Dr Roger Blackwell, Meander Valley Vets and Dr Jason Lowe, Contura Vet.
Canine hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive, degenerative joint disease characterised by cartilage degradation, synovitis, capsular fibrosis, and subchondral bone change. Traditional management strategies often follow a stepwise escalation from conservative medical management, including NSAID’s, to surgical intervention.
Attention however, is being directed towards early intra-articular (IA) intervention with therapies that may serve to slow or arrest the progression of disease rather than solely symptom control.
Injectable polyacrylamide hydrogel (2.5% iPAAG, Arthramid®) has demonstrated structural, biomechanical, and synovial effects that support its inclusion earlier in the OA patient care pathway. That’s why Dr Roger Blackwell has introduced it to deliver durable clinical improvement in canine hip OA patients.
Case 1: Mac
Diagnosis: Bilateral coxofemoral osteoarthritis.
Clinical history:
Mac, a male neutered Border Collie presented at 1.5 years of age to his referring practice with a four-month history of intermittent hind-end lameness. Initial diagnostic imaging (Figure 1) demonstrated moderate to severe bilateral hip dysplasia, but no evidence of secondary joint disease. Pain management has been with intermittent NSAID’s and monthly Beransa®. Follow-up radiographs (March, 2026), Figure 2 show how extensive degeneration changes have occurred and Mac is still clinically painful.
Dr Roger Blackwell has subsequently injected both hip joints with 2.5% iPAAG- Arthramid®. 3-weeks later Mac is already much happier with improved mobility, and his last dose of NSAIDs was 10 days ago.
Clinical relevance:
Despite radiographic evidence associated with progressive disease, Mac’s case illustrates that even in dogs presenting with moderate OA, timely IA intervention with 2.5% iPAAG should be considered before irreversible decline in joint function or escalation to surgical options.
This case supports the concept that 2.5% iPAAG is not restricted to end-stage disease but may be strategically deployed once radiographic OA is identified, particularly when bilateral involvement is present and long-term joint preservation is the goal.
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- Figure 1
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- Figure 2
Case 2: Trevor
Diagnosis: Mild unilateral hip OA (left coxofemoral joint).
Initial presentation:
Trevor, a male neutered Border Collie first presented in September 2023 as a 5 ½ year-old with mild left-sided hip pain and joint laxity under GA, consistent with hip dysplasia. Radiographic changes were minimal (Figure 3), a stage at which conservative management is often chosen and interventional therapy deferred.
Intervention:
Instead, Dr Roger Blackwell treated the affected hip with 2.5% iPAAG- Arthramid® at initial diagnosis.
Follow-up:
Repeat radiographs obtained in March 2026 (Figure 4) demonstrate a lack of expected OA progression in the treated hip. Clinically, Trevor continues to do well, with sustained comfort and function reported and no need for other treatments.
Clinical relevance:
This case is particularly illustrative of the potential of early IA therapy. In dogs with mild OA, natural disease history would typically predict progressive radiographic change over a 2-3 year period. The stability observed in this case suggests that early intervention with 2.5% iPAAG may alter that trajectory.
While larger controlled studies continue to define its place in evidence-based OA management, these cases underscore a practical takeaway for clinicians:
intervening earlier, rather than later, may change the long-term outlook for dogs with hip OA.
To find out more about how 2.5% iPAAG- Arthramid can be used to support long-term joint health, talk to us.
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- Figure 3
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- Figure 4
