This post is written in collaboration with Zoetis Petcare. All opinions are my own.
Luna is our fur baby; she is now 7 years old and I absolutely love to see Sofia & Beckham grow up with a puppy sister. They have this special bond with her, and did you know that having a pet in the house, especially a dog, can release stress, depression and anxiety from both kids and adults1? Plus, it encourages exercise and playfulness, and can help children grow up more secure, and active too!
September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, so I want to take this opportunity to talk about osteoarthritis (OA): a painful, progressive condition caused by the wear and tear of cartilage and other parts of the joints that may result in physical and emotional changes in your dog. OA occurs in around 37% of dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds2.
The signs of osteoarthritis include limping or lameness, decreased activity or exercise, stiffness or decreased movement of joints, sadness and drop in energy level… But unfortunately, dogs sometimes hide the signs of pain, making it difficult to recognize when they are suffering from it. That is why it is important to have them screened.
And while there is no cure for OA, the pain can be managed, which is why early diagnosis and discussing any signs with your veterinarian is key!
If you are also a dog parent, take this opportunity to check out this canine OA checklist provided by Zoetis Petcare and talk to your veterinarian about the signs that you may be seeing in your dog. Because the sooner your dog is diagnosed, the better your pup’s pain can be managed, which will impact their physical, mental and emotional health for the rest of their life!
1 Bao KJ, Schreer G. Pets and Happiness: Examining the Association between Pet Ownership and Wellbeing. Anthrozoos. 2016;29(2):283-296.
2 Wright, A., Amodie, D., Cernicchiaro, N., Lascelles, B. and Pavlock, A., 2019. PVM1 DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT RATES OF OSTEOARTHRITIS IN DOGS USING A HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT(HRA) OR HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS IN GENERAL VETERINARY PRACTICE. Value in Health, 22, p.S387.
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