Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR

Kirkby Shaw is a small animal surgeon and rehabilitation specialist whose career has focused on bridging the gap between these 2 disciplines, with specific emphasis on treatment of arthritis. Kirkby Shaw received her DVM, PhD, and MS degrees, and completed a small animal surgical residency at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville. She spent 2 years as a clinical instructor at UF and 9 years in referral practice in Seattle, WA.

Articles by Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR

Nutritional strategies for managing arthritis in cats

ByKristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR,Abi Bautista-Alejandre, Assistant Editor

July 31st 2025

Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, discusses 2 nutritional modifications that can help manage arthritis in feline patients.

4 steps to diagnosing feline osteoarthritis

ByKristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR,Abi Bautista-Alejandre, Assistant Editor

July 25th 2025

A veterinary rehabilitation specialist delves into how general practitioners can best diagnose arthritis in cats.

How osteoarthritis affects cats

ByKristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR,Abi Bautista-Alejandre, Assistant Editor

May 23rd 2025

Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, talks about how the condition causes changes in these felines’ mobility, quality of life, and how they interact with their owners.

Feline arthritis remains underdiagnosed

ByKristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR,Abi Bautista-Alejandre, Assistant Editor

May 22nd 2025

Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, discusses the prevalence of arthritis in cats and the percentage of cats that are actually diagnosed

Signs a cat may have arthritis

ByKristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR,Abi Bautista-Alejandre, Assistant Editor

May 2nd 2025

Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, discusses how veterinarians can guide clients in spotting subtle signs of feline arthritis at home.

Three things to know about canine osteoarthritis

ByKristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR,Abi Bautista-Alejandre, Assistant Editor

April 29th 2025

Maintaining a lean body condition is the only proven method of delaying and reducing the severity of osteoarthritis, says Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, DACVSMR, in this interview.