Arthritis

Is your pet “slowing down”? This is likely arthritis!

Every animal will develop arthritis.
It is a painful and depressing condition that is commonly mistaken by owners as slowing down.

What are signs of arthritis or slowing down?

One or all of:

Difficulty standing from a sitting position
Getting skinny back legs
Reluctance/ hesitation to jump
Slowing down on walks. Stopping to sniff more! (not less)
Less excited when owners come home
Sleeping longer
Becoming snappy/ more grumpy
Difficulty climbing stairs
Limping
Taking longer to sit/ lay down

Cats get arthritis too!

Look for signs of:

Less grooming/ more mats appearing
Sleeping more
Not jumping onto high surfaces as frequently
Landing with more of a ‘thud’ after jumping off a high surface.

Medium to large breed dogs are often euthanased solely due to its debilitating effects. This is very hard on owners (and vets) as the patient is often alert and of sound mind.

There is no way to stop arthritis, but there are ways to slow it down. We educate our clients about this debilitating condition and we offer the best treatment options to keep your pet active, healthy and long-lived.

We offer synovan (pentosan) injections as an excellent first line treatment for arthritis. After an initial course, synovan injections are given monthly.

If you think your pet may be suffering from arthritis or slowing down, come and see us! We will discuss the best plan to keep this painful condition at bay!

]