Slower, shorter, sadder: a qualitative study exploring how dog walks change when the canine participant develops osteoarthritis

Abstract

Background: Dog walking may have multiple physical and mental health advantages, but not all dog owners appear to benefit. Dog health is a described barrier to dog walking activity, but specific causes and impacts of reduced exercise in owners of dogs with health problems have not previously been reported. The current study used a qualitative methodology to explore the impact of canine osteoarthritis on dog walking activity. Methods: Owners of dogs with osteoarthritis living in the United Kingdom (UK) were recruited through veterinary practices for semi-structured interview about life with an osteoarthritic dog. Participants were asked to reflect on walks that they had taken with their dog before he/she developed osteoarthritis, and to describe how those walks had changed. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was used to construct key themes. Results: Forty owners of 35 osteoarthritic dogs were interviewed. Prior to their dog's development of osteoarthritis, dog walking distance, speed and location were usually decided by the owner to satisfy the needs and enjoyment of dog and walker. A diagnosis of canine osteoarthritis led to both dogs and their owners altering the walks undertaken. Walks were typically slower, shorter and limited to locations where physical infrastructure, underfoot surface and gradients were perceived by the owner to be navigable by their dog. Most owners did not go on additional walks without their dog due to feelings of guilt and because walking without a dog was less enjoyable. Many owners described negative effects on their own physical health and diminished enjoyment of walking as a result of their dog's condition. Conclusion: Our research suggests that osteoarthritic dogs may reduce the walking exercise their owners are able or willing to undertake. Since osteoarthritis is a common condition in older dogs, this is an important finding for those advocating dog ownership as a positive public health intervention. Strategies may be needed to ensure that owners of dogs that develop physical incapacities can continue to enjoy the health benefits they previously associated with dog walking. Future studies investigating dog walking activity should ensure that the health status of the dog has been considered.

“You can be blind because of loving them so much”: the impact on owners in the United Kingdom of living with a dog with osteoarthritis

“…These interviews add to a growing body of literature describing objective and subjective impacts experienced by owners caring for ill animals. These results describing multifaceted negative impacts on owners' lives add to the recently published data describing the impacts on dog walking activity when the dog develops osteoarthritis [15] and reflect those of other studies looking at the impact of a range of non-orthopaedic diseases in pets. Depression, anxiety, stress and a sense of a reduced quality of life were also found to be prevalent in American owners of ill pets [14], whilst social isolation, guilt, worry and responsibility were described by Danish owners of ill pets interviewed by Christiansen [11].…”

“…Reported ownership benefits when compared to non-dog owners include: an increase in walking exercise independent of the weather [3]; increased chance of meeting recommended physical activity levels in children [4] and adults [5]; improved social contact and friendship building with others in the local neighbourhood [1,6]; and more time spent in a natural outdoor environment [7]. Dog ownership may also bring disadvantages such as increased risk of injury from dog bites [8], challenges in finding and retaining rental accommodation [9] and the financial and emotional challenges associated with caring for a pet when it becomes ill, injured or dies [10][11][12][13][14][15].…”

“…Owners of dogs affected by chronic diseases including diabetes mellitus [17], epilepsy [18], heart failure [19], Chiari-like malformation [20] and cancer [21] describe significant, persistent worry about their pets' condition. Those owners describe adapting multiple aspects of their own lifestyles to accommodate the reduced exercise capacity [15], requirements for time-specific medication dosing and frequent veterinary visits required by their dogs. In a series of recent cross-sectional studies, Spitznagel et al [14,22,23] demonstrated, using scales designed for human patients and carers as well as for pet owners, that owners of pets with a range of chronic illnesses report greater "caregiver burden", psychological distress and a lower quality of life than owners of healthy pets.…”

“…Understanding these experiences can lead to important, generalisable insights for clinicians [25]. Little qualitative research has previously been performed in relation to ownership of chronically ill pets [11,15,26] and to date there has been scant research of any form exploring experiences of ownership of dogs with chronic orthopaedic disease.…”

“…It is a chronic, progressive disease [29] with some dogs affected from an early age [30]. Reductions in exercise ability and quality of life of osteoarthritic dogs are well documented [31][32][33], and owners may alter their own walking exercise and lifestyle to accommodate these changes [15]. However, the impact of canine osteoarthritis on the quality of life, emotional and physical health of their owners has not previously been explored in depth.…”