Tail Talk with Dr. O’Hara

Easing the Ache: Canine Arthritis Solutions

• Dr. O’Hara • Episode 4

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 Let's Talk About Arthritis And Pain Management In Dogs & Cats

Watching our beloved dogs slow down as they age can be heartbreaking, but understanding canine arthritis and its management options gives pet parents powerful tools to help their furry companions stay comfortable and active. Dr. O'Hara dives deep into this common condition affecting dogs of all sizes, though large breeds tend to suffer more significantly from joint deterioration.

You'll discover the subtle early warning signs that many pet owners miss—that morning stiffness when your dog struggles to stand up, their newfound reluctance to jump into the car, or that slight hesitation before climbing stairs. These seemingly minor changes can signal the beginning of arthritis, making early recognition crucial for effective intervention.

The episode explores a comprehensive approach to managing canine joint health, from preventative measures like weight management and early supplementation with joint-supporting nutrients to cutting-edge treatments for dogs already experiencing pain. Dr. O'Hara explains how newer options like Librela injections work by actually blocking pain signals between the affected joint and the brain, while treatments like Adequan provide lubrication to ease joint movement. We also tackle the confusing world of pet food marketing claims about joint health and what really matters when it comes to nutrition.

Whether your dog is showing the first signs of slowing down or you simply want to be proactive about their joint health, this episode provides practical, veterinarian-approved guidance to help your canine companion live their best, most comfortable life. Remember, as Dr. O'Hara emphasizes, "being pain-free and having good mobility are crucial to your dog having a good quality life." Subscribe to Tail Talk for more expert advice on keeping your four-legged family members healthy and happy!

To learn more about Abingdon Animal Medical Center visit:
https://www.MyAbingdonVet.com
Abingdon Animal Medical Center
19586 Dennison Drive
Abingdon, VA 24211
276-628-9655

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Tail Talk with Dr O'Hara, where Eastern Tennessee and Southwest Virginia's favorite pets get the spotlight they deserve. He's the heart behind Abingdon Animal Medical Center, combining small-town charm with state-of-the-art veterinary care. Whether your furry friend purrs, barks or just steals your socks, this is the place for tips, tails and a whole lot of tail wagging.

Speaker 2:

Arthritis isn't just a human problem. Our pets feel it too. In this episode, dr O'Hara shares how to spot the signs of joint pain in dogs and what options are available to help them stay comfortable and active. Welcome back everybody. Skip Monty here, co-host slash producer, back in the studio with Dr O'Hara of Abington Animal Medical Center.

Speaker 2:

Doctor how's it going? It's going great, Skip. How are you? I'm doing just fine, and it's a pleasure to sit down with you today, especially when we're tackling something so important as our aging pets. So why don't we kick it off by saying what are some early signs of arthritis that pet owners often overlook?

Speaker 3:

Well, some of the first signs they see, skip, are trouble getting up in the morning. They seem really stiff, having trouble getting from a laying down position to an upright standing position. You know they used to get in and jump up into the car easily. Now you have to help them. Of course, if you see a lameness or a limp, those all can be signs of arthritis.

Speaker 2:

So you can. If you see those symptoms, you know something's going on and it's time to take them in to see you. Yeah, that's right. So are there specific breeds that are more prone to joint issues than others?

Speaker 3:

well, I won't get into specific breeds. I would say there's probably some that are more likely than others, but I will put it more as that larger breed dogs or giant breed dogs struggle more with arthritis. Now, I've seen smaller dogs. Don't they do, but what I see is a lot of older dogs that are of big nature really struggle with it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think I mentioned to you I've got a beagle that's about 12 years old and he's a lightning rod most of the time. But I've noticed lately in the morning when I let him out in the morning he has to go up some stairs from our basement and he's kind of slow moving these days yeah, those vertical movements become tougher, for sure well and uh, at night he's still a lightning bolt, but in the morning he slows down.

Speaker 2:

so I think he's definitely definitely got some issues going on there. Well, and he's a little chubby too. So since his best friend passed away not too long ago, so he's eating more food apparently it used to be for two dogs. We're not giving him the same amount of food, but with that said, does weight management play a role in prevention or treatment?

Speaker 3:

Absolutely both. Actually, you know, keeping a healthy weight throughout their life, they'll take less toll on those joints over a lifetime, right? And then if they develop arthritis, the more you got to carry around, the harder it is. So being ideal body condition is a key component to controlling and helping and aiding with arthritis, for sure.

Speaker 2:

Can you? Well, you know, I know you have a plethora of treatments for this condition for dogs. Can you walk us through some of the pain relief options, both medical and holistic?

Speaker 3:

For sure. You know, one of the things I think it's starting with even at a young age a joint supplement is a great idea, right? You know I think it's starting with even at a young age a joint supplement is a great idea, right? You know they put that stuff in dasaquin, cosequin. Joint supplements like that. The whole aim of that is trying to keep the cartilage in a healthy environment. Cartilage is what lines the bones and the joints. So keeping that healthy cartilage so you don't get bone on bone over over time because that's when you get arthritis is when you're starting to get little bone spurs or the bone is kind of touching the bone because that cartilage has been eroded away and damaged. So I think it's good for any dog of any breed to start on a joint supplement. That's kind of preventative, you know, that's kind of preventative, you know.

Speaker 3:

But as they get older and arthritis really sets in, then you got to start thinking about things like anti-inflammatories. They make those specifically for dogs with osteoarthritis, so we'll go there. And then we got newer treatments. There's an injection called Librella which basically blocks the pathway of pain from, say, the knee hurts to the brain. It kind of just blocks that pathway so that that's not sensed, you know the brain can't sense. Hey, this, this knee hurts, you know. So it's kind of just blocks the nerve growth factor, and I've had a lot of success with that. I like that. There's other ones too, like adequate. Adequate has been along around for a long time. They're using horses too. We use it in dogs and that kind of just lubes up the joints. You inject them with it and then over time it kind of just makes them, oils them up pretty good, and I've had pretty good success with that too so that's an injection, you said yeah okay, kind of like a well, when people human, human knees give out, they give shots of uh, oh gosh, not.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm thinking of something similar. So not silicone, but Like hyaluronic or something like that. Yeah, yeah, sorry, I don't know what I'm talking about. No, it's fine.

Speaker 2:

We'll figure it out. Yeah, well now if what about diet? I know there's all kinds of different. When you go to the grocery store and you're looking at dog food which is a struggle for me, anyway, just trying to find the right food for the dog and that I can afford, you know is are there, are there foods that have elements that are better for a dog with arthritis?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, the whole food thing, and that's that's major marketing war there, right? I mean there's a bazillion treats and the bazillion dog foods. I would say that there's a lot of foods that say they're healthy for joints, probably because they put some omega-3 oils in there, like fish oil or something like that, or maybe something you found in the joint supplements that you can get. They put that in there and then you can label it as a healthy food. But no, I'm not a big. You can go, I want a healthy food. But no, I'm not a big, you can go, I want a healthy food for your, your dog, you know, but I don't really, unless it's prescription food. The food industry can be tricky to navigate on what's good and what's not.

Speaker 2:

Gotcha. Well, I totally get that because it's confusing as it's all get out for me. That could be an entirely different subject for another episode. Actually, I mean, it could be. I might get that because it's confusing as all get out for me. That could be an entirely different subject for another episode actually.

Speaker 3:

I mean I might get in trouble.

Speaker 2:

That's OK, all right. Well, doc, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your time today and your insights especially. You know I've got a lot of us have elderly dogs, so we appreciate your insights and which always brings peace of mind to pet parents. So we'll see you on the next.

Speaker 3:

Hill.

Speaker 2:

Talk.

Speaker 3:

All right, thanks, and I'll just end with one thing, skip is remember that arthritis causes pain and it causes decreased mobility, and being pain-free and having good mobility are crucial to your dog having a good quality life. So just something to remember.

Speaker 2:

Very important, very important to remember. All right, doc, we'll talk. Maybe next time we'll talk about food.

Speaker 3:

All right.

Speaker 2:

Sounds good, all right, you have a great afternoon you too.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for joining us on Tail Talk with Dr O'Hara. If your four-legged family member needs, thank you, a small town feel with state-of-the-art care and plenty of belly rubs.