Dogs - Integrated Care Plan

Integrated Care Plan

Dogs - How to help

Integrated care for a better quality of life

Arthritis is a dynamic condition and your input is vital to reduce the impact it has on your dog’s life.

Your veterinarian will work with you to set key goals for your dog, such as being able to walk further or climb stairs more easily, and to develop a plan to achieve these goals.

This plan will be based on the Osteoarthritis 5-Point Integrated Care Plan that combines medication with lifestyle changes:

METACAM anti-inflammatory pain relief
Diet
Exercise and rehabilitation
Environmental modification
Monitoring

1 - METACAM ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PAIN RELIEF

METACAM is a type of medication known as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to treat the pain and inflammation associated with canine arthritis. Your veterinarian has chosen METACAM for your dog for a number of very important reasons:

It is a proven and trusted medication—it has been used effectively for over 25 years
It is precise—the dosing your dog needs is accurately determined by their weight
It is flexible—the liquid formulation means that your dog can be given exactly the dose they need

Your veterinarian may recommend giving your dog the Lowest Effective Dose—this is the lowest dose that effectively controls your dog’s pain and inflammation. This may vary over time and your veterinarian will write the dosing schedule for your dog in the Home Monitoring Diary.

2 - DIET

Dogs that become less mobile as a result of their arthritis can easily become overweight. The excess weight they carry contributes to the ‘vicious cycle’ of arthritis by increasing inflammation and causing increased loading through the joints.

Your dog’s veterinary team will advise you about which food, and how much, is best for your arthritic dog. The diet should be high in protein to maintain muscle mass, which supports the joints, but low in energy to help maintain a healthy weight. Weighing each meal will help to ensure you don’t give your dog too much or too little.

Maintaining a healthy weight can help slow the progression of arthritis and will help to improve your dog’s quality of life.

3 - EXERCISE AND REHABILITATION

Keeping your dog active and exercising is an integral part of managing their arthritis.

A modified exercise programme, created in conjunction with your veterinary team, will help your dog maintain their ideal weight, improve their lean muscle mass and enhance their joint flexibility. It is important to be aware that exercise levels should remain constant throughout the week and that any increase should be gradual.

Physical rehabilitation has the ability to restore strength and function, and reduce pain. Your veterinary team may provide you with some basic exercises to carry out with your dog at home. Alternatively, your veterinarian may suggest referral for more specialised rehabilitation.

4 - ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATION

As your dog’s arthritis progresses, they may struggle to do some of the things they used to manage. Simple activities like climbing stairs may become difficult.

A few simple modifications around your home can help make your dog’s life easier and keep them mobile. Here are some suggestions:

If you have a slippery floor, position a heavy rug in a place that will help your dog get up after lying down
Give them a low bed, preferably without sides to climb over
A small ramp can be used to aid your dog getting in and out of the car

5 - MONITORING

Daily monitoring is essential to the success of your dog’s integrated care plan and to the successful management of their arthritis.

By monitoring your dog’s progress, you will help your dog’s veterinary team assess how your dog is responding to their care plan. As arthritis is a dynamic condition, your dog’s medication and lifestyle needs can increase or decrease. Daily monitoring allows changes to be made to your dog’s integrated care plan as soon as they are needed.

Download monitoring diary