Chronic pain in dogs is widespread but systematically underrecognized and undertreated, as dogs hide discomfort effectively and owners may interpret signs of pain as normal aging.
Chronic pain in dogs represents one of the largest but most invisible welfare problems in companion animals. Millions of dogs live with daily pain from osteoarthritis that is undertreated because owners don't recognize the signs, or because cost prevents access to treatment. A dog that no longer greets you at the door, that hesitates before stairs, that snaps when touched - these are pain behaviors, not personality quirks. The stoic nature of dogs means their suffering is silent. When chronic pain is properly assessed and treated, the transformation in quality of life is often dramatic. The gap between the prevalence of chronic pain and the adequacy of treatment represents a preventable welfare failure.