Could your dog have Osteoarthritis?
This checklist will help your veterinary team identify your dog's activities and behaviors that might be signs of osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease that can be painful.
For a dog, OA can be very painful. And, just like in humans, pain can negatively impact dogs not just physically, but also emotionally. The good news is that this pain can be managed. In a recent study, dogs showed significant improvement in both their emotional a n d physical well-being with the pain under control!
Think about your dog's behavior in the past week. This scale helps measure your dog's pain based on how your dog is feeling. For each statement, circle the number that you think most accurately describes your dog.
Osteoarthritis can affect dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes. If left untreated, the pain can become worse over time. This checklist is designed to help with the recognition of OA pain to help keep your dog happy and active. Your veterinary team will review the results of this checklist with you to identify if your dog might be suffering from OA, or to monitor how your dog is doing if he or she is already being treated for OA. This checklist is not a medical diagnostic tool and is not intended to replace discussions with an animal healthcare professional. Discuss medical concerns with your veterinarian.
