The Arthritis Hub
Everything you need when your dog or cat has arthritis
From the first stiff morning to the long view: how to spot the signs, what the treatments really do, what they actually cost in the UK, and how to make every day more comfortable.
Written and reviewed by vets. Honest about what works. Free to read.
The whole journey
One library, from diagnosis to the long view.
Evidence, not opinion
Every guide cites its sources and is checked by a second vet, with the date it was last reviewed shown.
Why this library exists
Arthritis is manageable. Most owners are just never shown how.
Arthritis is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs and cats, and one of the most treatable. The problem is rarely the condition itself. It is that good, honest guidance is hard to find: advice is either too vague to act on, or quietly trying to sell you something.
This is our answer to that. A complete, plain-English library that follows the whole journey, from the first signs through to the hardest decisions, for cats as well as dogs. Every claim is backed by a source and checked by a second vet. None of it is behind a paywall.
Start here
New to this? Begin with these.
The four guides most owners need first, whether your pet was just diagnosed or you are still piecing the signs together.
Not diagnosed yet?
Worried, or protecting an at-risk pet?
You do not need a diagnosis to start. If your pet is young or a breed prone to joint problems, or you have noticed the odd early sign, you can see where things stand in two minutes, and get ahead of it.
Why this is the place to come
Four things you will struggle to find together anywhere else in the UK.
Evidence, not opinion
Every guide cites its sources and is checked by a second vet, with the date it was last reviewed shown. You can see our working.
The full library
The guide library, stage by stage
Arthritis care changes as you go. These guides follow the journey, from the first diagnosis to living well with it long term. Read in order, or jump to where you are.
1Understanding the diagnosis
12 guides
Arthritis in Cats: The Invisible Epidemic
16 minUp to 90% of cats over 12 have arthritis, yet only about 4% are ever diagnosed. Why it is missed, the behaviou…
Arthritis in Dogs: Everything You Need to Know
13 minWhat osteoarthritis actually is, why it is far more than worn cartilage, and why catching it early changes eve…
How Arthritis Is Diagnosed: Understanding the Vet Visit
18 minWhat actually happens at a diagnostic appointment: the history, the exam, when imaging is needed, what the rep…
How to Spot Arthritis in Your Dog: The Signs Most Owners Miss
16 minBy the time a dog limps, arthritis has often been progressing for months or years. The subtle early signs most…
Spondylosis in Dogs: What That X-Ray Finding Actually Means
13 minYour vet has spotted spondylosis on your dog's X-ray, and the word sounds far more alarming than the finding u…
Your Dog Has Arthritis. Now What? The First 30 Days
20 minA practical, week-by-week map for the month after diagnosis: what to do first, what can wait, and how to avoid…
Causes of Arthritis: Developmental Disease, Injury, and Beyond
18 minWhy your dog got arthritis: developmental joint disease, injury, obesity, genetics, and the neutering question…
How Feline Arthritis Is Diagnosed: Why There Is No Single Test
8 minThere is no blood test or single scan that diagnoses arthritis in a cat. How vets actually reach the diagnosis…
Protecting Your Young Dog's Joints: What You Can Do Before Arthritis Starts
10 minIf you have a young dog (or a second dog after a diagnosis in the family), the choices you make in their first…
Recognising Pain in Cats: Even Harder Than Dogs
22 minCats are extraordinarily good at hiding pain, and chronic discomfort often goes undetected for years. The subt…
What to Avoid: Misinformation, Myths and Marketing
10 minOwners of arthritic pets are a marketing target. The myths that lead you astray, the sales tactics worth recog…
Young Dogs and Arthritis: It's Not Just an Old Dog's Disease
18 minNearly 40% of dogs aged 8 months to 4 years already show arthritis on X-ray. Why it happens so young, why earl…
2Pain and treatment
8 guides
Librela: What You Need to Know
17 minA balanced, honest look at the monthly arthritis injection: how it works, the real benefits, the post-marketin…
Arthritis Pain Relief: The Complete Medication Guide
22 minEvery major option for arthritis pain in dogs: NSAIDs, Librela, grapiprant, the adjuncts, and multimodal proto…
Arthritis and Kidney Disease: Treating Pain When the Kidneys Are Struggling
12 minChronic kidney disease and arthritis are the two most common conditions of older cats, and they often arrive t…
CBD and Cannabis for Pet Arthritis: What the Evidence Actually Says
10 minCBD is the most-asked-about natural option for arthritic pets. An honest, hype-free look at what the evidence…
Central Sensitisation: When Pain Becomes Its Own Disease
17 minA concept from modern pain medicine that explains why early treatment matters, why X-ray findings do not predi…
How Dogs Hide Pain: Why You're Not Failing as an Owner
17 minDogs are built to hide pain, and even vets and lifelong owners miss it. Why the signs are designed to be misse…
Managing Your Cat's Arthritis: Medications, Environment, and Diet
27 minThe modern multimodal picture for feline arthritis: Solensia, NSAIDs and the 2024 ISFM/AAFP guidance, gabapent…
Solensia: The Game-Changer for Feline Arthritis
21 minA balanced, honest look at the monthly anti-NGF injection for arthritic cats: how it works, the real benefits,…
3Daily management
11 guides
Exercise and Arthritis: The Complete Guide
24 minHow to build a sustainable, low-impact exercise plan for an arthritic dog: how much, how often, what to avoid,…
Feeding the Arthritic Dog: Diet, Nutrition, and Meal Planning
24 minWhat to actually feed an arthritic dog: therapeutic-dose omega-3, adequate protein, the case for therapeutic j…
Grooming, Nail Care, and the Details That Matter
21 minThe small daily-care details that compound for an arthritic dog: why nail length changes how they walk, the ha…
Home Modifications for Arthritic Cats
23 minAn arthritic cat's whole world is your house. A practical room-by-room walk-through of the modifications that…
Home Modifications: Room by Room
23 minA practical, room-by-room walk-through of the home environment for an arthritic dog: slippery floors, beds, fu…
Keeping an Arthritic Cat Active and Engaged
7 minA stiff cat still needs to move, and still needs to be a cat. How to keep an arthritic cat gently moving, play…
Managing a Flare-Up: What to Do on a Bad Day
10 minEven a well-managed arthritic pet has bad days. How to handle a flare-up safely at home, what you must never g…
Mobility Aids and Equipment: Harnesses, Slings, Ramps, Grips and Carts
9 minThe right kit can transform an arthritic pet's day: a sling for the stairs, grips for slippery floors, a bed t…
Supplements for Arthritis: What the Evidence Actually Says
21 minAn honest, evidence-based walk through the most-used joint supplements: which ones the research supports, whic…
Weight Management for the Arthritic Cat
8 minExcess weight is one of the few arthritis levers entirely in your hands, and in cats it is both common and stu…
Weight Management: The Single Most Effective Thing You Control
25 minWhy excess weight hurts an arthritic dog twice over, how to assess body condition honestly, and a step-by-step…
4Therapies and interventions
10 guides
Beyond Medication: Physiotherapy, Laser and Acupuncture for Cats
8 minMedication is the backbone of feline arthritis care, but not the whole story. An honest, evidence-weighted loo…
Complementary Therapies: An Evidence-Based Overview
29 minAn honest evidence-based walk through acupuncture, laser therapy, massage, chiropractic, PEMF and the rest. Wh…
Cruciate Ligament Disease: Understanding the Most Common Reason Dogs Need Knee Surgery
11 minThe most common reason dogs need knee surgery. What cranial cruciate ligament disease actually is, why it is u…
Elbow Dysplasia: Understanding the Condition and Its Surgical Options
10 minElbow dysplasia is an umbrella term for several developmental problems of the elbow. What each form actually i…
Hip Dysplasia: Understanding the Condition and Its Surgical Options
10 minA deep dive into hip dysplasia: what the loose, poorly fitting joint actually is, why it causes arthritis at t…
Home Physiotherapy: Exercises You Can Do Together
21 minA practical set of physiotherapy techniques you can do at home with your arthritic dog: passive range of motio…
Hydrotherapy: The Complete Guide
23 minA practical guide to one of the most evidence-supported complementary interventions for canine arthritis: pool…
Patellar Luxation: Understanding the Condition and Its Surgical Options
10 minPatellar luxation explained: what a slipping kneecap is, the 1-to-4 grading system that drives the whole decis…
Regenerative Medicine: Stem Cells, PRP, and Beyond
20 minAn honest assessment of where regenerative medicine actually stands for canine arthritis: what stem cells and…
Surgery: The Decision-Making Framework
22 minThe universal framework for navigating the surgical conversation: when referral is genuinely indicated, how to…
5Working with your vet
7 guides
Building Your Dog's Care Team
22 minChronic arthritis is a team sport. Who the players are (primary vet, specialist, physiotherapist, hydrotherapi…
Funding Long-Term Arthritis Care: Insurance and Beyond
27 minThe honest financial picture of long-term arthritis care: realistic UK cost ranges, the four pet insurance pol…
Getting the Most From Your Vet Appointments
24 minTwenty-five years of consulting room work distilled: how to prepare, what to track between visits, how to give…
Monitoring Your Cat at Home: Tracking Pain You Can't See
9 minFor cats, the home is the clinic. A simple, sustainable way to track pain you cannot see and to know when thin…
Monitoring and Knowing When Things Change
25 minThe single most useful skill an owner can develop: how to monitor an arthritic dog or cat well at home, what t…
The Cat-Friendly Vet Visit: Getting a Real Picture of a Stoic Patient
9 minA frightened cat on the table hides everything. How to lower the stress that masks arthritis and bring the hom…
When Pain Needs a Specialist: The Veterinary Pain Clinic
14 minWhen your vet suggests a pain specialist, it sounds like bad news. It almost never is. What veterinary pain cl…
6The long view
5 guides
Keeping Them Happy: Enrichment When Walks Aren't Enough
9 minWhen the walks get shorter, the world should not shrink to match. Low-impact scent work, puzzle feeders and ge…
Living Well With Arthritis: The Long Game
8 minAn arthritis diagnosis is not the beginning of the end. It is the start of a long, manageable chapter that can…
Living Well and Ageing With an Arthritic Cat: The Long View
10 minAn arthritis diagnosis is not the beginning of the end. Ageing well with an arthritic cat, keeping life rich,…
The Quality of Life Conversation
11 minThe hardest part of loving an animal. How to think honestly about quality of life, the frameworks that can hel…
When Things Get Harder
8 minArthritis is progressive, and there comes a time the management that worked so well starts to lose ground. How…
Who writes this
Practising vets, named and accountable.
Every guide is written and reviewed by practising RCVS-registered vets from Greenway Veterinary Group. Each article names its author and the vet who reviewed it, shows when it was last checked, and links to the studies behind its claims. If we cannot back something up, we do not say it.
Free printable downloads
Vet-built worksheets and trackers. Print at home, no signup required.
The First 30 Days: Week-by-Week Checklist
PDF · 356 KBA week-by-week guide for the first month after diagnosis. The conversations to have, the small changes to start, and the habits that compound across the years ahead.
Arthritis Flare-Up Action Plan
PDF · 139 KBWhat to do when arthritis suddenly worsens. A calm, step-by-step plan for the first few days of a flare: ease back, keep them comfortable, give prescribed medication exactly as directed, and watch for the red flags that mean call the vet today. Flares are common and usually pass.
Home Modifications: Room-by-Room Walkthrough
PDF · 357 KBA room-by-room checklist for an arthritis-friendly home. The cheap wins, the bigger projects, and the small changes that matter most for an arthritic dog or cat.
Cat Home Assessment Checklist
PDF · 127 KBA resource-by-resource home assessment for cats with arthritis. A cat's world is the home, and arthritis quietly removes the jumps and climbs between the litter tray, the food, the warm bed, and the favourite high shelf. Tick what's already easy; the rest becomes your plan, starting with the litter tray.
Body Condition Score: Visual Assessment Guide
PDF · 616 KBHow to assess your dog's body condition at home, with side-on and top-down silhouettes for the 1-9 BCS scale. Weight management is the single most effective thing you control, and this is the tool that makes it measurable.
Daily Observation Diary
PDF · 354 KBA weekly record of how your pet is doing, one page per week. The small details that compound across months: stiffness on rising, willingness on walks, mood, appetite, and the moments your gut says something's shifted.
How to Film Your Dog's Movement
PDF · 127 KBA printable guide to capturing video your vet, and you, can actually use. The five shots that show how your dog really moves, how to get them right, and the one detail that makes or breaks the footage: the surface. Film on a normal day and the camera catches what a clinic visit often hides.
Reading Your Dog's Movement Videos
PDF · 89 KBThe companion to the filming guide: how to actually read the clips you have captured. Line up an older video against a recent one, watch one thing at a time across four everyday views, and spot the gradual changes day-to-day life hides. With an honest note on the subtle shifts the eye misses, and where objective gait analysis picks up.
Pre-Appointment Notes
PDF · 352 KBPrepare before, take notes during, capture what's next after. A single sheet that turns a ten-minute vet appointment into one you'll actually remember properly a week later.
Vet Questions Checklist
PDF · 348 KBQuestions worth asking, organised by the kind of appointment you're having: diagnosis, treatment review, surgical consult, end-of-life conversation. Pick what fits and bring it with you.
Care Team Tracker
PDF · 341 KBEveryone involved in your pet's care, in one place: primary vet, specialists, physiotherapist, hydrotherapist, behaviourist, end-of-life services. Contact details, last-seen dates, and what they're treating.
Insurance Comparison Worksheet
PDF · 352 KBCompare cover on what actually matters for a chronic condition: lifetime vs maximum-benefit vs annual vs accident-only, per-condition limits, excess structure, and the small print on continuing conditions.
Feline Pain Observation Checklist
PDF · 566 KBA week-by-week record built around how cats really show pain. Not an obvious limp, but the things they quietly stop doing: jumping onto the windowsill, using the cat flap, grooming, settling on a favourite high shelf. A few seconds of noticing each day builds a picture your vet can act on.
The Feline Grimace Scale
PDF · 699 KBHow to read pain in your cat's face. The Feline Grimace Scale scores five features, from the ears and eyes to the muzzle and whiskers, each from 0 to 2. A visual reference for spotting discomfort when your cat is resting calmly, with photos to compare against.
Enrichment Ideas for a Less-Able Pet
PDF · 124 KBA menu of low-impact ways to keep a pet's mind busy when arthritis limits the body. Scent work, puzzle feeders, gentle play, and a full feline section, mostly free and all at floor level. Tick what you'd like to try. Slow the body, not the life.