STILLWATER  — The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recently published an article about pain management and mobility issues in companion animals. According to AAHA, the foundations of disease begin when pets are young – even a few months old into young adulthood.

Pet owners need to work with their veterinarian throughout their pet’s life stages to ensure that osteoarthritis has a minimal impact on the animal’s quality of life. A veterinarian can help owners look for ways to integrate foundational strategies with other options that make sense for each individual pet and its lifestyle.

For pets diagnosed with osteoarthritis-related pain, here are a few strategies that provide the foundation for slowing the progression of the disease, minimizing compounding factors and improving quality of life.

Nutrition affects growth rates in young dogs and weight management in all pets. Diet plays an important role in how developmental diseases impact predisposed breeds. Excess calories and protein with too much dietary calcium supplements may cause puppies to grow too much, too fast.

Obesity is a growing concern in adult dogs. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found that 22 percent of dog owners and 15 percent of cat owners believed their pets were normal weight when, in fact, the pets were overweight or obese. That makes diet a perfect place to start with osteoarthritis cases.

Controlled exercise is important to managing osteoarthritis pain and mobility in both early and later stage osteoarthritis. Veterinarians can recommend appropriate exercise for maintaining mobility and overall health without causing joint stress or additional injury to pets. In addition to injury prevention, dogs with osteoarthritis need routine, stage-appropriate exercise.

Early osteoarthritis stage pets require moderate daily exercise, with specific fitness plans for more active pets.

Later osteoarthritis stage pets need short sessions of moderate exercise a few times each day. Additional low-impact conditioning (swimming, underwater treadmill, or rehabilitation exercises) under the direction of a qualified professional may be beneficial.

Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs: While there are many pain medications, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are the most commonly used class of drugs for canine osteoarthritis pain. Veterinarians have the option to use NSAIDS in short-term and long-term scenarios because of their rapid and predictable effectiveness for osteoarthritis associated pain.

Supplements: A majority of veterinarians are recommending supplements to support joint health in dogs and cats.

It is important to remember that medication is only one component of an osteoarthritis management plan. Many options can be combined based on osteoarthritis stage and the severity of clinical signs. Veterinarians can help set expectations, construct diet and exercise plans, and seek multi-faceted strategies that make the most sense for each pet.

It is vital that pet owners understand that osteoarthritis management is not a one-time visit, one-time fix. If owners notice any changes in their pet such as signs of more pain, increased limping or mobility issues, physical or behavioral changes, this may indicate a side effect. Anyone who has problems implementing the pain management plan at home or who sees changes in their pet, should contact their veterinarian immediately.