Chronic Pain in Animals

Pain in animals is what we (humans) say it is. There is tremendous variability among both patients and observers. Pet pain is complex and scientifically intriguing, clinically challenging, and easy to overlook.

Studies reveal that approximately 20 percent of dogs across all ages suffer from the chronic maladaptive pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA). The disease causes debilitation and interferes with the activities of daily living. Unfortunately, it is easy for dog owners to overlook OA pain, as they often misinterpret behavior changes as “just getting old,” rather than recognizing a chronic pathological condition that can and should be treated. Managing chronic maladaptive pain in dogs with OA has been a priority in veterinary medicine in recent years, resulting in rapid expansion of the evidence-based components of multimodal pain management strategies.