Poor quality of life and recent veterinary consultation are associated with increased owner-perceived pain and/or suffering prior to euthanasia in dogs

Objective: To examine the influence of age, quality of life, illness, and recent veterinary consultation on an owner's perception of pain and/or suffering and consequently end-of-life decision-making for dogs. Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined Dog Aging Project end-of-life survey data. Owner and dog demographic characteristics were analyzed by whether pain and/or suffering were listed as a reason for euthanasia. A multivariate logistic regression model assessed associations. Results: Owner surveys from 2020 through 2024 were included. Overall, 7,764 of 8,955 owners (87%) reported pain and/or suffering as a reason for euthanasia, with older owners, smaller dogs, and dogs < 5 years of age as factors that had lower frequency of pain as a reason for euthanasia. A multivariate logistic regression showed that the presence of a chronic condition and number of lifetime diagnoses were not associated with pain as a reason for euthanasia (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.0 to 1.03 and OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.28, respectively). Recent veterinary consultation was positively associated with pain or suffering (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.50 to 2.05), and better quality of life was negatively associated with pain or suffering (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.93). Conclusions: Owners should be educated regarding the signs of pain and/or suffering to promote awareness of the high prevalence of pain and/or suffering and inform end-of-life care and decision-making. Clinical Relevance: Veterinary visits influence owner perception of pain and/or suffering. Future studies could evaluate the best way to educate dog owners during end-of-life care.