It’s easy to write off a senior dog’s stiffness or a cat’s reluctance to jump as simply “getting old.” But veterinary researchers increasingly push back on that assumption. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, osteoarthritis in dogs often begins at a surprisingly young age, and in cats it’s exceedingly common, yet the disease frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated (AVMA).
The numbers are striking. Roughly 14 million adult dogs in the United States are affected by osteoarthritis, and among cats over 12 years old, as many as 90% show X-ray evidence of the disease, even when no obvious symptoms are present (Morris Animal Foundation). That gap between what shows up on imaging and what an owner actually notices at home is part of why the condition is so often missed.
Cats present a particular challenge. For years, veterinarians believed cats rarely developed osteoarthritis at all, an assumption that turned out to be wrong. Cats are simply harder to diagnose: they tend to hide pain, they often have symmetrical disease that doesn’t produce an obvious limp, and the stress of a vet visit itself can mask signs of discomfort during an exam (Morris Animal Foundation).
The American Animal Hospital Association’s Senior Care Guidelines emphasize that aging itself is not a disease, but that senior pets do require specialized monitoring to catch conditions like osteoarthritis before they significantly impact quality of life (AAHA, via AVMA). Annual, or even twice-yearly, veterinary exams for senior pets give veterinarians the chance to catch subtle changes in gait, muscle mass, and behavior that owners might miss day to day.
The encouraging part of this picture is that early diagnosis genuinely changes outcomes. Pets diagnosed and treated early tend to maintain mobility and comfort far longer than those whose arthritis goes unaddressed until it’s advanced. Management options have also expanded significantly in recent years, from weight control and joint supplements to non-invasive therapies and, when appropriate, surgery.
If your senior pet has seemed a little slower on stairs, a little more hesitant to jump, or just generally less like themselves, it’s worth having that conversation with your veterinarian rather than assuming it’s simply age. At Vet For Pet Animal Hospital, our senior pet care program includes the kind of regular monitoring that catches conditions like arthritis early, and our CTX laser therapy offers a non-invasive way to ease joint pain and inflammation. Call us at (860) 519-1519 - East Hartford or (860) 519-1519 - Hamden to schedule a senior wellness exam.