Educate Clients to Reduce Risk of Degenerative Joint Disease
Clients need to understand that there is no one magic pill to prevent degenerative joint disease (DJD), including osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs. However, there are many different means to slow the progression of the disease.
One of the most important preventative measures to joint disease progression is weight control. Helping pet owners to keep their pets at an ideal weight will help to decrease stress on their joints. Maintaining a lean body condition from an early age markedly minimizes DJD development in predisposed breeds.1 In overweight patients, weight loss alone, even a modest 6.1% to 8.85%, improves clinical signs of DJD.2
Regular low-impact exercise works hand in hand with maintaining an ideal body weight and benefits both the owner and the dog. Movement will help to keep joints lubricated and maintain muscle mass. If the pet becomes sedentary due to pain from DJD, they can rapidly lose muscle mass, which will help to increase the progression of the disease.
