from rubbing against each other. It helps give them a full range of motion, where joints can move with ease. Once this wears away, they’re more prone to inflammation and joint swelling. The condition is most common in your pet’s limbs and lower spine, though other body parts are susceptible to it. Ensuring your pet has regular wellness checkups ensures we can diagnose and treat osteoarthritis early on, limiting the amount of pain they could experience.

How does it manifest in my pet’s body?

You’ll first notice osteoarthritis in your pet if they have the following:

• Limping
• Swollen joints
• Reluctance to take walks
• Difficulty climbing stairs, jumping into a car or climbing into bed
• Licking specific joints
• Spending less time playing with family

How can pain management help with their symptoms?

If your pet has any of these signs, we recommend you contact us at 519-661-0496 and book an initial pain management consultation to determine the diagnosis and get your pet on a path to recovery. Since there’s no cure for the disease, pain management is the best option for ensuring your pet is able to maintain a good quality of life. Pain management includes a personalized plan of therapeutic treatments, which can help alleviate pain and release the tension in the area. Some treatments include acupuncture, therapeutic laser therapy, special diets and regenerative medicine.