A Breakthrough for Canine Arthritis: The Power of Monoclonal Antibodies

Keeping arthritis under control

We understand that finding out your loyal companion has arthritis can come as a shock. Suddenly you are faced with an uncertain future that involves managing your pet’s pain indefinitely. This is a disease that will not go away, and without treatment it can progress rapidly. However, arthritis is common, so you are not alone. There are also many treatment options to choose from, which can keep your pup pain-free and comfortable, often for many years.

Successful management of arthritis will involve a combination of treatments including:

• Pain relief medication
• Physical therapies – Physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and laser therapy
• Acupuncture
• Maintaining your dog at an ideal weight
• Mobility diet
• Joint supplements
• Lifestyle changes

Medications are an important part of managing arthritis

Frequently owners will ask their vet “can I just wait and start medication when my pet gets worse? My dog still wants to go for walks, would he do this if he was in pain? My dog is old now so isn’t he just slowing down?”

We know that starting your pet on lifelong medication may sound daunting but, to successfully treat a sore dog, joint pain relief is most effective when started early. This will help slow down the progression of arthritis and keep your dog active.

Medication options include:

• Monoclonal antibodies
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
• Additional painkilling medications

These arthritis treatments for dogs can successfully keep arthritis at bay, but the recent addition of monoclonal antibodies to this list is the biggest game-changer. It has improved the future for many dogs while also reducing the ties that come from relying on daily medication.

The excitement behind monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies have been used to treat many different conditions in people for years, so you may already be familiar with them. They are different to other medications as they are proteins, so are natural and not chemically made. This changes how they are broken down by the body, often making them a suitable treatment for dogs with other health conditions. In fact, a recent study (Innes et al., 2025) showed monoclonal antibodies to be as effective as more traditional drugs, but found that they had fewer side effects.

So, you may be asking how does this breakthrough treatment really work? In arthritis, when a joint becomes inflamed, increased levels of nerve growth factor are produced. Nerve growth factor is responsible for activating pain sensors, so is a key player in causing joint pain. Monoclonal antibodies work by blocking nerve growth factor, preventing the activation of pain sensors, so your pup’s pain levels are reduced.

Of course, not all dogs are suitable candidates for this treatment, so it’s very important to discuss with your vet what the most suitable approach to managing their condition would be.

Long-standing arthritis treatment

You may already be familiar with giving non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to your dog, as they are commonly used to treat all types of inflammation, not just arthritis pain. They are a highly effective pain medication with good inflammation control in dogs, making them an essential component in arthritis treatment.

We understand that you may be reluctant and worried to start your pet on long-term anti-inflammatories, especially if people have told you stories about their side effects. It is true, that signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea or kidney and liver changes can occur, but with careful use and regular monitoring from your vet, the risk for these side effects might be minimised, while the benefits can be life-changing for you and your pet.

Safely using anti-inflammatories:

• Stop using if your dog stops eating, starts vomiting or has diarrhoea.
• Only give the dose prescribed by your vet.
• Only use medication prescribed for your pet. Never give them human anti-inflammatories, many of which are toxic to dogs.
• Take your dog to your vet for regular blood tests to enable any kidney or liver changes to be detected at the earliest opportunity.

Sometimes, the type of anti-inflammatory you give may need to be changed, especially if you feel your dog’s pain is not being adequately controlled. Once your pup is on an effective treatment, they will soon be back enjoying their walks.

Multimodal treatment of arthritis

Unfortunately, as arthritis progresses for your dog, the use of any single treatment alone is unlikely to be sufficient. At this stage, your vet may advise adding additional pain relief to support your pet’s quality of life.

There are several different pain relief options, including paracetamol, gabapentin, tramadol and amantadine, but the combination used by your vet will depend on your dog’s individual needs. However, as hard as it is to admit that your dog is starting to struggle, exploring other pain relief options at the earliest opportunity will help preserve your dog’s mobility, so you can continue enjoying your time together for as long as possible.

Arthritis can be a distressing diagnosis to receive, and the lack of a cure may leave you feeling helpless. However, with early intervention it is a condition that can be well managed, usually for a long time. With monoclonal antibodies providing a new and exciting treatment option for your dog, the future is once again bright as your vet has another weapon in the fight to keep arthritic pets mobile and comfortable.