Old Age Is Not a Diagnosis
Slowing down is usually treatable pain, and the twice-yearly check exists to catch it.
“He is just getting old” is the most common thing owners say about a dog with untreated arthritis, and it is the sentence I most want to argue with.
Slowing Down Has Causes
Reluctance on stairs, taking longer to settle, stiffness after lying down, becoming grumpy about being touched. These are pain behaviours, not age itself, and osteoarthritis is both extremely common and very treatable.
Cats Are Harder Still
A cat with arthritis does not limp. It stops jumping onto the worktop, sleeps somewhere lower, and grooms less at the back end. Owners describe this as the cat becoming “lazy” or “grumpy”, and around ninety percent of cats over twelve have radiographic evidence of arthritis.
Why Twice a Year After Eight
Six months is a long time in an older animal, and the things we screen for — kidney function, thyroid, blood pressure, weight change — move faster than yearly checks can catch. A senior blood screen frequently finds early kidney disease at a stage where diet alone buys years.
What Actually Helps
Weight control first, which is worth more than any drug. Then pain relief, non-slip flooring, a ramp into the car, litter trays with a lower side. Small environmental changes routinely produce a bigger visible difference than the medication does.
