Managing Osteoarthritis
What is osteoarthritis in dogs and can it be treated??
This course uses narrated slides and videos to show the participant how to successfully and thoroughly remove benign subdermal and dermal masses in dogs and cats. Basic and more advanced closure techniques are described.
Situational Awareness
The veterinary profession has made great strides in managing OA over the past 20 years; and it’s not only about having better drugs! We better understand how to create and maintain a joint health, which means that we have identified many tools that can be utilized to improve the function and decrease the pain of an arthritic joint.
The term “Multimodal treatment approach” is used frequently when discussing OA. Although it might be comforting to know that there are many tools at our disposal to help manage OA; it can also be daunting to figure out how to put it all together.
Get Ready for Managing Osteoarthritis
All the information you need.
Fully narrated surgical videos.
In depth guide and more.
This content is designed for veterinarian professionals. If you are a pet owner, please consult your vet if you have any questions about a surgery.
Get Ready to Manage OA
What the client needs to know:
- The client will actually be the one managing their pet’s OA under the guidance of the veterinarian and their team.
- A large component of the consultation revolves around understanding OA and how we can help the pet’s quality of life.
- A very good to excellent quality of life is possible for a pet with OA but it will take work and some adjustments along the way. A change of habits may be necessary.
- Although medications are an important component to help manage OA, the goal is to get the pet off the drugs and use other tools to maintain comfort and activity levels.
Pre-management Considerations:
- Blood work to show that NSAIDs can be safely used in this patient. The blood work may need to be repeated at regular intervals based on the frequency of NSAID use in the patient.
- Develop relationships with people in community that can assist you and your client with various services: e.g. acupuncturist, rehabilitation centre, chiropractor, nutritionist/food company.
- Empower your staff to create and run a successful weight loss program within your hospital. Obesity is such a rampant problem in the pet population, this program can be helpful for so many patients. Alternatively, find a neighbouring hospital that has a successful weight loss program in place that can help your patient.
Pre-Surgical Considerations
There are many tools available to manage OA but they are not weighted equally.
This slide depicts the main categories of tools used to manage OA and their importance.
There is so much to be discussed within each topic but the Lifestyle category is an especially vast topic that must fit the individual patient’s needs. Exercise is the cornerstone of OA management.
Medications that are commonly used for the treatment of OA include: NSAIDs, Tramadol, Amantidine and gabapentin but not all work well for OA.
Chondroprotectives (although not medications per se) do play a role in OA management as they can have a positive effect on the patient.
Modalities such laser therapy and ultra sound can also be helpful but there are many more modalities that owners can consider to help manage their pet.
Surgery is definitely the least important category but it has its place, especially when it comes to hip OA and that of the carpal and hock joints.
Perineal Urethrostomy (PU) in Cats: Q&A
How long do dogs live with OA?
- Dogs with OA that is managed can have a normal life expectancy.
What is a pet’s quality of life (QoL) with OA:
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- The quality of life can be very good to excellent when OA is properly managed. Depending on the pet’s lifestyle and the severity of the OA, some changes to the expected daily activity may be necessary.
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