What does winter mean for your pets?
Pet food company encourages pet parents who think that their cat or dog may be suffering from mobility issues to visit their vet for a check-up.
This winter, for the first time in over two years, many of us are back in the office. We may be missing the warmth of our homes but our pets will be missing us being home even more!
They won’t be able to spend as much time lounging in front of the heater all day, as their pet parents’ work. Unfortunately, the cold affects older pets and especially those with mobility issues even more. Mobility issues in pets are common, with one in five adult dogs suffering from pain and stiffness. This is even more prevalent in older dogs, and although it may be less noticeable in cats, research shows that about six in ten cats are affected as they age.
Dr Guy Fyvie, Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s Veterinary Affairs Manager said that our pets can’t tell us when they are in pain but there are some behaviours which can indicate joint pain.
“If joint pain is diagnosed and a treatment plan is put in place soonest, damage to the joints can be limited and aggressive treatment programmes can be avoided or postponed.”
Some signs pet parents can be on the lookout for with their dogs or cats are:
• Difficulty getting up after lying down for extended periods of time, stiffness, limping, just slowing down and ‘slipping’ on smooth floors
• Increased irritability and general grumpiness
• Reluctance to climb up or down the stairs or jump in the car
• Swollen joints and excessive licking of a sore joint
• Loss of muscle mass (especially on the affected limb)
• Not expressing usual enjoyment when playing or going for walks
• Sleeping more than usual
• Grooms with difficulty
During winter many of us tend to spend most of our time indoors and this can also impact your pet’s mobility and potentially increase their weight – a risk factor for arthritis.
“Even a little extra weight can put more stress on joints and unfortunately the more pain your pet is in the less keen they will be to exercise and thus a vicious circle develops,” Dr Fyvie said.
He added that as painful and debilitating a condition arthritis is, it can be managed successfully. “With early detection and the correct treatment, including nutrition, the pain and inflammation your pet is experiencing can be reduced and further joint degradation can be prevented.”
When managing arthritis, a long-term solution that addresses the cause and not just the symptoms is preferable. Dr Fyvie said this is where nutrition plays an integral role. This winter, Hill’s is encouraging pet parents who think that their cat or dog may be suffering from mobility issues to visit their vet for a check-up.
“We have experienced that when pet parents see the difference in their pets’ mobility and decreased pain, there will be no doubt in their minds as to the effectiveness of the food in managing mobility issues,” concluded Dr Fyvie.
*Reference:
1. Fritsch D, Allen TA, Dodd CE, et al. Dose-titration effects of fish oil Omega-3 fatty acids in osteoarthritic dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2010; 24:1020-1026.
2. Sparkes A, Allen TA, Fritsch D, and Hahn KA. Effective dietary management of spontaneous appendicular osteoarthritis in cats. Unpublished.
