Veterinary practices across the South Hams have launched a pioneering campaign to help dog owners in the area spot the often-missed signs of arthritis in their pets.

Dart Vale Veterinary Group, Totnes, and Filham Park Veterinary Clinic in Ivybridge will be running the campaign through November to December.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the causes and symptoms of arthritis in dogs of all ages and introduces a free, easy-to-use app called DogMA to help owners monitor their dog’s mobility at home.

Arthritis is one of the most overlooked conditions affecting dogs, with research showing that by the age of eight, four in five dogs are living with chronic joint pain. However, arthritis doesn’t just affect older dogs.

Younger dogs can also develop the condition due to factors such as being overweight, joint injuries, high-impact activities or their breed type, especially larger breeds.

Mobility problems in dogs are not always easy to spot. In younger dogs, joint pain may show up as reluctance to play, difficulty in training, or even changes in behaviour such as aggression or unusual calmness. In older dogs, symptoms are often mistaken for simply “slowing down” with age.

As part of the campaign, participating veterinary clinics are introducing clients to DogMA, a scientifically validated app developed by the University of Liverpool.

DogMA allows owners to assess their dog’s mobility at home using a structured questionnaire, to track changes over time, and to receive tailored advice on when to seek veterinary support.

A spokesperson for the campaign said: “Just like people, dogs can develop arthritis at any age. But unlike people, dogs can’t tell us how they feel. Many dogs are experts at hiding pain and the signs can be subtle, especially if more than one leg is affected.”

By completing the guided assessments, owners will also contribute anonymised data to the University of Liverpool, helping to advance veterinary understanding of canine mobility issues across the UK.