Winter Watch: Is your pet hiding pain from you?

Pet health · Winter watch

It’s getting colder, and our pets may just need a bit of attention.

What every dog and cat owner needs to know about osteoarthritis. The condition that’s more common than you think, sneakier than you’d expect, and about to get worse as winter sets in.

POV: Your dog is a bit slower on the morning walk. Your cat has stopped leaping onto the windowsill. You think: “They’re just getting older.” And you’re half right, but “just getting older” is often quietly disguising ongoing pain.

Osteoarthritis (OA) – or Degenerative Joint Disease – is a progressive wearing-down of cartilage inside the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and stiffness. It’s one of the most common conditions we see in both dogs and cats, and the numbers are genuinely startling. There are no large NZ-specific studies, but the international research is consistent shows some pretty alarming numbers.

1 in 5 dogs over 1 year old may be affected
90% of cats over 12 years show X-ray evidence of OA
40% of dogs under 4 already show early OA signs on X-ray

That last one surprises people the most. OA isn’t just an “old pet” problem. Breed predispositions (hello, Labradors and German Shepherds), previous injuries, hip dysplasia, and excess weight all play a role.

Winter is coming and if your pet has OA, they’re going to start feeling it a lot worse. Cold temperatures cause synovial fluid (the joint’s natural lubricant) to thicken, making movement stiffer and more painful. Drops in barometric pressure cause joint tissues to expand. We consistently see an increase in OA-related consultations as the cold, damp months roll in, and many owners only realise what’s been hiding beneath the fur when symptoms suddenly seem to increase.

If you’ve been thinking “I’ll keep an eye on it”, now is the time to act.

The hidden part of this “hidden disease”

The thing is: animals are hardwired to conceal pain. In the wild, showing weakness is a liability. So your arthritic cat isn’t going to meow pitifully or limp dramatically around the lounge. They’re going to quietly just stop doing the things that cause pain, and that can look a lot like “just resting more.”

Some common symptoms include:

Dogs

Stiffness after rest
Slower on walks, reluctant to start
Trouble rising from lying down
Flinching when touched in certain spots
Reduced jumping – into cars, onto furniture, up steps
Less playful or generally quieter

Cats

No longer jumping up (or jumping lower)
Avoiding stairs
Less grooming – especially the back half
More toileting accidents
Withdrawing from people or other pets
Hiding more than usual

Cats are subtle. These signs are easy to dismiss, please don’t.

Worth Noting:

Fat isn’t just extra weight. It’s metabolically active tissue that produces inflammatory cytokines, which are chemicals that actively make joint disease worse. Keeping your pet at a healthy weight is one of the most powerful things you can do for their joints at any age.

The good news: A monthly injection can change everything

Beransa & Solensia are monthly game-changers for dogs and cats.

One of the most exciting developments in OA management is a class of monoclonal antibody injections that work differently from traditional pain relief. Rather than just masking pain, Beransa (for dogs) and Solensia (for cats) target Nerve Growth Factor, a key driver of chronic pain and inflammation in arthritic joints and essentially block the pain signal at the source.

Both are given as a simple once-monthly injection here at the clinic. They have minimal side effects, work safely alongside other medications, and are suitable for elderly patients where other drugs might cause concern. We’ve seen some really impressive results, pets that owners thought were “just old” gaining back their mobility and wanting to play again.

What else can be done

Management is usually a combination of approaches, the more angles you tackle it from, the better the result:

Weight management: Often the single biggest lever available
Pain relief: NSAIDs carefully chosen per patient; blood monitoring for long-term use
Therapeutic diets: Rich in omega-3s, glucosamine, and chondroitin
Controlled exercise: Short, regular, low-impact – swimming is excellent for dogs
Acupuncture and laser: Well-supported options with minimal risk
Home adjustments: Soft beds, rugs on slippery floors, ramps, raised bowls

On cold evenings, a warm wheat bag held gently over a sore joint goes a long way. Warmth increases blood flow and eases stiffness. And yes, exercise is still important even in winter, muscles that support the joints need to stay strong, just keep it short, gentle, and on soft ground.

When to come visit us

If any of the signs above ring a bell, it’s worth a consultation, especially as we head into the colder months. OA is diagnosed through physical examination, history, and sometimes X-rays. Early diagnosis means earlier management, which means less pain for your beloved pet.

Arthritis isn’t a death sentence and it isn’t just “old age.” It’s a manageable condition, and with the right plan in place, your pet doesn’t need to white-knuckle it through the winter.

Do you think your pet is exhibiting some symptoms?

Book a check-up and let’s have a look.Your vet team is always happy to chat about what you’ve been noticing.