Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent chronic pain condition in dogs, affecting an estimated 20% of adult dogs with welfare implications requiring proactive lifelong management.
Canine osteoarthritis welfare is characterized by insidious progression of chronic pain that owners frequently attribute to normal aging rather than a treatable medical condition. Dogs with OA gradually reduce their activity, avoid stairs and jumping, and sleep more - signs that owners often interpret as their dog 'slowing down' rather than coping with pain. The welfare opportunity is substantial: effective pain management dramatically improves quality of life for affected dogs, and weight management prevents or slows progression. Every year that a dog with OA lives without adequate pain management is a year of preventable welfare compromise.