Arthritis is a common issues in many veterinary patients and there are many things we can do to help manage arthritis as it inevitably progresses!
First and foremost, make sure that your pet is of a healthy weight! Obesity results in excess weight on your pets skeleton which exacerbates many issues including underlying osteoarthritis (OA).
Medically speaking, I always recommend joint supplements to pets with OA, look for the active ingredients chondroitin and glucosamine, an example product is Cosequin. Joint supplements are OTC and can be purchased through your veterinarian, on Amazon as well as at most pet stores. I also recommend EFA (fish oil) for pets with OA which also has added coat and skin as well as cardiovascular benefits. EFA supplements can also be found at veterinary offices, Amazon and pet stores.
In more severe cases, I also talk to my clients about the risk benefits of long term anti-inflammatory use (eg carprofen an NSAID formulated for dogs) as well as other methods of pain MGMT like Adequan Injections which can help joint health- so if OTCs are not providing enough relief for your pet, talk to your vet about other medical options!
