How to Treat Degenerative Joint Disease

W. Preston Stubbs, DVM, DACVS, staff surgeon and owner of Mile High Veterinary Surgical Specialists, talks about why degenerative joint disease is tricky for veterinarians to treat.

There isn't one specific treatment to control degenerative joint disease, Dr. Stubbs says—you need a multimodal approach. This means non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, weight loss plans, regular moderate exercise, physical therapy, and possibly supplements.

There are also newer modalities, such as laser therapy and stem cell therapy, that can be good adjunctive treatments for degenerative joint disease, he says.