Has my dog got signs of osteoarthritis?

Has my dog got any signs of osteoarthritic pain?

Think about your dogs behaviour over the last couple of weeks and answer the following questions

 

Does your dog limp after exercise?

Does your dog lag on walks?

Is your dog slow to rise?

Does your dog have difficulty jumping? worse up or down? - this can help identify joints involved

Is your dog stiff?

 

Arthritis & pain can affect dogs both physically & emotionally so it can be worth trying to grade the following symptoms (on a 1-10 scale) & repeating this every few weeks to see how the problem is progressing & also to assess any response to either medications/ weight loss/ environmental modifications.

Energy & enthusiasm

Happy & content

Active & comfortable

Calm & relaxed

 

Other usefult thing to know are

Has your dog old injuries that could flare up?

Has your dog ever needed pain medication in the past?

Has your dog gained weight in the last 6-12 months - this could indicate reduced activity but also make any arthritic symptoms worse

 

It can be useful to go through these questions prior to your appointment.