Bones, joints & movement
Osteoarthritis
The owner journey through arthritis in dogs and cats, from diagnosis to therapies and daily comfort.
6 stages · 54 guides from PetsLikeMine
Who can help near you
- Your vet1 kind
- Specialists2 kinds
- Therapists8 kinds
- Comfort care2 kinds
Listed by distance from you. Nobody pays to be listed.
Understanding the diagnosis
Stage 1 · 12 guides from PetsLikeMine
Your Dog Has Arthritis. Now What? The First 30 DaysThe diagnosis is in. You've come home from the vet clinic with a prescription, a leaflet you'll probably never read again, and a head full of half-remembered advice. Now…19 min read · on PetsLikeMine Arthritis in Cats: The Invisible EpidemicThere's a very good chance your cat has arthritis, particularly if they're getting on in years. And the odds are that nobody has told you.16 min read · on PetsLikeMine Arthritis in Dogs: Everything You Need to KnowMost owners arrive here for one of two reasons: a dog who's just been diagnosed with arthritis, or a nagging sense that something isn't quite right and a wish to work…13 min read · on PetsLikeMine
All 12 guides in this stage
- How to Spot Arthritis in Your Dog: The Signs Most Owners Miss 16 min
- How Arthritis Is Diagnosed: Understanding the Vet Visit 18 min
- Spondylosis in Dogs: What That X-Ray Finding Actually Means 12 min
- Causes of Arthritis: Developmental Disease, Injury, and Beyond 18 min
- Young Dogs and Arthritis: It's Not Just an Old Dog's Disease 17 min
- Protecting Your Young Dog's Joints: What You Can Do Before Arthritis Starts 10 min
- Recognising Pain in Cats: Even Harder Than Dogs 21 min
- What to Avoid: Misinformation, Myths and Marketing 9 min
- How Feline Arthritis Is Diagnosed: Why There Is No Single Test 8 min
Pain and treatment
Stage 2 · 8 guides from PetsLikeMine
Librela: What You Need to KnowLibrela is one of the most discussed veterinary medications of the past few years, and for good reason. When it launched, it represented a genuine breakthrough in canine…17 min read · on PetsLikeMine Arthritis Pain Relief: The Complete Medication GuideThere are more options for treating arthritis pain in dogs now than at any point in veterinary history. NSAIDs that are safer and better tolerated than ever. Monoclonal…22 min read · on PetsLikeMine Central Sensitisation: When Pain Becomes Its Own DiseaseModern pain medicine has a concept that explains a great deal of what we see in chronic pain patients, yet owners rarely hear it named. It's called central…17 min read · on PetsLikeMine
All 8 guides in this stage
- Managing Your Cat's Arthritis: Medications, Environment, and Diet 26 min
- Solensia: The Game-Changer for Feline Arthritis 20 min
- How Dogs Hide Pain: Why You're Not Failing as an Owner 17 min
- Arthritis and Kidney Disease: Treating Pain When the Kidneys Are Struggling 12 min
- CBD and Cannabis for Pet Arthritis: What the Evidence Actually Says 10 min
Daily management
Stage 3 · 11 guides from PetsLikeMine
Supplements for Arthritis: What the Evidence Actually SaysWalk into any pet shop in the UK and you'll find a wall of joint supplements. Glucosamine. Chondroitin. MSM. Green-lipped mussel. Turmeric. Collagen. CBD. Every one…21 min read · on PetsLikeMine Exercise and Arthritis: The Complete GuideExercise is one of the most powerful things you can do for your arthritic dog. It's also one of the easiest things to get wrong.23 min read · on PetsLikeMine Weight Management: The Single Most Effective Thing You ControlIf I could give only one piece of advice to the owner of an overweight arthritic dog, it would be this: get the weight off, and the rest gets easier.25 min read · on PetsLikeMine
All 11 guides in this stage
- Home Modifications: Room by Room 23 min
- Feeding the Arthritic Dog: Diet, Nutrition, and Meal Planning 23 min
- Grooming, Nail Care, and the Details That Matter 21 min
- Home Modifications for Arthritic Cats 22 min
- Weight Management for the Arthritic Cat 8 min
- Keeping an Arthritic Cat Active and Engaged 7 min
- Managing a Flare-Up: What to Do on a Bad Day 10 min
- Mobility Aids and Equipment: Harnesses, Slings, Ramps, Grips and Carts 8 min
Therapies and interventions
Stage 4 · 10 guides from PetsLikeMine
Complementary Therapies: An Evidence-Based OverviewWalk into any arthritis discussion online and you'll find people enthusiastically recommending acupuncture, laser therapy, massage, chiropractic, magnets, ultrasound…29 min read · on PetsLikeMine Hydrotherapy: The Complete GuideHydrotherapy is one of those interventions that genuinely changes outcomes for arthritic dogs. The evidence is good, the mechanism makes sense, and in many dogs the…23 min read · on PetsLikeMine Home Physiotherapy: Exercises You Can Do TogetherMost articles on home physiotherapy for arthritic dogs end up either too vague to be useful or too technical to be safe. They tell you to "do some gentle stretches"…21 min read · on PetsLikeMine
All 10 guides in this stage
- Surgery: The Decision-Making Framework 22 min
- Cruciate Ligament Disease: Understanding the Most Common Reason Dogs Need Knee Surgery 11 min
- Hip Dysplasia: Understanding the Condition and Its Surgical Options 10 min
- Elbow Dysplasia: Understanding the Condition and Its Surgical Options 10 min
- Patellar Luxation: Understanding the Condition and Its Surgical Options 10 min
- Regenerative Medicine: Stem Cells, PRP, and Beyond 20 min
- Beyond Medication: Physiotherapy, Laser and Acupuncture for Cats 8 min
Working with your vet
Stage 5 · 7 guides from PetsLikeMine
When Pain Needs a Specialist: The Veterinary Pain ClinicSome owners managing a pet with arthritis reach a particular crossroads. The medication that worked beautifully for a year isn't quite holding any more. The dose has…14 min read · on PetsLikeMine Getting the Most From Your Vet AppointmentsA useful vet appointment and a frustrating one usually don't differ on which vet you see. Twenty-five years in the consulting room have taught me they differ on how well…23 min read · on PetsLikeMine Building Your Dog's Care TeamAsk most owners who looks after their pet's health and the answer is one word: "the vet." That model works fine for routine care, vaccinations and the occasional bout of…23 min read · on PetsLikeMine
The long view
Stage 6 · 5 guides from PetsLikeMine
Living Well With Arthritis: The Long GameWhen a dog or cat is first diagnosed with arthritis, most owners ask me some version of the same question, even if they don't say it out loud. How long have we got?…8 min read · on PetsLikeMine Keeping Them Happy: Enrichment When Walks Aren't EnoughWhen a dog's walks get shorter, or a cat stops doing its acrobatic laps of the house, owners naturally worry about the physical side. Are they getting enough exercise?…8 min read · on PetsLikeMine When Things Get HarderThe earlier articles in this stage have been, for the most part, hopeful, and deliberately so. Most pets with arthritis live well for a long time, and the bulk of the…8 min read · on PetsLikeMine
All 5 guides in this stage
Find care near you
Your osteoarthritis care team
These are the practitioners this condition can call for, from your everyday vet to specialists and therapists. Enter your postcode to see who's near you at each step.
- Your vet (primary care)
Orthopaedic specialist ·Referral hospital
Veterinary physiotherapist ·Hydrotherapist ·Hydrotherapy centre ·Rehabilitation centre ·Animal osteopath ·Animal chiropractor ·Veterinary acupuncturist ·Animal massage therapist
Home & hospice end-of-life vet ·Mobile vet (home visits)
Understand the condition
Clinical background on vetcanon, the ConciergeVet reference library. Vetcanon is published by Concierge Vet LTD, which also operates PetCare Atlas.
Rehabilitation for osteoarthritis
Hands-on rehabilitation is a big part of recovery. Browse providers by area and see what qualifications to look for.
With PetsLikeMine
Read the whole journey on PetsLikeMine
Every osteoarthritis guide, in order, sits in its own space on PetsLikeMine, written by owners and vets who have been through it. We show the first few here and link to the rest.
Read every osteoarthritis guide