Nutrition in Arthritis Management

With osteoarthritis (OA) estimated to affect one in five dogs in the US and as many as 90% of cats, it’s not surprising that it’s a major concern for pet owners everywhere. But where pet owners are often ill informed is when it comes to the role nutrition can play. According to Banfield’s State of Pet Health 2019 report, 52% of dogs and 41% of cats who have arthritis are also overweight. As pet owners navigate their decisions about how to take the best care of their pets possible, they want information on all aspects of osteoarthritis treatment and prevention, and that includes nutrition.

Being prepared to address common client concerns about osteoarthritis helps you tap into a great opportunity for growing your virtual practice. Vetster appointments allow you to dedicate the time and attention that these concerns deserve, and our direct messaging feature makes it easy for you to share the educational resources clients need to be successful.  In addition, Vetster’s in-app “Request follow-up” tool helps you provide clients with ongoing support to boost success, especially when weight loss is part of the plan. Lastly, VetsterRx makes it easy for you to connect clients to the nutrition, prescription, and OTC items they need to take the best care of their pets possible.

1. How to recognize signs of pain
2. What it means when their pet is limping or less active
3. The incidence of OA in companion animals (and how surprisingly high it is in cats)
4. The role of nutrition in OA management
5. The effect of obesity on mobility over a pet’s lifetime
6. Joint support supplements
7. Therapeutic options for OA
8. New arthritis therapies

When you discuss the treatment and prevention of osteoarthritis with your clients, you’ll be pleased to see how easy it is to search VetsterRx for nutritional recommendations. Just go to the “Search prescription and OTC” field in VetsterRx on your appointment screen and click the “Nutrition” tab to access the wide selection of both therapeutic and wellness diets you need to optimize the care you provide to your clients. Here at Vetster we love pets and understand the huge impact osteoarthritis and mobility problems have on their quality of life and want to do all we can to improve the well-being of pets and their people.

Still hungry for more nutrition information? Check out these great stats and sources curated by our medical director, Dr. Matt Spiegle:

• 90% of cats over 12 years of age have arthritis
• “A 2022 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Enriched Therapeutic Diets and Nutraceuticals in Canine and Feline Osteoarthritis”
• Klinck, M. P., Frank, D., Guillot, M., & Troncy, E. (2012). Owner-perceived signs and veterinary diagnosis in 50 cases of feline osteoarthritis. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 53(11), 1181-1186. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3474573/