Chronic pain is significantly underrecognized in dogs. Evidence-based assessment tools and multimodal management approaches improve welfare for dogs with ongoing pain conditions.
Chronic pain in dogs is a welfare crisis that is largely invisible. A dog living with unrecognized and untreated arthritis may spend months or years with reduced mobility, sleep disruption, and ongoing discomfort that owners attribute to "slowing down with age." Early diagnosis and multimodal management can dramatically improve quality of life. The welfare gap is between the available knowledge and tools — which are sophisticated — and their implementation in routine veterinary practice and by owners who may not recognize the signs.