Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis (OA) can affect dogs and cats – as well as all other pets – of all ages and sizes/breeds. Other terms used for OA are simply “arthritis” or “degenerative joint disease.”

Similar to people, OA in dogs and cats can be very painful and severely limit your pet’s quality of life. Common symptoms associated with OA include lameness, being less active, and less interest in playing/hiking/walks. There is no cure and reversing the disease process is unfortunately not possible. The best treatment for arthritis is long-term management and prevention. In doing so we can delay its progression, allowing many dogs to thrive with a comfortable, active lifestyle. Understanding osteoarthritis is important even if your pet may not have significant arthritis at this point.