Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common source of chronic pain in dogs, affecting an estimated 20% of adult dogs and up to 80% of dogs over 8 years. Effective long-term management is one of the most important welfare interventions in veterinary medicine.
Osteoarthritis causes chronic, progressive pain that profoundly affects quality of life. Dogs with unmanaged OA experience daily pain during normal activities including standing, walking, and changing posture. As stoic animals, dogs rarely vocalise pain — owners often mistake reduced activity for "slowing down with age" rather than pain-driven behaviour change. This misattribution leads to significant delays in diagnosis and pain management. The welfare cost of under-treated OA in the dog population is substantial — affecting millions of animals. Effective management substantially improves welfare: dogs on appropriate multimodal therapy show measurable improvements in activity, interaction, and quality of life scores. Early intervention slows progression and reduces the cumulative pain burden over the disease course.