Arthritis.

Have you seen the video of the otter playing basketball? He has arthritis, and his veterinarian recommended he get more exercise to help keep his joints as healthy as possible. The otter's caretakers came up with the ingenious idea of training him to dunk a basketball. I bring up the otter video, not just because it'll put a smile on your face, but also because it serves as a good reminder of the importance of exercise in the treatment of arthritis. The old phrase "use it or lose it" certainly applies. There's no doubt that an arthritic joint is painful, and our natural reaction is to avoid the activities that cause the pain. We treat our pets in the same way. If it hurts a dog to go ...

Living with a senior cat has rewards as well as challenges that are a bit different than those encountered when living with a younger cat. Pain is, of course, something we don't want to see in any of our pets. However, senior cats are more likely to develop conditions and illnesses that create pain and discomfort. Arthritis is a common but often unrecognized disorder in older cats. In one study, 90 percent of cats over 12 years of age showed radiographic (X-ray) evidence of arthritis. Unfortunately, recognizing arthritis in cats is challenging at best. Many of our cats hide their pain very effectively. While we may sometimes see our older cat limping or favoring one leg or another, ...