top of page

Osteoarthritis (OA) Management

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

Animals can’t tell us they’re in pain, but their mobility, behaviour and demeanour can show us. Common signs of OA include:

  • Limping or stiffness (especially after rest)

  • Hesitation to jump, climb stairs, or go for walks

  • Joint swellings, heat and thickening

  • Behavioural changes, more withdrawn or irritable

  • Uneven weight-bearing or muscle loss

Did you know? Dogs as young as 8 months can show early signs of OA on X-rays.

GRADING SYSTEM

  • Grade 0

    • Normal: Healthy joint, no signs of OA.

  • Grade 1

    • Mild: Early wear; slight stiffness or reduced performance.

  • Grade 2

    • Moderate: Cartilage damage; noticeable lameness/discomfort.

  • Grade 3

    • Advanced: Ongoing pain, joint changes, reduced mobility.

  • Grade 4

    • Severe: Major joint damage, constant pain, poor function.

Osteoarthritis Management

Other Useful Resources

Summary-of-the-frequency-of-occurrence-of-each-of-the-behaviours-n-24-of-the-Ridden.png
Equine pain scale.png

Ridden Pain Ethogram

Equine Pain Scale

LOAD Questionairre.png
canine acute pain scale.png

LOAD Questionnaire

Canine Pain Scale

Figure-S1-Canine-Brief-Pain-Inventory.png

Brief Pain Index

References

  • Anderson, K. L., Zulch, H., & Roberts, C. (2020). Prevalence of radiographic osteoarthritis in young dogs: A cross-sectional study. Veterinary Record, 186(15), 478. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105628

  • Baccarin, R. Y. A., Seidel, S. R. T., Michelacci, Y. M., Tokawa, P. K. A., & Oliveira, T. M. (2022). Osteoarthritis: a common disease that should be avoided in the athletic horse’s life. Animal Frontiers, 12(3), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfac026

  • Brown, D. C., Boston, R. C., Coyne, J. C., & Farrar, J. T. (2008). Development and psychometric testing of an instrument designed to measure chronic pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 69(8), 1032–1043.

  • Canine Arthritis Management (CAM). (n.d.). Resources and guidance for managing osteoarthritis in dogs. Retrieved from https://caninearthritis.co.uk

  • Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. (2020). Equine comfort assessment scale. https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vth/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/12/equine-pain-scale.pdf

  • Dyson, S., Berger, J., Ellis, A. D., & Mullard, J. (2018). Development of an ethogram for a pain scoring system in ridden horses and its application to determine the presence of musculoskeletal pain. Equine Veterinary Education, 30(8), 476–494. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12710

  • Glasgow University Veterinary School. (n.d.). Canine acute pain scale. Retrieved from https://www.newmetrica.com

  • McIlwraith, C. W., Frisbie, D. D., & Kawcak, C. E. (2012). Osteoarthritis in the horse: Pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment. Equine Veterinary Journal, 44(6), 592–598. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00504.x

  • Monteiro BP, Steagall PV. Chronic pain in cats: Recent advances in clinical assessment. J Feline Med Surg. 2019 Jul;21(7):601-614. doi: 10.1177/1098612X19856179. PMID: 31234749; PMCID: PMC10814192.

  • Walton, M. B., Cowderoy, E., Lascelles, D., & Innes, J. F. (2013). Evaluation of construct and criterion validity for the ‘Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs’ (LOAD) clinical metrology instrument and comparison to two other instruments. PLoS ONE, 8(3), e58125. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0058125

bottom of page