Companion Animals

Senior Dog Welfare: Pain Recognition and Quality of Life

Dogs are living longer due to veterinary advances, but senior dogs frequently experience chronic pain from arthritis, cognitive decline and other age-related conditions that are under-recognised and under-treated.

Key Facts

Approximately 20% of dogs over 1 year old have some degree of osteoarthritis
Behavioural signs of chronic pain in dogs include reduced activity, altered sleep and social withdrawal
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome affects an estimated 28% of dogs aged 11-12 and 68% of dogs aged 15-16
Multimodal pain management including medication, physiotherapy and environmental modification improves senior dog welfare

Welfare Considerations

Senior dog welfare is frequently compromised by normalisation of ageing signs as simply 'getting old' rather than recognising them as indicators of pain or cognitive decline. Dogs rarely vocalise chronic pain but show it through subtle behavioural changes. Regular veterinary geriatric assessments from age 8 allow earlier intervention and significantly better welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Schedule bi-annual veterinary health checks for dogs from age 7-8 to monitor age-related changes
Learn to recognise subtle signs of pain including posture changes, sleep pattern changes and social withdrawal
Discuss multimodal pain management options with your vet if arthritis is suspected
Adapt the home environment to support a senior dog with ramps, non-slip surfaces and raised feeders