Canine Joint Disease: Recognising and Managing Arthritis in Dogs

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common and under-treated sources of chronic pain in companion dogs. Understanding the disease and available treatments can transform quality of life for millions of affected animals.

Key Facts

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects an estimated 20% of adult dogs and up to 80% of dogs over 8 years of age.
OA is a progressive, degenerative joint disease causing chronic pain, reduced mobility, and secondary muscle loss.
Dogs rarely cry out in pain — behavioural signs of OA include slowing down, reluctance to climb stairs, difficulty rising, and reduced play.
The Canine Brief Pain Inventory and Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) questionnaire help owners quantify pain before and after treatment.
Multi-modal treatment — combining NSAIDs, physiotherapy, weight management, and joint supplements — is more effective than single-drug approaches.
Newer treatments including monoclonal antibody therapies (bedinvetmab/frunevetmab targeting nerve growth factor) offer significant pain relief with monthly injections.

Welfare Considerations

Canine osteoarthritis represents a massive, largely unaddressed welfare burden. Because dogs mask pain and owners often attribute reduced activity to aging rather than suffering, millions of dogs live with inadequately managed chronic joint pain. The welfare cost is substantial — chronic pain impairs sleep, social interaction, appetite, and psychological wellbeing across months to years. Effective pain management restores quality of life measurably: owners report dogs playing, running, and climbing stairs again after treatment initiation. The availability of effective, safe treatments makes undertreated canine OA an unnecessary welfare problem. Routine pain assessment at veterinary visits and owner education are the primary gaps to address.

What You Can Do

Complete a canine pain assessment questionnaire (LOAD scale) for any dog over 7 years showing reduced activity.
Book a veterinary appointment specifically to discuss joint health if your dog shows stiffness, reluctance, or slowing.
Maintain your dog at a healthy weight — every kilogram of excess weight significantly worsens OA pain.
Ask your vet about multi-modal pain management including physiotherapy and anti-NGF monoclonal antibodies.
Modify your home environment: ramps, orthopedic beds, and non-slip mats reduce daily joint strain for arthritic dogs.