Osteoarthritis Management & Care

Joint Pain in Pets

Osteoarthritis (OA), or joint pain, is common for older adults, but it can affect your furry family members – young or old as well! It’s trickier to spot in our younger pets because it can be easier to miss. Additionally, it can impact them as much emotionally as it does physically. Therefore, although 40% of dogs show signs of OA pain, less than half are diagnosed.

Signs of Osteoarthritis 

Early detection is key. Keep your eyes peeled to see if your dog is doing the following: 

• Limping after exercise 
• Feeling stiff 
• Having difficulty jumping or climbing stairs 
• Being slow to rise 
• Lagging behind on walks 

How do they seem in spirit? Do they smile and wag their tail? Or are they sluggish and uncomfortable? If your dog is showing any of these behaviors, don’t hesitate to visit us. With one of our vets, you can discuss symptoms and treatments to help ease your dog’s pain.

Osteoarthritis Treatments

Treatments such as Librela, a simple, scientifically-proven solution for this OA. Librela is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for OA pain in dogs. This medication offers long-term relief with just one injection a month. Clinical studies showed that it reduced pain signals, improving the quality of life for dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds.

Librela eliminates the need to manage many different pain medications and works without causing the side effects of traditional treatments. Unlike other medications used for OA, Librela is metabolized and eliminated just like naturally occurring antibodies, and with minimal involvement by the liver and kidneys.

Pet Wellness Clinics has seen this product work wonders for osteoarthritis in our patients, and personally owned pets. 

“Most people start to see improvement within seven days, and the biggest improvement has been after one month,” said Pet Wellness Clinics Clinician, Dr. Rachael Campbell. “My dogs are on Librela and within three days of their first dose, I was able to get them off several other pain medications.”

At Pet Wellness Clinics, we pride ourselves on providing the same compassionate care we would give our own pets.

If you think your furry friend is showing signs of Osteoarthritis, call us today at (317) 516-5921 or request an appointment. The earlier your dog is diagnosed and starts treatment, the better.