Companion Animals

Canine Osteoarthritis Welfare: Recognition and Long-Term Care

Osteoarthritis is extremely common in older dogs and causes chronic pain that significantly reduces quality of life, yet remains under-recognised and under-treated in many cases.

Key Facts

Affects around 20% of dogs over 1 year and over 80% of dogs over 8 years
Dogs with OA rarely limp but show subtle behavioural changes
Multimodal treatment combining medication, physiotherapy, and weight management is most effective
New monoclonal antibody treatment bedinvetmab targets nerve growth factor for pain control
Early diagnosis and weight management reduces disease progression significantly

Welfare Considerations

Canine OA causes chronic pain affecting movement, sleep, play, and social interaction. Many owners attribute reduced activity to normal ageing. Proactive assessment using validated pain scales from middle age allows early intervention that prevents unnecessary suffering. New treatments including monoclonal antibodies offer significant welfare improvement for affected dogs.

What You Can Do

Use Liverpool OA in Dogs (LOAD) tool or similar scale for annual OA assessment from age 5
Discuss OA screening with your vet at annual check-ups
Maintain healthy body weight throughout the dog life to reduce joint loading
Consider physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and environmental modification alongside medication
Ask your vet about newer pain management options including monoclonal antibody treatments