dvm360 podcast urges earlier mobility screening in aging pets

Veterinary media outlet dvm360 used a May 7, 2026, sponsored podcast tied to Mobility Awareness Month to spotlight earlier detection of mobility decline in aging pets and a “multimodal” care model that combines pain management, targeted nutrition, physical exercise, and joint-support strategies. In the episode, host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, spoke with Kara Amstutz, DVM, DACVSMR (Canine), CVA, CVPP, CCRT, who emphasized that many pet parents don’t recognize limping and that veterinary teams should ask function-based questions, such as whether a pet can still rise easily, use stairs, or get in and out of the car, rather than waiting for clients to report an obvious gait change. The piece was published by dvm360 and sponsored by Virbac. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the message lines up with established guidance that pain and mobility assessment in senior pets should be proactive, multimodal, and integrated into routine care, not reserved for late-stage osteoarthritis cases. AAHA’s senior care and pain management guidance both support broader screening for pain and function, rehabilitation as part of chronic pain care, and environmental and lifestyle adjustments that help preserve quality of life. That makes the podcast less a product pitch than a reflection of a wider clinical shift: mobility conversations are becoming a standard part of preventive and geriatric medicine. (aaha.org)

What to watch: Expect more practices to formalize mobility screening in senior wellness visits, especially during awareness campaigns and as rehabilitation, nutrition, and chronic pain protocols become more tightly linked in everyday primary care. (dvm360.com)