Rehabilitation of the older dog with osteoarthritis: workshop report

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of joints characterised by changes in the component tissues that affect the joint's mechanical function. This can result in a reduction in the patient's ability to exercise and its quality of life. In this workshop delegates put together a clinical picture of the adult small animal patient with OA, and discussed the underlying problems in the disease along with methods of treatment, and rehabilitation (Figure 1 and 2). We focused on the physical aspect of rehabilitation, but discussed the other elements of therapy.

Delegates described their view of the patient or the clinical signs of OA as follows:

Patient type

Clinical signs

We went on to consider the pathological changes in OA. OA is often called a degenerative disease but in reality the changes are more varied than that. The most important changes seen in animal OA are:

Most of the clinical signs described by the delegates can be explained by the pathological changes or their consequences. Patients with an active arthritis lose their ability to exercise due to joint pain caused by the loss of cartilage and the chronic inflammation, and restriction of the range of movement (ROM) of the joint due to the new bone and fibrous tissue around the joint. These changes precipitate a downwards spiral in which the patient's reduction of exercise is perpetuated and its quality of life eroded (Figure 3).