Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How to Spot Dog Osteoarthritis and Track Carprofen Treatment Results
By Wright, A et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2022·Outcomes Research, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Identification of canine osteoarthritis using an owner-reported questionnaire and treatment monitoring using functional mobility tests.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 500 dogs whose owners reported signs of joint pain were evaluated for osteoarthritis, a common condition that can go undiagnosed. Out of these, 188 dogs were confirmed to have osteoarthritis, and many showed significant improvement in pain and mobility after being treated with carprofen, a pain relief medication, for up to 120 days. Owners noted better ability in their dogs to walk, jog, and navigate stairs after treatment. This study highlights the importance of owner observations in identifying dogs that may need further evaluation for joint issues.
People also search for: dog joint pain treatment · carprofen for osteoarthritis in dogs · how to tell if my dog has arthritis
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the diagnostic value of an owner-completed canine osteoarthritis screening checklist to help identify previously undiagnosed osteoarthritis cases, and assess their response to carprofen treatment by monitoring pain and functional mobility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dogs (n=500) whose owners reported ≥1 positive response to the osteoarthritis checklist were examined to identify dogs with previously undiagnosed osteoarthritis. Eligible dogs (n=133) were evaluated for pain and video mobility analysis by Helsinki Chronic Pain Index and visual analogue scale scores, respectively, following carprofen treatment, administered for 30 days (n=95) or up to 120 days (n=38). Dogs were filmed at clinics performing activities (walking, jogging, sitting/lying, walking up and down stairs), and scored at days 0, 30 and 120 using visual analogue scale by an independent blinded expert. RESULTS: A diagnosis of osteoarthritis was confirmed by a veterinarian in 38% (188 of 500) of dogs. Balance of sensitivity and specificity across the original group of nine screening questions was optimised to approximately 88 and 71%, respectively, after elimination of three questions. Pain measured by Helsinki Chronic Pain Index and functional mobility improved over time in response to treatment with carprofen. Mean ability scores for activities significantly improved between days 0 and 30 for walking, jogging, sitting/lying and walking down stairs, and days 0 and 120 for sitting/lying and walking up stairs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: More osteoarthritis cases were identified in study dogs than previous prevalence estimates, indicating the screening checklist's potential to help identify for further evaluation cases that could otherwise remain undiagnosed. Improvements in function were demonstrated after carprofen treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35385129/