Supporting Mobility in our Cats and Dogs

Sometimes the first signs of aging in our cats and dogs are not loss of hearing or sight but instead, owners might see some hesitation to climb stairs or a slow stiff-legged walk after rest.  When helping these patients, we use multiple approaches including: exercise, weight loss, supplements, physiotherapy and prescription medication.

Just like in people, exercise is important as it helps allow for more flexible joints and to maintain muscle mass.  An added benefit of exercise is that it can be mentally uplifting for both our pets and by extension, us too!  The goal is to move and this will look differently for every patient.  For an indoor cat, it might be traveling around to different food bowls in the house or playing with a laser pointer.  For dogs, their exercise might be everything from two or three 15 minutes walks per day to one long 45 minute walk to romping in the yard with their dog friends or maybe even a good swim.  The goal is to move!  There are some patients that can benefit from a more structured exercise program such as that offered by physiotherapy.

One of the advantages of exercising our pets, is it helps them maintain a healthy weight.  Weight loss resulting in an ideal weight decreases the weight load, and thus the work load, on aging joints.  We also know that white fat secretes inflammatory markers that can make joint pain worse. In addition, when an animal is at a fit weight, it becomes easier for them to exercise. We know that dogs who are an ideal weight live longer too.

For a couple decades now, glucosamine supplements have been given to dogs and cats with good success.  If a patient has damage to their cartilage, glucosamine can help maintain the cartilage that is left by bonding the cartilage with water to improve shock absorption.  Joints can be more comfortable on glucosamine due to its lubricating effect.  

There has been increased interest in omega 3 fatty acids for not just human health but pet health too.  Omega 3 can help resolve joint swelling to improve comfort.  Pets must have a fish-based source as they can’t absorb omega 3 very well from plant sources.  Cats can be sensitive to too much omega 3 so it is important to use a cat product and to get a dose from your veterinarian.

Over the last 20 years, more options for pet rehabilitation have been made available.  Pet rehabilitation can be thought of as physiotherapy and includes range of motion exercises, hydro therapy (water treadmill), massage, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture.  These techniques can be helpful not just for supporting a patient who already has arthritis but also for helping patients recover well from surgery so that they can build muscle mass to help improve joint stability and prevent arthritis.

There are times, when all of the aforementioned options don’t result in enough improvement on their own and prescription medications should be considered.  Sometimes one prescription medication on its own is enough and at other times, multiple medications are used together to keep our pets comfortable.

As you can see, there isn’t just one solution for prevention and treatment of arthritis.  There are many options that can be tailored to each individual patient’s situation.  Our veterinary team is always keen to talk more about joint health when you are visiting the clinic.