Mobility care moves upstream for aging pets

dvm360 is using Mobility Awareness Month to push a more proactive, multimodal approach to mobility care in aging pets, centered on earlier detection, better exam-room questioning, and treatment plans that combine pain management, nutrition, exercise, and environmental support. In a May 7, 2026 podcast and article, rehabilitation specialist Kara Amstutz, DVM, DACVSMR (Canine), CVA, CVPP, CCRT, told host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, that veterinary teams shouldn’t rely on pet parent reports of limping alone, because many families miss early signs. Instead, she recommends asking about functional changes, like difficulty rising, climbing stairs, or getting into the car, and tailoring plans to the animal’s daily “job,” whether that’s companion life, farm work, or sport activity. The coverage was sponsored by Virbac. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: The message aligns with broader guidance from AAHA, WSAVA, and feline senior-care experts that pain recognition, early intervention, and multimodal management should start before decline becomes advanced. That includes tracking muscle condition score alongside body condition score, because sarcopenia can compound osteoarthritis and frailty in older pets. Recent veterinary literature also ties physical activity in senior dogs and cats to preserved mobility, lean body mass, and possibly slower cognitive decline, reinforcing the idea that mobility care is more than joint pain control alone. (aaha.org)

What to watch: Expect more education and practice tools around mobility screening, muscle scoring, and multimodal protocols as senior-pet care and osteoarthritis management continue to move upstream in general practice. (vet-us.virbac.com)