Immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) causes painful joint inflammation in multiple limbs simultaneously, creating significant welfare challenges that require long-term immunosuppressive management.
IMPA causes substantial welfare impairment through pain across multiple joints simultaneously - dogs are often severely lame and reluctant to rise, walk, or engage in previously enjoyed activities. Fever adds systemic discomfort. Long-term corticosteroid therapy manages inflammation but creates its own welfare concerns: increased appetite and thirst, muscle wasting, susceptibility to infections, and risk of diabetes mellitus. Welfare-centered management balances adequate pain relief and inflammation control with minimizing steroid side effects, using frequent monitoring and steroid-sparing medications when possible. Quality-of-life assessment guides treatment intensity during relapses.