Hip osteoarthrosis in dogs and cats: Review

Abstract

Osteoarthrosis or degenerative joint disease is a common disease in dogs and cats with great relevance in veterinary medicine, affecting mainly locomotor limbs of the hip and impairing the quality of life of the patient. By promoting a degeneration of the joint components, it is a progressive, slow-acting disease, which occurs due to several factors. It can be primary, secondary, or erosive, and there are also classifications with respect to the degree of the animal's disease. The diagnosis, despite being difficult to detect in the initial phase, is based on clinical findings, physical examination of palpation of the affected limbs, and imaging tests that conclude the diagnosis accurately. The treatments are numerous and depend on several factors, as well as the prognosis, which includes the affected limb, the degree of injury, the patient's history, among other parameters to be analyzed. Currently there are still discussions among professionals about the best method of conduct, especially for treatment, but increasingly the results have proven to be more satisfactory. Facing such complexity, the present article aims to deepen the studies focusing on the hip, which is one of the most affected in the routine of small animal veterinary clinics, allowing greater efficiency in the treatment and evolution of pain understanding.