How can I ease arthritis in my dog?

You combine several levers: keeping a healthy weight (the most effective, and free), gentle regular movement, non-slip mats, ramps and a warm bed. Painkiller treatment, for its part, is prescribed and dosed by the vet.

My old dog struggles to climb the stairs, is that normal?

'He's old' isn't a diagnosis. This difficulty is very often joint pain that can be eased, not an inevitable part of ageing (WSAVA Global Pain Council consensus). Talk it over with the vet and adapt the home for him.

Arthritis and mobility: keeping my dog comfortable

Caring for my ageing dogPart of · Caring for my ageing dog

Arthritis and mobility: keeping my dog comfortable

Q: Why is my dog limping?

A limp can come from a claw, a paw pad, a painful joint like arthritis, or something more serious. If it lasts more than a few days, worsens or comes back, head to the vet: only they can pinpoint the pain. Above all, never a human painkiller in the meantime.

Q: How do I know if my dog has arthritis?

You don't make the diagnosis yourself, but you spot the clues: stiffness on getting up, hesitation at the stairs, less play, licking of a joint, a shifting mood. Note what recurs and show it to the vet, who will confirm it with an examination.

Q: At what age do dogs get arthritis?

There's no fixed age: arthritis mostly affects ageing dogs and larger builds, but a young dog with dysplasia or an old injury can develop it early. A healthy weight and gentle movement clearly hold it off.

8 min read

Why your dog never complains

Your dog hides pain. So by the time you finally notice that "something's off", the discomfort has often been there for months. He is simply very good at acting as though nothing is wrong: this is not a lack of attention on your part.

The signs to spot day to day

No single one of these signs proves arthritis (worn joints) on its own, but any change in your dog should put you on alert. The earlier you spot them, the sooner he gets relief.

The first clues, easy to miss

He is stiff when getting up, especially in the morning, then it wears off after a few steps
He hesitates at the stairs, the sofa or the boot of the car
He plays less, lags behind at the end of walks, asks to go home earlier

It's settling in: book an appointment

He licks or nibbles the same joint over and over (a knee, a hip, a wrist)
His gait changes: a hunched back, shorter steps, a thigh that's getting thinner
He becomes irritable: he growls when you touch or brush him in one spot
A limp that lasts more than a few days, gets worse or keeps coming back

Adapting the home

These changes spare him the efforts that hurt.

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A slightly raised bowl can help a dog with a stiff neck, but keep it for small and medium dogs. With large dogs, keep the bowl on the floor: one study linked a raised bowl to a higher risk of stomach twisting. If in doubt, ask your vet.

Weight and walks

Complete rest sounds sensible but isn't: without movement, the muscle that supports the joint melts away and your dog gets worse. Aim for the opposite: shorter but more frequent walks, on soft ground. Three short, quiet outings beat one long Sunday hike that leaves him worn out for two days. The right rhythm is decided with your vet, depending on how he's doing.

Librela, the monthly injection

Librela is the trade name of a monthly injection, given by your vet, which relieves arthritis pain in some dogs. It doesn't work like anti-inflammatories: it blocks a messenger the body produces when a joint becomes inflamed, and which triggers the pain. This new mechanism explains its rapid success. But the product is young: the medicines agencies are still updating its leaflet as new data on its effects and its use come in. Only your vet, who knows your dog's history, can judge whether it suits him.

Once injected, the product stays in your dog's body for weeks. Official studies give twelve to twenty days for him to clear half of it, so several weeks more before it is truly gone. If it doesn't suit him, you can't stop it overnight the way you would a tablet.
Since it came on the market, the European and American agencies have received thousands of reports of side effects: balance problems, weakness in the legs, excessive thirst, sometimes seizures. A report doesn't prove the product is to blame, but they were enough for the official leaflet to be added to several times.
In humans, a drug from the same family was refused by the American authorities: in some patients, it sped up the wear of the very joint it was meant to relieve. This risk has never been confirmed in dogs, but the agencies require it to appear on the leaflet.
The leaflet rules out Librela in pregnant or nursing bitches, in dogs intended for breeding, and in puppies under twelve months old.

When to see the vet

Time to see the vet

Stiffness or a limp that settles in, gets worse or keeps coming back, instead of passing in a day or two
He does less and less of what he used to do easily, or takes longer and longer to recover
Anything unusual for him: he growls when you touch him, refuses an everyday movement, or licks the same spot non-stop
The slightest doubt worries you: a consultation that reassures you beats pain that settles in

Keep an eye out and take notes, no need to panic

A single mild limp after a big play session, gone within a day
A bit of stiffness on one morning only, which wears off after a few steps
Note the date and what keeps coming back: these observations matter to the vet

WSAVA Global Pain Council — Guidelines for the Recognition, Assessment and Treatment of Pain (2022)
Kealy et al. — Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs (2002)
Librela (bedinvetmab): summary of product characteristics, Agence européenne des médicaments (EMA) (2020)
Librela (bedinvetmab): Freedom of Information Summary, NADA 141-562, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2023)

Going further

guideAssessing your dog's quality of lifeConcrete markers to judge whether pain or tiredness weigh too heavily on his daily life.Read the guide guideFeeding Your Senior DogThe right weight and the right food, the number one lever for relieving tired joints.Read the guide guideAdapting daily life for an ageing dogNon-slip rugs, ramps, a suitable bed: simple things that change everything day to day.Read the guide guideVet check-ups for your senior dogRegular follow-up to adjust the treatment and catch arthritis getting worse early.Read the guide guideSpotting the signs of ageing in my dogSpotting the first signs of old age, often the starting point of arthritis settling in.Read the guide guideWhen My Dog Is Losing Sight or HearingWhen reduced mobility comes with fading sight or hearing, how to adapt his daily life.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

Why is my dog limping?

A limp can come from a claw, a paw pad, a painful joint such as arthritis, or something more serious. If it lasts more than a few days, gets worse or keeps coming back, take him to your vet: only your vet can pinpoint the pain. Above all, never a human painkiller in the meantime.

How can I relieve arthritis in a dog?

Several things help at once: keeping him at his ideal weight (the most effective, and free), gentle regular walks, non-slip rugs, ramps and a warm bed. As for painkillers, they are prescribed and dosed by your vet.

How do I know if my dog has arthritis?

You don't make the diagnosis yourself, but you can spot the clues: stiffness on getting up, hesitating at the stairs, less play, licking the same spot again and again, a change of mood. Note down what keeps coming back and show it to your vet, who will confirm it with an examination.

My old dog struggles with the stairs, is that normal?

"He's old" is not a diagnosis. This difficulty is very often joint pain that can be relieved, not just the years going by (worldwide veterinary consensus, 2022). Talk to your vet about it, and adapt the home for him.

Can I give my dog ibuprofen?

No, never. Ibuprofen, like paracetamol, aspirin and naproxen, has a very narrow safety margin in dogs: a dose meant for a human adult can poison him, sometimes fatally. A dog in pain isn't waiting for the medicine cabinet: he's waiting for a consultation, where the painkiller will be chosen and dosed for him.

At what age do dogs get arthritis?

There is no fixed age: arthritis mostly affects ageing dogs and large dogs, but a young dog can develop it early if he has dysplasia, meaning a poorly formed joint, or an old injury. An ideal weight and gentle regular walks delay it considerably.

Updated on July 11, 2026Sources

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