Animals – Arthritis in ageing pets

As our pets get older, they suffer from many of the same complaints that we suffer from. One of the most common issues we see is arthritis, where a slow degradation of the cartilage in the joints causes pain and discomfort. This can be the result of a previous injury, wear and tear, or long-term obesity.

Symptoms in dogs may begin with stiffness and difficulty rising and progress to limping or a notable lameness. You may notice their hind-limb muscles start to waste away as they walk differently.

Behaviours may also change and they become more lethargic as movement becomes uncomfortable. Alternatively, they may become sensitive to certain areas being touched, with growling or vocalisation beginning.

In cats, symptoms are often very subtle as they don’t like to show overt signs of pain. Identifying the condition early can help improve the quality of life for your cat as it gets older. Often, they will become lethargic, sleep more, play less and become reluctant to jump up on stuff. Cat’s may also become overweight as activity levels drop and they may lose flexibility reducing their ability to groom. Like dogs they experience pain and vocalise or become aggressive when touched in certain areas.

Treatment involves maintaining a healthy body weight, preserving muscle mass through gentle exercise, boosting cartilage health and managing pain when required.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are the building blocks for cartilage and providing these in the diet or via a supplement help to maintain cartilage health. There have also been numerous studies showing the benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids as a natural anti-inflammatory in human and animal joints.

Joint supplements and prescription diets for arthritis are high in all of these molecules and help provide a natural pain relief. These types of products are a good starting point if you suspect your pet has arthritis. Hills J/D diet or Synoquin tablets are good examples of brands to use.

When these no longer provide enough relief, pain relief can be prescribed by your vet. Traditionally this was in the form of an anti-inflammatory drug such as Rimadyl or Metacam. These work similar to ibuprofen and reduce swelling in the joint but, occasionally, they can have negative effects on the kidneys and stomach lining.

More recently, a new class of drugs called Beransa or Solensia have been brought onto the market.

These work on a different pain pathway to traditional anti-inflammatory drugs and have been effective at managing arthritic pain in both cats and dogs via a monthly injection.

The main benefit of these drugs is that they don’t have the potentially negative effects on the kidneys or stomach that traditional anti-inflammatories do. This makes them safe to use in older cats or dogs with sensitive stomachs.