Ninety-five percent of veterinarians say a standardized canine osteoarthritis protocol would be beneficial, according to a recent study.
The American Animal Hospital Association, American Regent Animal Health and veterinary orthopedist Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little conducted the study.
“It’s extremely rare that 95% of veterinarians would agree on anything,” said Dr. Marcellin-Little, a professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. “This consensus is a cry for help — a clear demand for more structure in managing osteoarthritis.”
The nearly 800 veterinarians who participated in the survey:
- Graded themselves a “C” on understanding the onset of canine OA and slightly better on managing it.
- Estimated that 45% of their canine patients have OA, 47% are predisposed to OA and 26% have early onset of the disease.
- Reported that 75% of clients know only “a little bit” about canine OA.
Less than 10% of the veterinarians surveyed initiate OA discussions during the first visit with a new dog-owning client.
Dr. Marcellin-Little said he wants all veterinarians to eventually give themselves an “A” in recognizing and managing canine OA.
“There’s a bit more confidence in management than in detection, which shows that we should be focusing on early onset,” he said.
“A quarter to a half of our patients may be in the early stages of osteoarthritis. This justifies a stronger emphasis on early detection.”
He added that early client conversations are crucial.
“We should be talking about osteoarthritis when it’s a non-issue — before it becomes a problem,” he said.
AAHA and American Regent conducted the survey to understand better how veterinarians can improve dogs’ joint health and overall well-being.