Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs, affecting an estimated 20% of adult dogs and the majority of older large-breed dogs. It is under-diagnosed and under-treated — with significant welfare consequences for millions of animals.
Chronic OA pain is one of the largest sources of ongoing suffering in the companion animal population — and one of the most treatable. Dogs living with inadequately managed arthritis experience daily pain that restricts movement, disrupts sleep, and reduces engagement with life. The systematic under-reporting of pain by stoic dogs, and owner attribution of mobility changes to "normal ageing," means that many dogs suffer for months or years before receiving appropriate pain relief. The welfare opportunity here is enormous: with proper diagnosis and multimodal management, most arthritic dogs can achieve significant pain reduction and improved quality of life. The new monoclonal antibody treatments in particular represent a step-change in pain management for dogs who do not tolerate NSAIDs.