Recognising arthritis in dogs: the signs that look like 'just old age'

What is arthritis in a dog?

Osteoarthritis, often just called arthritis, is a joint disease that causes pain and stiffness and slowly gets worse. According to Utrecht University, scientists and doctors no longer see osteoarthritis as cartilage wear, but as a disease in which long-lasting inflammation affects the whole joint.

According to the University of Bristol, osteoarthritis in dogs almost always follows an earlier problem, such as trauma to the joint or an old injury. Sometimes conditions a dog is born with play a part, such as hip or elbow dysplasia. You see it especially in older dogs, but it can sometimes start at a young age.

Weight matters too. Being overweight puts a lot of extra pressure on the joints, writes PDSA, a UK veterinary charity that runs its own pet hospitals. Keeping your dog slim keeps his joints as healthy as possible, and that is something you can do yourself.

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease diagnosed in dogs, according to the Royal Veterinary College in London, which looked at the records of 455,557 dogs at British vet practices. The study found that 2.5% of all dogs had osteoarthritis recorded in 2013. The dogs with osteoarthritis were 10.5 years old on average at first diagnosis.

That percentage only counts dogs whose vet recorded osteoarthritis. Dogs with signs that never reached the vet are not in it. So a low percentage says little about your dog.

Some breeds were diagnosed more often than crossbreeds, most of all the Rottweiler, Dogue de Bordeaux and Old English Sheepdog. The Border Collie, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Labrador and Springer Spaniel, among others, were also at higher risk.

How can you tell old age from arthritis?

Often you can't straight away, which is why problems in older dogs tend to be found late. People quickly assume their dog is 'just getting old', writes LICG, the Dutch national information centre for companion animals, when he may have something that needs treatment. A calmer dog with less interest in walks can have pain in his joints.

A second reason: the changes are small and inconsistent. British researchers interviewed owners of dogs that had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Looking back, those owners mostly described subtle changes in behaviour and mood that came and went. Few linked them to osteoarthritis, and some waited many months before taking their dog to the vet.

The pain itself also fluctuates. According to the University of Bristol, it depends on how active your dog has been recently, on medication and even the weather. Dogs with osteoarthritis go through good and bad spells. It is not uncommon for the signs to be mistaken for an old dog slowing down.

Subtle pain signs are hard to spot, even for dog owners. For a Utrecht University study published in April 2026, 530 dog owners and 117 people without a dog filled in an online questionnaire about behaviour that may point to pain. In one of the situations described, a dog had a painful condition with subtle signs, such as following family members around and restlessness at night. Dog owners rated the chance of pain the same as people without a dog. Owners whose dog had been through something painful before did give some signs a higher score.

Which signs of arthritis get mistaken for old age?

Mostly the ones that creep in slowly. Getting up stiffly, slowing down on walks, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, and being quieter, grumpier or sleeping more are all on PDSA's list of arthritis signs. The table shows, sign by sign, what you might think and why it still deserves attention.

With chronic pain, behaviour changes so slowly that often only the people who know the dog inside out notice it.

How do you notice arthritis on a walk?

You notice it in his pace and in what he starts to avoid: the steps over the dunes to the beach, a stretch of soft sand, the jump into the car. Utrecht University describes what osteoarthritis can cost a dog: no longer being able to walk on the beach or chase a ball.

If your dog covers less ground than he used to on the beach at Wassenaar, or leaves the ball he always brought back, take it seriously.

Things to keep track of on the way:

• Does he walk ahead of you, beside you or behind you, and is that different from before?
• How does he get up when he has been lying down at home for a while after the walk?
• Which stretches does he take slowly or skip: steps, slopes, soft sand, a ditch?
• Does he still want to go as far, or does he turn back sooner?

If your dog goes out with a dog walker during the week, ask whether your dog lags at the back, hesitates at the car or wants to turn back sooner.

How do you record the signs for your vet?

Keep short notes at home and take videos. In unfamiliar surroundings and with strangers around, a dog at the vet's tries to hide signs of pain, LICG writes. What you see at home is important information. In the same British study, vets in general practice said they recognise osteoarthritis from the owner's account and a physical examination.

1. 1Write one line a day, with the date. How did he get up, how did the walk go, how was the night, what did he skip. After a few weeks you will see whether something keeps coming back.
2. 2Film the moments that are hard for him. Getting up after a nap, going upstairs, getting in and out of the car. That way your vet sees what you see at home.
3. 3Note the weather and how busy the day before was. That shows whether bad days line up with a busy day or wet, cold weather.
4. 4Dig out old videos. The same stairs or the same path a year ago shows the difference better than your memory does.
5. 5Take everything to the appointment. Including things that seem small, such as yawning less or no longer sitting.

There are questionnaires for owners too. The Helsinki Chronic Pain Index was developed at the University of Helsinki: a list of 11 questions that the owner answers. The points show whether your dog may have chronic pain. According to the university, an easy-to-use form is in an app, with an international and a Finnish version; it mentions no Dutch version. Ask your vet whether such a list makes sense for your dog.

When should you take your dog to the vet?

Go as soon as you notice one or more signs of arthritis, such as stiffness after rest or slowing down on walks. That is PDSA's advice. Because symptoms often develop slowly, it is hard to know when to go. So do not wait until your dog limps. An older dog also benefits from regular check-ups.

Waiting is not harmless: according to the University of Bristol, by the time osteoarthritis is diagnosed the dog has probably been in chronic pain for a long while.

Arthritis cannot be cured, but several treatments slow it down and ease the pain. If it is well managed, most dogs can live happily for many years after diagnosis. Your vet decides which approach suits your dog.

Later, after a diagnosis, walks change too. In a British study, owners of dogs with osteoarthritis said their walks typically became slower and shorter, and that they chose places where the surface and the slopes were manageable for their dog. For how much walking suits a dog at each age, see how often should you walk your dog.

What can you do until the vet appointment?

When you book, ask the practice what to do until then. For dogs with arthritis, PDSA advises regular short walks every day unless your vet says otherwise, because a sudden increase in exercise could make a dog stiff and painful.

Let a dog like that walk and run a little, but don't let him jump, skid, chase balls or run on uneven ground. These tips come from PDSA and LICG:

• Put rugs or anti-slip mats on slippery floors. Dogs with arthritis have weak muscles, so they slip easily and struggle to get up.
• Dry your dog after a wet walk. In autumn and winter that comes up often.
• Give him a warm, draught-free spot to lie. Lying close to the cold ground can make an older dog suffer more from stiffness.

If someone else walks your dog during the week, pass on what your vet advises. Whether a group walk or a private walk suits an older dog better is covered in private walks or group walks. On our own private walks your dog walks one-on-one and sets the pace.

Frequently asked questions about arthritis in dogs