Dr Tristan Lee graduated from the university of Melbourne in 2014. Between 2015-2016 Dr Lee worked at the VCA Veterinary Speciality Centre in Seattle. Dr Lee then went on to work in a role as a clinical tutor of Emergency and Critical Care, at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Teaching Hospital before working as an emergency veterinarian at the Centre for Animal Emergency and Referral in Melbourne.
Tristan Kindly agreed to answer the following questions:
What are your feelings on how we currently manage this common debilitating condition in dogs?
I think in general practice, oftentimes we don’t give patients and clients the time they need to effectively communicate the full scope of management options. People need to empathise and understand the pain that their dogs are going through and it can be difficult to explain this in a short consult window that we are often given. I think we need to incorporate more aspects of human medicine in having different specialities at the forefront like physiotherapists, dedicated nursing and veterinary care for follow up and long term management.
As a veterinarian what do you feel is essential for managing canine arthritis effectively?
Communicating treatment goals and progression with clients. Getting objective assessments of how the patient is progressing so we can understand what is working and what might not be.
How do you see treatment options for arthritis progressing over the next ten years?
A bigger role of advanced therapies and dedicated centres for arthritis and post-operative care. Intra-articular injections, use of laser and skills of physiotherapists.
If you could have the opportunity to give one tip/piece of advice to an owner with a dog suffering from arthritis what would it be?
Start prevention early. Arthritis is progressive and if we can slow its progression down the earlier the better.