Companion Animal Welfare

Dog Orthopedic Pain Management Advances

Orthopaedic pain management for dogs has advanced significantly - multimodal approaches now offer much better pain control than NSAIDs alone.

Key Facts

Canine osteoarthritis affects over 20% of dogs over 1 year old
Monoclonal antibody therapy (bedinvetmab) targeting nerve growth factor shows significant pain reduction
Gabapentin and amantadine provide effective adjunct analgesia for neuropathic pain
Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy maintain muscle mass and joint function
Body condition scoring is critical - each unit of body condition above optimal worsens joint pain

Welfare Considerations

Orthopaedic pain is vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated in dogs. Modern multimodal pain management can dramatically improve quality of life. Owners and vets working together with current evidence provide far better outcomes than relying on aspirin alone.

What You Can Do

Have your dog assessed for pain by a vet if they show any mobility changes
Ask your vet about modern pain management options including biologics and physiotherapy
Maintain your dog at a healthy body weight to reduce joint load