PILLAR
Pain & Mobility
Understanding how pain manifests, progresses, and affects movement quality across species and life stages.
Key principles
Key conditions
Osteoarthritis in Dogs
A progressive joint condition involving cartilage breakdown, inflammation, and pain that affects mobility and comfort over time.
Hip Dysplasia in Dogs
A developmental condition where the hip joint forms abnormally, leading to instability, cartilage wear, and progressive mobility changes.
Intervertebral Disc Disease in Dogs
The page on this condition is being checked again and is offline for now.
Arthritis in Cats
A degenerative joint condition that is common in older cats but often goes unrecognised due to subtle behavioural changes.
Key symptoms
Stiffness after rest
Difficulty or slowness when first getting up after lying down, often most visible in the morning or after naps.
Reluctance to jump
Hesitation or refusal to jump onto furniture, into vehicles, or up surfaces previously accessed without difficulty.
Limping or lameness
Visible favouring of one or more legs during movement, which may be constant or appear only after activity.
Difficulty rising
Noticeable effort or struggle when transitioning from lying or sitting to a standing position.
Back pain or sensitivity
Flinching, tensing, or vocalising when the back is touched, or reluctance to bend and twist normally.
How to navigate this topic
This pillar examines conditions affecting movement, comfort, and physical function in dogs and cats. Pain and mobility challenges often develop gradually, with animals instinctively masking discomfort through subtle behavioural adaptations. Not all do: in dogs with intervertebral disc disease, signs are often acute and severe, and can progress from back or neck pain to a wobbly gait and then loss of hindlimb movement. Changes in how an animal moves, rests, or positions itself may reflect underlying musculoskeletal, neurological, or joint-related processes. Recognising the signs of discomfort requires attention to both obvious changes (like limping or reluctance to jump) and more subtle shifts in posture or activity patterns. Conditions within this pillar span from degenerative joint diseases to spinal conditions and soft tissue injuries. Understanding the mechanisms behind pain and movement limitations can help contextualise observed changes and appreciate why certain patterns emerge at different life stages.