Pregabalin Monotherapy for Chronic Pain Associated with Osteoarthritis in Working Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 21 Cases

Degenerative joint disease, including osteoarthritis (OA), is frequently diagnosed in working dogs and is a major cause of retirement or euthanasia. Pregabalin is a gabapentinoid used mainly for neuropathic pain, but evidence for pregabalin monotherapy in canine OA-related chronic pain is limited. Of 702 cases screened, this retrospective study included 21 working dogs with radiographically confirmed OA and chronic pain of at least three months’ duration that received pregabalin monotherapy (4 mg/kg PO q12h). Handler-completed Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD), Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) pain severity score (PSS), and pain interference score (PIS) at baseline and at 14 ± 3 days were compared using paired t-tests, with predefined responder criteria applied to individual dogs. LOAD, CBPI-PSS, and CBPI-PIS decreased by 2.33, 0.67, and 1.00 points, respectively (all p < 0.001). However, only 5 of 21 dogs (23.8%) met the LOAD responder criterion and 3 of 21 (14.3%) met the CBPI criterion. No adverse effects were recorded. Although scores decreased significantly at the group level, clinically meaningful improvement was limited, and the uncontrolled design precludes causal inference. Controlled studies are needed to determine whether pregabalin has a role when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use requires caution.