Comparison of Force Plate Gait Analysis and Owner Assessment of Pain Using the Canine Brief Pain Inventory in Dogs with Osteoarthritis

Background: Lameness assessment using force plate gait analysis (FPGA) and owner assessment of chronic pain using the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) are valid and reliable methods of evaluating canine osteoarthritis. There are no studies comparing these 2 outcome measures.

Objective: Evaluate the relationship between CBPI pain severity (PS) and interference (PI) scores with the vertical forces of FPGA as efficacy measures in canine osteoarthritis.

Animals: Sixty-eight client-owned dogs with osteoarthritis (50 hind limb and 18 forelimb).

Methods: Double-blind, randomized. Owners completed the CBPI, and dogs underwent FPGA on days 0 and 14. Dogs received carprofen or placebo on days 1 through 14. The change in PS and PI scores from day 0 to 14 were compared to the change in peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI).

Results: PS and PI scores significantly decreased in carprofen- compared with placebo-treated dogs (P = .002 and P = .03, respectively). PVF and VI significantly increased in carprofen- compared with placebo-treated dogs (P = .006 and P = .02, respectively). There was no correlation or concordance between the PS or PI score changes and change in PVF or VI.

Conclusions And Clinical Importance: In these dogs with hind limb or forelimb osteoarthritis, owner assessment of chronic pain using the CBPI and assessment of lameness using FPGA detected significant improvement in dogs treated with carprofen. The lack of correlation or concordance between the change in owner scores and vertical forces suggests that owners were focused on behaviors other than lameness when making efficacy evaluations in their dogs.