Weekly Wag: What you need to know about Osteoarthritis in pets

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, degenerative condition affecting the joints, causing pain. OA progresses over time and can severely affect a pet’s quality of life. Symptoms can include limping, stiffness, painful or swollen joints, reduced exercise tolerance or slowing up on walks, behavioural changes and changes in appetite.

In cats symptoms are often more difficult to spot but can include reluctance to jump onto high surfaces, spending less time outside and sleeping more. Risk factors for OA include being overweight, underlying orthopedic conditions or previous history of trauma.

There are lots of ways you can help your pet at home too. Keeping them at a healthy weight is very important. Aim to feed a diet formulated to promote good joint health or a diet that is formulated to aid weight loss if your pet is overweight. Provide a comfortable, padded bed to sleep on and put down non-slip mats in areas that the pet uses a lot. Use a stand to raise food and water bowls. A ramp to help a dog get in and out of a car or for stairs going in and out of the garden can also be beneficial

A check-up with your vet is usually the first step to diagnosing OA, often followed by a set of X-rays. Treatment will normally involve some form of pain relief which is available in multiple forms including medications administered at home or monthly injections administered in clinics.

Your vet may also recommend joint supplements containing glucosamine, chondroitin or green-lipped mussel. Your vet will also give advice on appropriate exercise regimes and strategies for weight management. In some cases, surgery may be appropriate, particularly in cases with underlying conditions such as cruciate ligament disease, hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia. A variety of different complementary therapies such as physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and acupuncture are also available to help manage OA. 

Ask The Vet 

My dog is leaking urine, is this normal?

Urinary incontinence is not normal and shouldn’t be ignored, even in an older dog. Anything that affects the urinary tract, including the muscles and nerves that control it, can lead to incontinence. If your dog has started to leak urine, try not to worry, there are treatments available for many different types of incontinence.

In adult female dogs, urinary sphincter mechanism incontinence (USMI) is a common cause of incontinence and occurs when the valve that holds urine inside the bladder starts to leak due to weakness. USMI is often well managed with medication. In adult males prostate problems can cause urinary symptoms including incontinence and again can often be managed successfully with surgery and/or medication.

A perineal hernia can result in the bladder moving out of position, causing incontinence. If a hernia develops it normally needs to be repaired surgically. In young dogs an ectopic ureter is when the tube that takes urine into the bladder connects to the wrong place and causes incontinence. Again, once diagnosed this condition can be successfully treated. Other causes of incontinence can include urine infection, stones in the urinary tract, spinal problems and certain types of cancer. 

Other symptoms to watch out for include blood in urine, pain when urinating, changes in the frequency of urination, overgrooming the back end and changes in thirst or appetite. Treatment for your dog’s urinary incontinence will depend on the cause so if you notice your dog leaking urine it’s best to contact your vet for a check-up. It is usually helpful if you are able to bring a urine sample to the appointment as the vet will often want to test the urine.

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