Degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) is extremely common in older dogs, causing chronic pain that is frequently underdiagnosed and undermanaged, with significant welfare implications.
Degenerative joint disease causes chronic pain that fundamentally alters a dog's quality of life. Dogs experiencing unmanaged arthritis pain show reduced willingness to engage in activities they previously enjoyed, become more irritable, and may show altered sleep patterns. The chronic nature of the pain causes persistent suffering that owners often miss because dogs rarely vocalize pain. Behavioral changes including reduced interaction, house soiling due to difficulty posturing, and reluctance to be touched around painful joints indicate genuine suffering. Without appropriate management, affected dogs spend their final years in significant discomfort.