Chronic pain is widespread but underdiagnosed in dogs. Understanding how dogs express chronic pain and how to manage it effectively is fundamental to canine welfare, particularly in older animals.
Chronic pain is one of the most significant welfare challenges in companion animal medicine and one of the most commonly missed. A dog with significant arthritis may reduce their activity level, become reluctant to climb stairs, show personality changes, or simply "slow down with age" — all presentations that delay diagnosis and treatment. Systematic pain assessment at every veterinary visit for senior dogs, including scoring mobility, body condition, and behavioral indicators, catches pain earlier when treatment is most effective. Modern multimodal pain management significantly improves quality of life — owners regularly describe dramatic behavioral improvements in dogs starting appropriate analgesia, often reporting the dog seems "years younger."