A survey commissioned by Zoetis and conducted by YouGov has highlighted that while the majority of dog (89 percent) and cat owners (80 percent) are aware of osteoarthritis, many could be confusing the symptoms for general aging, or other health issues.
With 27 percent of dog owners and 28 percent of cat owners unlikely to take their pet to the vet when they display common signs of osteoarthritis, many could be missing an opportunity to improve how their pets awell-being.
Ensuring that dogs and cats are happy and healthy is very important to their owners, with around nearly three quarters, of cat (72 percent) and dog (73 percent) owners saying that their pet’s health is equally as important as their own.
Around one in ten owners also say their pet’s health is more important than their own (10 and 12 percent for cat and dog owners respectively).
“Just like in humans, osteoarthritis is a very common problem in dogs and cats – around 30 to 50 percent will be affected at some point in their lives,” said Matt Gurney, vet and president of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
“The power of the human-animal bond is at the heart of what we do at Zoetis,” said Jamie Brannan, Executive Vice President and President, International Operations. “We know how much pets mean to their owners and understand the strong connection between the health of people and animals. This is why we are committed to advancing pet care to improve the lives of dogs and cats who might be living in pain. Like people, pets can also suffer from osteoarthritis, and we are proud to offer solutions that can improve the lives of dogs and cats suffering from the condition.”
